WESTERN PERSPECTIVE
EU agrees $54 billion in new aid for Ukraine as Hungary falls in line
European Union leaders unanimously agreed on Thursday to extend 50 billion euros ($54 billion) in new aid to Ukraine, sending a message to the United States split on whether to keep backing Kyiv in its fight against Russia's invasion.
The agreement overcomes weeks of resistance from Hungary and comes amid uncertainty over the future of U.S. aid. Kyiv relies heavily on Western support as the war, the biggest conflict in Europe since World War Two, nears its third year.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he hoped the EU decision would help U.S. President Joe Biden convince Congress to follow suit.
"This ... is also a good signal towards the U.S. The American president is a good friend and ally who is working hard to win support for his demands from the Congress," Scholz said, his comments echoed by EU chiefs in Brussels.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy praised the EU agreement, saying the aid would strengthen his country's long-term economic and financial stability.
Ukraine's dollar bonds gained on the news and Kyiv said it expected to receive the first tranche of 4.5 billion euros from the EU in March from a total of 50 billion euros to come from the bloc's shared budget through 2027.
"The message is clear: Russia can't count on any fatigue from the Europeans in their support to Ukraine," said French President Emmanuel Macron.
The agreement comes after weeks of wrangling with Orban, who vetoed the aid last December.
On Thursday, he said he gave the green light after receiving assurances the aid would be used sensibly and would not come from EU funds that had been earmarked for Budapest from the bloc's joint coffers.
The EU executive is withholding some 20 billion euros from Hungary over widespread accusations that Orban has damaged democracy at home during his 13 years in power.
'IN OR OUT?'
Diplomats told Reuters that, in exchange for Hungary's nod, the bloc did not commit to releasing any of the billions of euros of EU funds until Budapest meets conditions.
They said the deal includes a yearly discussion of the package and the option to review it in two years "if needed", but no outright veto for Budapest.
In recent days, the EU has piled pressure on Orban to fall into line. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk told Orban on Thursday time was up for "games" and that Budapest needed to pick sides in the existential challenge posed by Russia's war.
"He has to consider if he is in, or out," Tusk said.
Orban has had many bitter run-ins with the EU over the rule of law in Hungary, and has increasingly criticised Western sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine. He has also cultivated closer ties with the Kremlin than EU peers.
A German diplomat said Orban felt at the summit that his increasing isolation in the bloc was "not comfortable".
"The Hungarian economy is under pressure, that might have helped as well," said the diplomat, who spoke under condition of anonymity. "Orban knows that he needs the EU."
The EU leaders also agreed at their summit in Brussels on Thursday on an "urgent need" to accelerate the delivery of ammunition and missiles to Ukraine.
A day earlier, the EU executive said the bloc would fall far short of its target of sending Ukraine one million rounds of artillery shells by March.
The summit also stopped short of endorsing a call by some countries to inject 5 billion euros for Ukraine - on top of the 50 billion euros already agreed - into a broader military assistance fund, the European Peace Facility (EPF).
Germany has been calling for major reform of the system to take account of EU members' bilateral military aid to Ukraine and Scholz said after the summit that Germany - the EU's paymaster - cannot manage military support alone.
RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE
Russia says its forces repel seven Ukrainian attacks in Kupyansk area
Russian forces repelled seven Ukrainian attacks in the Kupyansk area, eliminating more than 125 enemy troops, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a daily bulletin of the special military operation.
Here are the details of this and other combat actions that happened over the past day, according to the bulletin.
Kupyansk area
"Through active operations in the Kupyansk area, units of Battlegroup West, supported by aviation, repelled seven attacks by assault teams of Ukraine’s 30th and 44th mechanized brigades near Sinkovka in the Kharkov Region and Terny in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The enemy lost more than 125 troops, three armored fighting vehicles and two cars," the ministry said.
Also, a Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery mount and two Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers were hit in counter-battery fire.
Krasny Liman area
"Coordinating their actions, units of the battlegroup Center improved positions along the frontline and inflicted losses on the Ukrainian armed forces and National Guard in the area of Serebryansky Forestry," the ministry said.
The enemy’s losses amounted to more than 290 servicemen, one tank, two armored fighting vehicles, six motor vehicles and one US-made Paladin self-propelled artillery unit.
Also, Russian forces repelled three attacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian 60th and 63rd mechanized brigades near the settlements of Yampolovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Chervonaya Dibrova in the Lugansk People’s Republic.
Donetsk area
"In the Donetsk area, Russia’s battlegroup South occupied more favorable lines and positions. <…> Four attacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian 22nd mechanized, 46th airmobile, 79th airborne assault brigades near Georgiyevka, Novomikhailovka and Krasnoye of the Donetsk People’s Republic were repelled. The enemy lost over 210 servicemen, three armored combat vehicles and six vehicles," the ministry said.
Russian forces hit the enemy’s manpower and equipment near Belogorovka, Kleshcheyevka and Kurdyumovka in the DPR and destroyed a Grad MLRS, a UK-made AS-90 self-propelled howitzer, three US-made M777 artillery systems, two Msta-B howitzers, an Akatsiya self-propelled hoqitzer, a Hyacinth-B gun, five Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers, a Bukovel electronic warfare station, and an ammunition depot.
South Donetsk area
"Russia’s battlegroup East repelled two attacks and defeated units of the Ukrainian 127th and 128th territorial defense brigades near Staromayorskoye, Urozhaynoye of the Donetsk People’s Republic and Priyutnoye of the Zaporozhye Region," the ministry said.
The enemy lost up to 80 servicemen, a tank, two armored personnel carriers and two vehicles, as well as a Grad multiple launch rocket system, two UK-made FH-70 howitzers, a US-made M777 artillery system, and a D-30 howitzer.
Zaporozhye area
"Units of a Russian battlegroup, acting in conjunction with aviation, repelled an attack and delivered a strike to personnel and hardware from the Ukrainian 128th mountain assault brigade, 33rd and 65th mechanized brigades in the vicinity of the villages of Lugovskoye, Rabotino, Zherebyanki and Malaya Tokmachka. The Ukrainian armed forces lost up to 50 troops and three pickup trucks," the statement said.
During counterbattery operations, a combat vehicle of a Grad multiple launch rocket system, two D-20 howitzers and two D-30 howitzers were damaged.
Kherson area
"As a result of competent actions of units from the battlegroup Dnepr and a comprehensive firepower assault, the enemy's losses reached up to 50 soldiers, three tanks, two armored personnel carriers, two motor vehicles, and two US-made AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar stations," the ministry said.
Air Force and air defenses
"Operational-tactical aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, rocket forces and artillery of Russian battlegroups destroyed a radar station of the Norwegian-made NASAMS anti-aircraft missile system, a 35D6M radar for detecting air targets, two Ukrainian fuel depots, as well as military personnel and equipment in 137 areas," the ministry said.
Air defense capabilities intercepted 20 air-launched rockets and 17 rockets fired from US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems.
Russian air defense systems also destroyed 68 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in areas near the settlements of Olshana, Berestovoye in the Kharkov Region; Zhitlovka, Krivosheyevka in the Lugansk People’s Republic; Yasinovataya, Makeyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic; Pologi, Gulyaipole, Tokmak in the Zaporozhye Region; and Novaya Kakhovka in the Kherson Region.
Tally of destroyed equipment
Since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed a total of 568 Ukrainian warplanes, 265 helicopters, 11,580 unmanned aerial vehicles, 457 surface-to-air missile systems, 14,877 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,214 multiple launch rocket systems, 7,931 field artillery guns and mortars and 18,124 special military motor vehicles.
Reuters/Tass