Oct 9, 2026, 01:00 PM UTC

US President Donald Trump has expressed confidence that Russian President Vladimir Putin seeks an agreement to conclude the war in Ukraine, following a recent telephone conversation between the two leaders.

Speaking after a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump called on both nations to negotiate a settlement prior to the winter season. Zelensky characterized the discussions as "positive and productive," reiterating a shared objective between Washington and Kyiv to halt Russian military aggression in the coming months.

Despite Trump's optimistic assessment regarding Moscow's willingness to negotiate, neither side has released specific details or official terms regarding potential peace talks.

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

Russian bombardments across five districts in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region have left five people dead and 16 others injured within a 24-hour period, emergency officials reported.

Russian forces launched nearly 60 strikes targeting the region, with the heaviest casualties reported in the Kamianske and Pavlohrad districts. Three fatalities and five injuries occurred in Kamianske, while two people were killed and seven wounded in Pavlohrad. Additional injuries and structural damage were recorded in Nikopol following intense shelling that ignited several residential fires.

Emergency services and rescue teams deployed across the affected areas to extinguish blazes, search through damaged buildings, and provide assistance to residents as local authorities continue assessing the full scope of destruction to civilian infrastructure.

Sources: Ziarul de Gardă

The United States has launched military strikes on Iranian targets near the southern port cities of Bandar Abbas and Sirik, ending a month-long lull in direct engagement. Following the operations, US President Donald Trump warned Tehran against retaliating, threatening additional strikes while claiming Iranian leaders are seeking a deal.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that Tehran does not desire war but warned the nation would "decisively respond to aggressors." Concurrently, Iranian military figures dismissed Washington's claims of heavy damage, maintaining that naval forces remain intact and fully functional. The recent strikes mark a renewed escalation between the two nations despite ongoing diplomatic posturing.

Sources: CDM (Cafe del Montenegro)

Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has called on parliament to draft legislation enabling national elections immediately following the end of martial law. Fedorov, who was removed from his position by President Volodymyr Zelensky in July, argued that early legislative preparation is vital to manage complex electoral logistics.

Key hurdles include establishing secure voting procedures for millions of Ukrainian refugees residing abroad, as well as active military personnel serving on the frontlines. Current Ukrainian law strictly forbids holding democratic votes while martial law remains enforced during wartime. Proponents of the initiative maintain that setting up a comprehensive legal framework now will ensure a seamless return to democratic governance once hostilities cease.

Sources: Le Monde.

Global efforts to regulate autonomous weapons systems reached a milestone after 128 countries in Geneva agreed on a formal definition for the technology. The development comes as the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross warned that allowing autonomous machines to target humans risks crossing a moral red line.

Simultaneously, Germany clarified its stance on military artificial intelligence. The Ministry of Defence confirmed that while "the decision on the use of military force remains with humans," certain semi-autonomous functions could execute without direct human intervention. To preserve data control, the Bundeswehr rejected software from US contractor Palantir, choosing instead to develop an in-house analytical platform.

Sources: Correctiv, Der Spiegel, Der Standard, Die Zeit, ESUT.