Russian troops seize key settlements in southeastern Ukraine while Budapest criticizes European aid, and Kyiv seeks new military support in France.
Russian forces have made significant advances in Ukraine’s southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, capturing two strategic settlements and putting neighboring towns at risk. The Russian Defence Ministry reported that Rivnopillya and Mala Tokmachka have fallen under Moscow’s control, raising concerns that the southern town of Huliaipole could become the target of Russian pincer movements.
Ukraine has not provided immediate comment, but its top general warned last week of worsening fighting along parts of the Zaporizhzhia front, including Huliaipole. Kyiv has also acknowledged pulling back from several villages in the region to strengthen defensive positions.
The military developments come amid controversial remarks from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who said Ukraine has “no chance” of winning the war. He criticized Europe’s financial support to Kyiv as excessive, stating, “We have burned already €185bn … so we finance a country which has no chance to win the war.”
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is in France, finalizing agreements for the supply of air-defense systems, warplanes, and missiles. These deals are seen as crucial to bolstering Ukraine’s defensive capabilities as the conflict intensifies in strategic regions like Zaporizhzhia.
The situation highlights the dual challenges facing Ukraine: military pressure on the battlefield and political skepticism from some European allies. As the war evolves, the international community’s response will play a key role in shaping the conflict’s trajectory.
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