The European Union on Friday pledged an additional €500 million worth of military aid for Ukraine at a meeting of G7 industrialised nations in northern Germany. The extra aid came as fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces intensified around the northeastern city of Kharkiv.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has said the bloc would provide a further 500 million euros worth of military support to Ukraine and that he was confident a deal could be reached in the coming days to agree an embargo on Russian oil.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the G7 foreign ministers meeting, Borrell said the military support would be for heavy weapons such as tanks and artillery and would bring the bloc's aid up to about 2 billion euros.

"A new impetus for military support. [It will be] more pressure on Russia with economic sanctions and continuing the international isolation of Russia and countering misinformation," he said.

Borrell said he was also optimistic an EU embargo on Russian oil could also be agreed in the coming days.

France 24