Moscow reacts sharply to new US sanctions. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zakharova calls the measures"counterproductive." The Lithuanian military reports an airspace violation by Russian military aircraft. More in the live ticker.
The US President's attempts to persuade Russia to enter into peace talks with Ukraine have so far been unsuccessful. Now, for the first time, Trump is imposing new sanctions. Donald Trump cancels a meeting with Vladimir Putin:"Every time I talk to Vladimir, I have good talks, but then they go nowhere."
All events surrounding the war in Ukraine and security policy in Europe in the live ticker:
19:33 – Lithuania reports airspace violation by Russian military aircraft
According to the Lithuanian army, two Russian military aircraft have entered the airspace of the Baltic EU and NATO member state. The Lithuanian army reported that the air force had detected a violation of the state border near Kybartai by a Russian SU-30 jet and an IL-78 tanker aircraft at around 6:00 p.m. local time. According to the Bloomberg news agency, the aircraft penetrated 700 meters into NATO airspace. The overflight lasted 18 seconds.
6:09 p.m. – Putin appears calm
According to President Vladimir Putin, the new US sanctions will not harm the country's economy. No self-respecting country will do anything under pressure, he declared, according to a report by the RIA news agency. The sanctions are an unfriendly act and will not strengthen bilateral relations. He warns that Russia's contribution to global energy supplies is significant. Finding a replacement for Russian oil supplies will take time.
5:30 p.m. – Söder calls on the EU to limit the influx of Ukrainians
From the CSU leader's perspective, young men from Ukraine in particular should return to their homeland quickly. They are needed there as soldiers.
16:30 – Great Britain wants to “hunt” Russian submarines with Germany
Germany and Great Britain intend to jointly strengthen the protection of strategically important maritime areas in the North Atlantic and the North Sea. To this end, new German P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft – specialized military aircraft for use against submarines – will also be launched from the Scottish military base in Lossiemouth."Together, we confirm that in the future, British and German crews on P-8s will jointly hunt Russian submarines. And they will operate side by side from Lossiemouth to protect European security and NATO," Healey said.
11:33 a.m. – Klingbeil: New US sanctions against Russia are a strong signal
According to Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil (SPD), the tougher US sanctions against Russia are a clear and strong signal to Russia. It had already become apparent that the US was losing patience with Russia. He is grateful for the measures, the German Finance Minister said in Berlin.
10:38 a.m. – Medvedev: Trump is “on the warpath” with Russia
US President Donald Trump is, according to Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev,"on the warpath" with Russia. This is demonstrated by Trump's decisions to cancel the summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin and to impose sanctions on Russian oil companies, says Medvedev. He is a close confidant of Putin and his deputy at the head of the important National Security Council.
"The US is our enemy, and its talkative 'peacemaker' has now fully embarked on the warpath with Russia," Medvedev wrote on Telegram, referring to Trump."The decisions taken are an act of war against Russia. And now Trump has fully sided with crazy Europe."
10:15 a.m. – Russia calls US sanctions against oil companies counterproductive
Russia describes the US sanctions against its energy sector as counterproductive to peace efforts. If the US follows the example of previous US administrations, it will be a failure, said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova in Moscow.
Russia's goals in Ukraine remain unchanged, and the root causes of the conflict must be resolved, Zakharova says."This is a starting point for dialogue with us."
09:39 – Belgium slows down EU agreement on use of frozen Russian assets
In the debate over the use of Russian assets in the EU to support Ukraine, Belgium has threatened to block the necessary decision. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever set conditions for approval of the proposal at the EU summit in Brussels. If these conditions are not met, he will"do everything in my power to prevent this decision."
A proposal by the EU Commission proposes using €140 billion from the Russian Central Bank to provide reparations loans to Ukraine. The money will be used, among other things, to purchase weapons. The funds are primarily invested in Belgium, which is why the country fears repercussions.
De Wever now called for both the default risks and the financial consequences of potential Russian retaliation to be spread among all EU countries. Furthermore, all EU countries in which additional Russian assets are invested should disclose this."We know that there are large sums of Russian money in other countries that have always remained silent about it," said the Belgian."If these three demands, which I think are quite reasonable, are met, we can move forward," he continued, while dampening expectations that an agreement would be reached at the summit:"I would be surprised if we could achieve this today," said De Wever."But miracles have happened before."
09:33 – Zelenskyy welcomes “very important” EU and US sanctions against Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed new EU and US sanctions against Russia as "very important." The 19th sanctions package, adopted Wednesday evening, is"crucial" for his country, Zelenskyy said Thursday upon arrival at the EU summit in Brussels. He called on his allies to further increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"We must not only defend ourselves together with all of Europe, with the United States, but we must also put pressure on Putin to end this war," Zelenskyy explained."That means sanctions, packages, long-range air defense, and, of course, financial support, which we will discuss today."
