The latest war between Russia and Ukraine: Putin is unlikely to achieve a major breakthrough in Donetsk

The White House said that US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will raise the issue of the war in Ukraine during his upcoming visit to China.

Moscow has looked to Beijing for closer ties since invading its neighbor, and there is concern in Washington that a protracted war could cement relations between the two great powers.

Poland aims to reduce training time on Leopard 2 tanks from around 10 to five weeks, at a center where Ukrainian soldiers will likely learn how to operate the vehicles.

The village of Swietoszow in western Poland, near the German border, hosts one of only three Leopard training centers in Europe — the others are in Germany and Switzerland, and military experts say this is the most likely place to train Kyiv’s forces.

An alliance of Western Ukrainian partisans formed in January to supply German-made Leopard tanks to Kyiv, and on January 20 Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said Ukrainian forces would train on the Leopards in Poland.

“If we step up training [by maximising the number of] “Instructors, our time and weekends, we can train an entire crew in five weeks,” Major Maciej Banaszynski, commander of the Polish Leopard Training Center, told Reuters.

Human Rights Watch urged Ukraine to investigate allegations that its military used thousands of rocket-launched antipersonnel landmines in and around the eastern city of Izyum when Russia occupied the Kharkiv region.

“Ukrainian forces appear to have dispersed landmines extensively around the Izyum region, causing civilian casualties and posing continued danger,” said Steve Goose, arms director at Human Rights Watch, noting that the organization also released three reports last year. Russia is accused of using weapons.

“Russian forces have repeatedly used antipersonnel mines and committed atrocities across the country, but this does not justify Ukraine’s use of these banned weapons,” he said.

Human Rights Watch said that Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Oleksandr Polishchuk responded in a letter in November, writing that Ukraine fully complies with all international obligations in the field of mine use, including “not using antipersonnel mines in war.”

Mr. Polishchuk told Human Rights Watch that Ukrainian forces strictly adhere to international humanitarian law and the 1997 Convention on Antipersonnel Mines. Ukraine’s foreign ministry echoed those sentiments on Tuesday and said the report “will be properly analyzed by the relevant institutions”.

Ukraine has warned of “irreparable consequences” in its relations with Hungary unless Budapest’s leadership refrains from what Kyiv described as anti-Ukrainian rhetoric.

The foreign ministry said Kyiv had summoned Hungary’s ambassador for “disparaging” comments made by Viktor Orban on Tuesday, handing him a “strong protest in connection with Orban’s recent insulting remarks”.

“It was assured to the Hungarian diplomat that the anti-Ukrainian rhetoric, which we have been hearing from the Hungarian leadership for a long time, is totally unacceptable and causes serious damage to Ukrainian-Hungarian relations.”

“The Hungarian side was urged to stop this negative trend in order to avoid irreparable consequences for relations between the two countries,” the ministry added.

Hungary has criticized EU sanctions against Russia, saying they fail to materially weaken Moscow and risk destroying the European economy, and last year chose not to send weapons to Ukraine.

Kyiv also complained to Hungary last year after Orban went to a soccer match wearing a scarf it said depicted some Ukrainian lands as part of Hungary.

Downing Street rejected the suggestion by Senior MEP Guy Verhofstadt that Russia might not have invaded Ukraine if Brexit had not happened (see After 11:15 a.m).

The Prime Minister’s official spokesperson said: “Putin’s illegal invasion had nothing to do with Brexit. In fact, the invasion demonstrated the UK’s commitment to European security.

“From the outset we have worked very closely with our European allies, which is a real tangible testament to the UK’s continued commitment to the security of the continent.

“This is not going to change and it makes no sense to say otherwise.”

Rishi Sunak believes it is “impractical” to send British fighter jets to Ukraine, though she is keen to boost support for Kiev to avoid a prolonged stalemate in the country’s war with Russian invaders.

Downing Street said it would take a long time to train Volodymyr Zelensky’s forces on “highly advanced” Typhoon and F-35 jets.

However, No. 10 did not oppose the Allies sending their own planes, as France is making noise in this sense today (see post below).

Our political correspondent Adam Forrest More details in this report:

The French Defense Minister has indicated that there is “no ban” on supplying the fighter jets to Ukraine – with No. 10 insisting that it would not be “practical” for the UK to do so.

Speaking after a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, Sebastian Licorne also announced that Paris would send Kyiv 12 more Tsar howitzers and send 150 army personnel to Poland to train up to 600 Ukrainian soldiers there each month.

Mr. Licorne clarified France’s position when it comes to supplying weapons to Ukraine, saying that it should not weaken France’s defense capability, that it should be useful to help Ukraine in the conflict with Russia and that the weapons are only used by Ukraine to defend itself. .

Last week, Kyiv’s foreign minister announced that Ukraine would receive between 120 and 140 tanks in a “first wave” of deliveries from 12 countries.

While Kyiv said hundreds of tanks would be needed to make a significant difference on the battlefield, Dmytro Kuleba said Ukrainian officials were working behind the scenes to persuade more countries to send tanks.

The Tank Alliance now has 12 members. I can note that in the first wave of contributions, the Armed Forces of Ukraine will receive between 120 and 140 Western-style tanks,” Mr. Kuleba told reporters.

“We continue to work to expand the membership of the Tank Alliance and increase the contributions of those who have already been pledged,” the Secretary of State added.

A presidential aide to Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia has stepped up its attacks as he called on Ukraine’s allies to send more weapons.

Mykhailo Podolik claimed that “the systematic bombing of front-line towns, the accumulation of munitions, the redeployment of troops, and the additional compulsory mobilization certainly do not indicate ‘Moscow’s readiness for peace'”.

These are direct indications of a major escalation. So, weapons, weapons and more weapons for Ukraine.

Since winning Western pledges last week to provide main battle tanks, Kyiv has asked for more weapons – including fighter jets. France has indicated it is ready to send potential aircraft, but Downing Street warned on Tuesday that it would not be practical for the UK to do so.

An army spokesman in Kyiv said Ukraine had prevented Russia from seizing a crucial supply line leading to the town of Bakhmut on the front line from Chasev Yar.

Speaking after Moscow said its forces had taken control of Bludatny, a small village north of Bakhmut, Serhiy Sherevaty said: “The Russian forces could not cut off the road that is used to supply the Ukrainian armed forces. The Ukrainian army in Bakhmut is equipped with everything necessary.”