War in Ukraine: proposed ceasefire, new American aid, air bases attacked… update on the situation

Military analysts say Russia is targeting airport infrastructure, such as tarmacs and hangars, likely to complicate the delivery and use of planes promised by Western countries. Ukraine is due to receive the first F-16s from the United States this month, which could help repel Russian assaults and destroy difficult-to-intercept gliding bombs.

Ukrainian government officials have not said where the F-16s will be based, but Moscow said last Thursday it was targeting airports that could accommodate them, after hitting the airport from Starokostiantyniv. A spokesperson for the Ukrainian armed forces concedes that Russian attacks pose "some problems" but that they' would not prevent the delivery or use of the F-16.

The Ukrainian army, whose stocks of anti-air munitions are low, could also have to move fighters from base to base, estimates Justin Bronk of the Royal United Services Institute. "Any ground-based anti-air defense can be overwhelmed if the Russians send enough missiles at a target", adds the expert.

Wahington announces $2.3 billion military news

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Tuesday a new round of $2.3 billion in aid to Ukraine, including anti-aircraft defenses and anti-tank weapons.

"The United States will soon announce more than $2.3 billion in new security aid for Ukraine' quot;, declared Mr. Austin while receiving his Ukrainian counterpart Roustem Oumerov at the Pentagon.

In kyiv, Orban proposes a ceasefire to speed up peace talks

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Tuesday urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to consider a ceasefire to hasten the end of the war with Russia and also said that' he wanted a major cooperation agreement with kyiv.

Viktor Orban, the European leader closest to Russian President Vladimir Putin, spoke with Volodymyr Zelensky on his first visit to Ukraine in more than a decade , which comes as Hungary took over the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union on Monday for a period of six months.

In brief statements to journalists at a joint press conference after the talks, Viktor Orban said he appreciated Kiev's efforts to promote Volodymyr Zelensky's peace plan presented in June in Switzerland and its goal of organizing a second summit later this year. "I have asked the President to consider the possibility of reversing the order and expediting the peace talks by establishing first a ceasefire, declared Viktor Orban. "A ceasefire with a deadline would give a chance to accelerate peace talks" , he added.

The Ukrainian leader, who spoke to the press before him, did not respond to these comments. Volodymyr Zelensky, however, praised the possibility of a vast bilateral cooperation agreement between Ukraine and Hungary. "The content of our discussion today on all issues can become the basis of a bilateral document between our states, a document that will govern all our mutual relations&quot ;, he said. Viktor Orban said Hungary wanted to contribute to the modernization of the Ukrainian economy.

Hungary, which upset its Western partners by meeting Vladimir Putin last October, has repeatedly accused Ukraine of restricting the rights of the Hungarian minority comprising around 150,000 people living in the far west of Ukraine.

Ukraine, for its part, wants support from Budapest because it relies heavily on financial and military aid from the 27 EU members, where unanimity is necessary for many decisions. Viktor Orban told Vladimir Putin last year that Hungary never wanted to oppose Russia.

This year, he resisted for weeks the desire of other EU leaders to release new aid of 50 billion euros to Ukraine . The European Union opened formal accession negotiations with kyiv last week at its summit in Brussels, although there is a long way to go before the country can join the bloc.