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MOSCOW, Russia | TASS | Europe is in the middle of preparations for a war against Russia as it is increasingly drawn into the Ukrainian conflict, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said.
NATO foreign ministers have not yet agreed to empower the alliance to play a coordinating role in providing military supplies and long-term financial assistance to Ukraine, said the alliance’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg.
TASS has put together key events in and around Ukraine over the past day.
Special operation progress
The Russian Defense Ministry said these events took place over the past week:
– Forty-five Ukrainian servicemen have surrendered.
– Units of the battlegroup Center continued advancing deeper into the enemy’s defenses, liberating the settlements of Arkhangelskoye and Netailovo in the Donetsk People’s Republic.
– The battlegroup Dnepr struck seven Ukrainian brigades.
– Units of the battlegroup North struck seven enemy brigades and repulsed 20 counterattacks.
– The battlegroup South improved its position on the front line and struck 12 Ukrainian military formations.
– Units of the battlegroup East improved their tactical positions and struck the manpower and equipment of two Ukrainian brigades, two Ukrainian National Defense units and a Ukrainian National Guard brigade.
– The battlegroup West liberated the Berestovoye and Ivanovka settlements in the Kharkov Region.
War preparation in the West
Europe has entered an intermediate stage of preparations for war against Russia as it is increasingly drawn into the armed conflict in Ukraine, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Kossuth radio. He said he sees more signs every week that the EU and NATO are preparing for military operations.
The NATO leadership proposes to earmark $40 billion every year for military assistance to Ukraine, but Hungary will not participate in the effort unless there is a war in Europe, said the country’s foreign minister, Peter Szijjarto.
No deal yet
Foreign ministers from the North Atlantic Alliance have not yet reached an agreement for the bloc to take over the coordinating role in providing military supplies and long-term financial assistance to Ukraine, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said.
Swiss conference
China confirmed it will not take part in the peace conference on Ukraine in Switzerland, Reuters reported, citing sources. According to the report, Beijing turned down the invitation because of a failure to meet the conditions it had set for participation, including the presence of Russia.
Strikes with Western weapons
The Kremlin is aware of attempts to strike Russia with US-made weapons, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. According to the official, “this speaks volumes about the degree of US involvement in this conflict.”
The use of Western weapons for strikes on Russian territory would prompt a reckless escalation of the situation, said Harald Vilimsky, a member of the Freedom Party of Austria and the European Parliament.
Prisoner swap
Russia through negotiations brought back 75 servicemen that were held prisoner, the Defense Ministry said. In return, it handed over 75 Ukrainian prisoners of war. The ministry said the United Arab Emirates helped broker the swap deal.
Sanctions
The EU imposed sanctions on Primorye Region Governor Oleg Kozhemyako for his purported role in developing cooperation between Russia and North Korea. Restrictions also targeted nine individuals and organizations in North Korea, along with nine individuals and legal entities in Iran over allegations they helped Russia in the conflict with Ukraine.
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SOURCE: TASS
