Oct 12, 2026, 02:30 PM UTC

U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed confidence that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to reach a peace agreement to end the conflict in Ukraine. Speaking following a telephone call with Putin, Trump called on both the Russian leader and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to conclude a deal before winter.

Zelensky characterized his recent dialogue with Trump as positive, stating that Kyiv and Washington share the goal of halting the war in the coming months. However, neither side has publicly detailed specific terms or a concrete timeline for initiating formal peace talks.

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

Russian forces executed another wave of overnight drone strikes against Kyiv, injuring at least one person and damaging local infrastructure. The attacks follow Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's address to the United Nations General Assembly, where he strongly criticized Russian leadership. Moscow's Defense Ministry confirmed an intensified air campaign explicitly aimed at disrupting Ukraine's power grid ahead of winter, while Ukrainian forces continue long-range drone strikes on Russian fuel facilities.

Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the bloc "will not tolerate attacks on EU soil" following revelations from German investigators. Authorities in Leipzig identified two suspects connected to Moscow regarding an explosive drone plot, prompting von der Leyen to warn that European nations stand prepared to enact countermeasures against foreign sabotage.

Sources: Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica.

US President Donald Trump has asserted that the Strait of Hormuz remains operational and that Tehran is in "great difficulty," despite recent strikes on maritime traffic in the region. Iranian state television reported that forces hit six vessels—three commercial tankers and three American naval ships—and fired missiles toward a US aircraft carrier. Rescuers successfully put out a fire on one damaged tanker.

Meanwhile, US intelligence assessments warned that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps views its strategic position as strengthened, worsening fears of conflict escalation. The fresh exchange follows a complex timeline involving joint US-Israeli strikes in February, a short-lived June ceasefire memorandum, and renewed US bombings in early July.

Sources: Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica.

United States federal prosecutors in Manhattan have unsealed charges against five individuals linked to Russian intelligence services over an alleged global campaign of targeted killings and sabotage. According to court documents, the network recruited and paid operatives to surveil and execute attacks against figures supporting Ukraine across Europe and North America, including a June 2024 attack in Prague. All five suspects remain at large.

Concurrently, Denmark's Security and Intelligence Service revealed at a Copenhagen conference that Russian state actors conducted direct sabotage against Danish defense contractors supplying military hardware to Kyiv. Danish authorities characterized these incidents as a significant escalation in Moscow's hybrid warfare strategy against Western allies.

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

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally rejected a 15-point Gaza peace proposal endorsed by US President Donald Trump, insisting Israeli forces will not pull out until Hamas is fully disarmed. Speaking to his cabinet, Netanyahu confirmed that Israel "will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed" and rejected the framework recently accepted by Hamas.

The announcement highlights a growing divide between Jerusalem and Washington, despite Israeli military operations in Gaza effectively pausing under American pressure. Netanyahu's decision comes ahead of Israel's national election scheduled for October 27, leaving him balancing demands from far-right coalition partners against pressure from the United States. Separately, regional tensions escalated as Houthi forces claimed strikes on Saudi Arabia's Aramco facility and Yemen's Mokha port.

Sources: Cyprus Mail, France24, STV News, The Guardian, The Herald