Zelenskyy publishes income as part of EU transparency push; Hungarian foreign minister arrives in Ukraine

Hungary accused the European Union of blackmail after a leaked document reportedly suggested that the bloc plans to sabotage Budapest's economy if it vetoes fresh aid for Ukraine at a summit later this week.

Hungary's minister for EU affairs took to social media to lambast the paper drawn up by EU officials and cited Sunday by the Financial Times, which said that Brussels has developed a strategy to target Hungary's economic weak spots and undermine investor confidence over its blockade of funds to Kyiv.

"Hungary does not give in to blackmail," Bóka János wrote in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

— Karen Gilchrist

A Ukrainian rocket strike in the Russian-controlled city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine on Monday killed at least three civilians and wounded one more, Russian-installed Mayor Alexei Kulemzin announced on Telegram.

Multiple unverified pictures and videos had earlier emerged on social media showing a vehicle on fire and several bodies lying in the street.

CNBC was not able to independently verify Kulemzin's claims.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó arrived in Uzhhorod, Ukraine, on Monday for talks with senior officials ahead of Thursday's EU summit, at which the bloc hopes Budapest will sign off on a 50 billion euro ($54 billion) aid package to Ukraine.

Andriy Yermak, Ukraine's presidential chief of staff, shared a photograph on X of the two men sitting opposite one another.

"For a better relationship, a frank dialogue is needed. We are ready," Yermak said.

Hungary has signaled it is open to using the European Union budget to supply an aid package to Ukraine, Prime Minister Viktor Orban's political director confirmed on Monday.

Ahead of an emergency summit on Thursday, Balazs Orban confirmed that Budapest had sent a proposal to Brussels on Saturday indicating that it was ready to compromise on a proposed 50 billion euro ($54 billion) aid package.

The prime minister has long been a vocal critic of the EU's financial and military support for Kyiv and maintained close ties with the Kremlin, previously blocking a revision of the EU budget to include aid for Ukraine in its defense against the Russian invasion.

The Financial Times reported on Sunday that the EU has drawn up plans to sabotage Hungary's economy if Budapest was to thwart a fresh aid package this Thursday.

— Elliot Smith

A Russian missile struck an industrial site in the district of Kremenchuk in central Ukraine on Sunday, after a similar attack the previous day triggered a fire, according to the Poltava regional governor.

"According to preliminary information, an industrial facility in the Kremenchuk district has been hit again," Regional Governor Philip Pronin said on Telegram.

"Fortunately, there were no casualties. The enemy will surely be punished! Thanks to our Defense Forces for protection!"

— Elliot Smith

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday published his income over a two-year period, as he looks to promote transparency as part of Kyiv's push for European Union membership.

According to the declaration, the president and his family members received 10.8 million hryvnias ($286,168) in 2021, the year before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, down almost 12 million hryvnias from the previous year. The 2021 figure included income from the sale of around $142,000 in government bonds.

In 2022, the Zelenskyy family's income fell to 3.7 million hryvnias due to the "temporary termination of lease agreements on the territory of Ukraine as a result of the beginning of Russia's full-scale aggression."

The family's cash balance at the end of 2022 dropped by almost 1.8 million, while there were no other changes across the two years relating to assets, real estate, vehicles etc.

Ukraine formally started the screening process to begin talks over its future membership of the EU on Thursday, and faces stringent conditions to increase transparency and root out corruption.

Zelenskyy has called for all public officials to disclose their incomes, while the U.S. and other allies supporting Ukraine's war effort, including the International Monetary Fund, have sought assurances about the country's efforts to eradicate corruption.

— Elliot Smith

Russian President Vladimir Putin said a Russian military plane that crashed near the border with Ukraine on Wednesday was shot down by Ukrainian air defences, whether on purpose or by mistake.

Moscow accuses Kyiv of downing the Ilyushin Il-76 plane in Russia's Belgorod region and killing 74 people on board, including 65 captured Ukrainian soldiers en route to be swapped for Russian PoWs. It has not presented proof.

Ukraine has not confirmed or denied whether it shot down the plane and has challenged Moscow's account of who was on board and what happened.

"I don't know if they did it on purpose or by mistake, but it is obvious that they did it," Putin said in televised comments, his first on the crash.

"In any case, what happened is a crime. Either through negligence or on purpose, but in any case it is a crime."

Ukraine disputes Russia's assertion that it was warned in advance that a plane carrying Ukrainian prisoners of war would be flying over Russia's southwestern Belgorod region at that time. It has also said there were discrepancies in a list published by Russian media of the 65 Ukrainians alleged to have been on the aircraft.

Putin said the plane could not have been brought down by Russian "friendly fire" because Russia's air defence systems have safeguards to prevent them attacking their own planes.

"There are 'friend or foe' systems there, and no matter how much the operator presses the button, our air defence systems would not work," he said.

Putin said the missiles fired were mostly likely American or French, but this would be established with certainty in two to three days.

— Reuters

Photos published via Getty Images show recently damaged Russian military equipment on the outskirts of Ukraine's industrial hub of Avdiivka, which is regarded as the gateway to Donetsk.

— Sam Meredith, Adam Jeffery

Putin says Ukraine likely shot down plane with U.S. or French missiles; Kyiv begins EU accession talks