Latest war in Ukraine: Putin’s forces advance in Zaporizhia

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said that Ukraine has “no chance” of winning the war with Russia and that continued EU financial support for Kiev is “simply insane”.

Orban claimed the EU has “already wasted 185 billion euros” on aid to Ukraine and argued that continuing to fund Kiev is “killing” the bloc “economically” and “financially.”

His comments came in an interview with Mathias Döpfner, CEO of owner Axel Springer POLITICS.

Hungary has continued to block EU sanctions against Russia and denounced its financial support to Ukraine. Obran had lobbied for the relief of US oil sanctions on Russia.

He also accused European leaders of prolonging the conflict in the hope of gaining a stronger position in future peace negotiations.

“They would like to continue the war,” he said. “They think we should support Ukraine more – that is wrong, totally wrong.”

Arguing that “the situation and the time are better for the Russians than for us,” Orban urged Europe to push for a ceasefire “as soon as we can.”

On possible peace talks, he predicted a broader agreement “between the Russians and the Americans” on war, trade and energy.

He also said Europe should set up its own channel to Moscow: “Let the Americans negotiate with the Russians, and then the Europeans should also negotiate… and see if we can unify the position.”

A Russian missile attack on the eastern Ukrainian town of Balakliia killed three people and injured 10, including three children, a regional military official in the Kharkiv region said on Monday.

The overnight strike hit the city center, injuring children aged 18, 15 and 14, Vitali Karabanov, head of Balakliia’s military government, said on Telegram.

Nine of the injured were taken to hospital, he added.

There was no immediate response from Moscow to the attack.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to sign a series of defense deals in Paris on Monday as Kiev looks to strengthen its long-term military capacity amid intensified Russian attacks.

Zelenskiy meets French President Emmanuel Macron as Russia steps up drone and missile attacks and claims new claims in the Zaporizhia region.

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Talks have been going on for weeks about how France can expand support despite political and budgetary pressure in Paris.

Macron has already pledged additional Mirage jets, in addition to the six previously promised, and a new batch of Aster 30 missiles for Ukraine’s SAMP/T air defense systems.

Monday’s announcement is expected to go further, according to people briefed on the discussions. Kiev could get a 10-year strategic aviation deal that would pave the way for Rafale fighter jets, partly from current French stockpiles and largely as part of Ukraine’s plan to build a future 250-strong fleet alongside F-16s and Gripens. Due to training requirements, the advanced jets would not be immediately operational.

Additional SAMP/T systems, anti-drone equipment and longer-term missile orders are also expected, although funding remains unclear.

Macron’s office said the aim was to use “French excellence in the arms industry” to equip Ukraine with the systems it needs to resist Russian aggression.

Russia said on Sunday its forces have made significant progress in Ukraine’s southeastern Zaporizhia region, capturing two settlements as part of a broader effort to take full control of the area.

The Defense Ministry said troops had captured Rivnopillya – a move that threatens the southern town of Huliaipole with potential pincer movements – and Mala Tokmachka, located just 9km from Orikhiv.

A prominent Russian military blogger, Yuri Podolyaka, described Mala Tokmachka as “the gateway to Orikhiv,” underscoring the strategic implications of the advance.

Ukraine has not commented. The top general warned last week of worsening fighting along parts of the Zaporizhia front, including around Huliaipole, and Kiev has acknowledged its withdrawal from several villages in the area.

With a smaller army spread across multiple fronts, Ukraine is trying to strengthen the Donetsk region while the rest of the line is kept under intense Russian artillery and drone attacks.

Pro-Ukrainian battlefield maps indicate that Russian forces have moved at least 30 km (19 miles) across a wide swath of the Zaporizhia-Dnipropetrovsk axis in the past six weeks.

Ukrainian troops and commanders say the manpower shortage is hampering their ability to hold defensive positions despite heavy use of drones by both sides, making any advance costly.

Russia now controls roughly 19% of Ukraine – about 115,000 square kilometers – a marginal increase from two years ago. Moscow continues to seek full control over the Donbas, as well as the entire Kherson and Zaporizhia region