Ukraine urges West to back 'shield' against Russia after invasion warning

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday his country was a "shield" against Russia and deserved more support in the face of a feared invasion, as Moscow test-fired nuclear-capable missiles in a show of force. Addressing the Munich Security Conference, Zelensky condemned "a policy of appeasement" towards Moscow. "For eight years, Ukraine has been a shield," said Zelensky, who travelled to Munich despite shelling in his country's conflict-torn east that left two Ukrainian soldiers dead. "For eight years, Ukraine has been holding back one of the greatest armies in the world," he added. Zelensky called for "clear, feasible timeframes" for Ukraine to join the US-led NATO military alliance -- something Moscow has said would be a red line for its security. But the Ukrainian leader also said he was willing to meet with Vladimir Putin, to find out "what the Russian president wants". Western officials in Munich continued to raise the alarm about Moscow's intentions towards Ukraine, after US President Joe Biden said Friday he was "convinced" Putin planned to invade, including with an attack on the capital Kyiv, within days. They again warned of enormous sanctions if Russia...