9:30 a.m. – EU summit begins with decision on Russia sanctions
Following the agreement reached Wednesday evening, the EU member states' new sanctions against Russia have now been formally adopted and can enter into force. The package, adopted this morning in a written procedure, provides, among other things, for further reducing Russia's revenues from the sale of gas and oil, as the current Danish EU Council Presidency announced in Brussels. A complete ban on imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia is to come into effect as early as 2027, one year earlier than originally planned.
09:27 – Strack-Zimmermann welcomes EU sanctions against Russia as a “major step”
EU defense policy expert Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP) welcomed the EU's new sanctions against Russia as a"major step." Strack-Zimmermann told Bayern 2 broadcaster Bayern 2 that "above all, it is important that Russia's revenues from gas and oil sales are further reduced." Russia must feel that the EU is indeed capable of taking action.
04:41 – Rubio: US wants to continue meeting with Russian representatives despite the new sanctions
According to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the United States intends to meet with Russian representatives despite the new US sanctions against Russia."We want to continue to meet with the Russians," Rubio told reporters."We are always interested in dialogue whenever there is an opportunity to achieve peace."
The Ukrainian ambassador to the United States welcomed the new US sanctions against Russia. This decision is consistent with Ukraine's position"that peace can only be achieved through strength and through maximum pressure on the aggressor, using all available international instruments," Olha Stefanishyna explained.
04:28 – India checks Russian oil deliveries after US sanctions
Indian state-owned refineries are reviewing their trade documents for Russian oil, according to an insider. They want to ensure they do not receive supplies directly from the Russian companies Rosneft and Lukoil, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters.
00:45 – Trump: Training Ukrainians on Tomahawk missiles too time-consuming
US President Donald Trump defended his decision not to supply Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine. He argued that it would take too long to train the Ukrainian military in the use of the weapons system. Trump stated that it would take"at least six months" or even a year to effectively deploy the Tomahawk cruise missiles. This would require a"tremendous learning curve" for the Ukrainian armed forces.
Trump called a media report about the US government's green light for the use of long-range missiles against Russia"fake news." The Wall Street Journal, citing government officials, had reported that Ukraine would be allowed to use some Western long-range missiles against targets in Russia.
The Trump administration had previously suggested providing Tomahawk weapons to Ukraine to help stop the war started by Russia. However, after a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week, Trump rejected this option, stressing that the US must secure its own stockpile of Tomahawk cruise missiles.
00:16 – EU states agree on new Russia sanctions
Shortly before their summit this Thursday, the EU member states agreed on a far-reaching tightening of sanctions against Russia. The plans include, among other things, further reducing Russia's revenues from the sale of gas and oil, as announced in Brussels by the current Danish EU Council Presidency. A complete ban on imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia is to come into force as early as 2027, one year earlier than originally planned. Further punitive measures in the financial and trade sectors, as well as restrictions on the freedom of movement of Russian diplomats within the EU, are also planned.
Following Wednesday's agreement, the formal decision on the sanctions package is considered a formality and is to be made by written procedure by 8:00 a.m. this Thursday morning. The agreement was made possible by Slovakia, which lifted a reservation it had held for weeks on Wednesday. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico had previously stated that the EU had, as he had demanded, pledged to do more to combat exploding energy prices.
Wednesday, October 22:
11:51 PM – Ukraine reports air strikes on Kyiv
Russia launched drone attacks on Kyiv for the second consecutive night. Officials said four people were injured by debris and several buildings were damaged, including a kindergarten. The city administration issued a warning of a possible missile attack on the capital.
11:35 p.m. – Trump says he has canceled a meeting with Putin
US President Donald Trump has announced he is canceling his planned upcoming meeting with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin in Budapest. It didn't feel like they were getting where they needed to be, the Republican said at a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House.
"Every time I talk to Vladimir, I have good conversations, but they go nowhere," Trump said. He hoped the new sanctions would bring Putin to his senses. He also hoped the sanctions wouldn't have to remain in place for long. However, Trump said there will be a meeting between him and Putin in the future.
11:15 PM – US government imposes sanctions on Russian oil companies
The US government is imposing new sanctions on major Russian oil companies. In light of Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin's refusal to end the war against Ukraine, his department is imposing sanctions on Russia's two largest oil companies, which finance Moscow's war machine, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is quoted as saying in a statement. The sanctions affect Rosneft and Lukoil. The department justifies the move with Moscow's refusal to end the"senseless war" in Ukraine. It is"prepared to go further if necessary."
Shortly after the Treasury Department's announcement, US President Donald Trump also commented on the move."I just felt it was time," Trump said during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office. Trump went on to say he hoped the new sanctions would bring the Russian president to his senses. He also hoped the same would happen with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky."As the saying goes, it takes two to tango."
8:17 PM – Russia restricts WhatsApp and Telegram again
The Russian telecommunications authority Roskomnadzor is further restricting the two messaging services WhatsApp and Telegram in Russia. To combat criminals, the agency announced, according to the Russian state news agency Tass, that it is taking measures to partially restrict foreign messaging services. WhatsApp and Telegram are important services for blackmail, fraud, and the involvement of Russian citizens in acts of sabotage, it said.
