The war has entered its 705th day and the main developments are as follows:
Fighting:
– Russia claimed to have taken control of Tabaivka in Ukraine but Ukraine denied the claim and the fighting is ongoing.
– The Russian-installed mayor of Donetsk blamed Ukraine for a rocket attack that killed three people and injured three more.
Politics and diplomacy:
– Hungary signaled a willingness to compromise on a proposed 50 billion euro EU aid package for Ukraine and is open to using the EU budget for the aid package.
– Ukrainian and Hungarian foreign ministers prepared the groundwork for a meeting of their leaders and agreed to work together on the issue of Hungarian minority rights in Ukraine.
– The US Secretary of State warned that all advances in Ukraine would be in jeopardy if Congress failed to approve new aid for Kyiv.
– NATO chief is in Washington to rally support for a Ukraine deal and will meet with members of Congress involved in the aid debate.
– The UK Foreign Secretary called on Moscow to reveal the whereabouts of Vladimir Kara-Murza, who was moved from a Siberian penal colony to an unknown location.
Other developments:
– Members of the Russian rock group Bi-2, who have condemned the war in Ukraine, face deportation to Russia after being arrested in Thailand for working without a permit.
– A Russian court jailed a 72-year-old woman for sharing posts online about Russian military casualties in Ukraine.
– Sales of US military equipment to foreign governments rose 16 percent in 2023 to a record $238bn, as countries sought to replenish arsenals sent to Ukraine and prepare for major conflicts.