European Union legislators voted on Tuesday to deepen integration of the bloc’s defence industry with Ukraine as US peace plan talks continue and Russia’s unconventional warfare operations rattle the 27-nation bloc.

Members of the European Parliament voted 457-148, with 33 abstentions, to approve a 1.5-billion euro (£1.3 billion) programme, with 300 million euros (£262 million) slated for the Ukraine Support Instrument.

Raphael Glucksmann, an EU politician from France’s S&D party, said the defence programme “will enable us to build a more resilient and sovereign Europe” through partnering with Ukraine to build a cutting-edge military industrial complex.

“This is key to making sure we can protect our democracies effectively and autonomously,” he said.

Ukraine’s defence industry “needs u

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