Russian media reported massive restrictions on messaging services, especially in southern Russia, since Monday. Comments on outage websites reported slow connections or that the app wouldn't load at all. Calls via WhatsApp and Telegram have been restricted for some time.
1:55 PM – Foreign Minister Wadephul attends “Coalition of the Willing” meeting
According to a government spokesperson, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul will participate in the meeting of the so-called Coalition of the Willing for Ukraine on Friday in London. The goal is to organize further support for Ukraine in its defensive struggle against Russia.
12:56 p.m. – Dispute over defense spending: Lithuania's defense minister resigns
Lithuania's Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene has resigned following a public dispute over the defense budget. The Social Democrat justified her move by arguing that she and Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene have fundamentally different ideas about strengthening the defense of the Baltic EU and NATO country.
The dispute was triggered by a meeting with journalists at the ministry. According to media reports, those present were told that the budget would be smaller than it actually was—and would amount to only 4.87 percent of gross domestic product instead of the 5.38 percent announced a day later.
11:49 a.m. – Drone hits kindergarten in Kharkiv
A Russian drone strike hit a kindergarten in Kharkiv. One person was killed, Mayor Ihor Terekhov wrote on Telegram. Seven others were also injured. Terekhov said the impact caused a fire in the private kindergarten. The building has been evacuated. He stated that several drone strikes occurred in the affected district in the northeast of the city this morning.
10:50 a.m. – Slovakia wants to approve 19th sanctions package
Slovakia signals its approval of the European Union's 19th sanctions package against Russia. If the conditions set by Slovakia are met at this week's EU summit, his country could give the green light, Prime Minister Robert Fico told a parliamentary committee. He also announced a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz before the summit.
10:20 a.m. – Melnyk calls for a halt to development aid for Russia's allies
Ukrainian UN Ambassador Andriy Melnyk is demanding that Germany stop development aid to countries that vote with Russia in the United Nations General Assembly or abstain from condemning resolutions."Germany could, for example, cut off or at least limit development aid to any African or Latin American country that supports Russia—whether through energy purchases or by abstaining from condemning resolutions at the UN," he told WELT.
09:32 – Russia sends demands for Ukraine agreement to USA
Russia has communicated its conditions for a peace agreement with Ukraine to the United States in an informal letter, insisting on its previous maximum demands. In the so-called"non-paper," sent over the weekend, the government in Moscow reiterates its demand for control over the entire Ukrainian Donbass region and for the renunciation of NATO troops in Ukraine. Two US government officials and a person familiar with the situation reported this to Reuters. Moscow thus rejects US President Donald Trump's recent proposal to freeze the front lines at their current state.
09:14 – Orbán: Preparations for presidential meeting continue
According to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, plans for a meeting between Trump and Putin are continuing despite the postponement. Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó is currently in Washington, Orbán wrote on Facebook."The date is still uncertain. When the time comes, we will hold it (the summit)," the politician added. Orbán, who is isolated in the EU and maintains close ties to Moscow, is keen to host a possible presidential meeting. His Fidesz party is currently only in second place in polls for Hungary's 2026 parliamentary elections.
08:47 – Death toll from air strikes rises to six
The death toll from the Russian airstrikes last night continues to rise. According to authorities, six people were killed. Rescue workers reported two people were killed in Kyiv. Four more people, including two children, died as a result of Russian airstrikes in the surrounding area.
08:02 – Parts of Ukraine without power after Russian airstrike
Due to Russian airstrikes on Ukraine's power grid, emergency shutdowns are taking place in large parts of the country. The Energy Ministry in Kyiv announced this morning."The massive attack continues," Minister Svitlana Hrinchuk wrote on Telegram. Repair work is being undertaken where the security situation allows. Due to Russian combat drones, air raid warnings remained in effect in Kyiv and other regions this morning.
07:04 – Zelenskyj expected in Sweden – Talks on arms exports
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected in Sweden. He will meet with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in the city of Linköping, according to the Swedish government. The two politicians will hold a joint press conference to discuss arms exports. A visit to a company is also planned.
06:00 – Oil and gas facilities in Poltava damaged
According to Governor Volodymyr Kohut, oil and gas facilities were damaged in a Russian attack on the eastern Ukrainian region of Poltava. He added that Russia has significantly intensified attacks on the Ukrainian energy system in recent weeks.
02:07 – Deaths after rocket attacks on Kyiv
The Russian military attacked targets in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv with ballistic missiles. According to preliminary information from the Ukrainian Air Force, at least four missiles were used. Two people were killed. A fire broke out in the southern district of Holosiyev, Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced. Rocket debris fell in two other districts, setting fire to at least one car. According to military observers, the city's two thermal power plants were the targets of the attack.
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