Oct 9, 2026, 02:00 AM UTC

US President Donald Trump has expressed confidence that Russian President Vladimir Putin seeks a negotiated settlement with Kyiv, following a recent telephone discussion between the two leaders.

Speaking after subsequent talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump urged both nations to finalize terms before winter. Zelensky described his dialogue with Trump as "positive and productive," indicating that hostilities could conclude in the coming months. Trump reiterated his call for compromise, stating, "I want him to make a deal with Putin and Putin to make a deal with him."

While both leaders signaled an intention to stop the conflict, no specific framework or formal terms for a ceasefire have been publicly disclosed.

Sources: Diário de Notícias (DN), Expresso, Jornal Económico, RTP (Rádio e Televisão de Portugal)

United States federal prosecutors have unsealed charges against five alleged Russian intelligence operatives accused of orchestrating assassination plots and sabotage campaigns across North America and Europe. According to Manhattan court documents, the network recruited individuals globally to surveil and eliminate targets backing Ukraine, including a June 2024 operation in Prague. All five defendants remain at large.

Simultaneously, Denmark's Security and Intelligence Service stated at a Copenhagen security conference that Russian operatives conducted targeted sabotage against Danish defense manufacturers supplying equipment to Kyiv. Danish authorities categorized these actions as a significant escalation in Moscow's hybrid warfare strategy intended to undermine Western military support for Ukraine.

Sources: BBC News, France24, OCCRP, Sweden Herald, The Guardian.

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković announced targets to increase the country's average net monthly wage to €1,600 by 2028, with consultations scheduled for October to adjust the current €1,050 gross minimum wage. The move coincides with the presentation of a €3 billion National Industrial Development Plan aimed at boosting manufacturing and technology through 2034.

Despite Croatia recording 22 consecutive quarters of GDP expansion, economic experts and business representatives raised concerns regarding long-term sustainability. Mislav Balković, president of the Croatian Employers' Association, cautioned that rising labor costs are outpacing productivity gains. Meanwhile, former economy minister Ljubo Jurčić described the economy as drifting "without an engine and without a rudder," arguing that annual growth must exceed five percent to ensure stability.

Sources: HRT Vijesti, Index, Poslovni dnevnik, Vijesti.

Public confidence in artificial intelligence has dropped in Italy as concerns over job losses and fiscal stability grow. According to a survey by SWG presented at the Chamber of Deputies, positive sentiment toward AI declined from 68% in 2020 to 49%, while public apprehension rose to 45%.

The shift coincides with broader debates over automation, with global estimates attributing nearly 425,000 job cuts to AI technologies over the past three years. Analysts also warn that rapid adoption could disrupt tax revenue structures and destabilize national fiscal policy, even as major technology firms lobby to restrict government oversight.

Despite public skepticism, Italian figures remain central to global developments, including Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei.

Sources: ANSA, Corriere della Sera, Il Messaggero, Il Sole 24 Ore, La Repubblica.

Portugal's minority center-right government has survived a parliamentary motion of censure brought by the right-wing Chega party. The motion, which targeted recent controversies involving the Ministry of Internal Administration, was defeated following a three-hour debate in parliament.

The ruling Democratic Alliance coalition voted against the measure, while the main opposition Socialist Party abstained, ensuring the defeat of the initiative. Minister of the Presidency António Leitão Amaro criticized Chega's initiative, stating that voters would deliver a "political judgment" on the party's conduct. He added that the administration intends to maintain its strategy of negotiating legislation on a case-by-case basis rather than establishing permanent parliamentary partnerships.

Sources: Diário de Notícias (DN), Expresso, RTP (Rádio e Televisão de Portugal)