Oct 12, 2026, 06:00 PM UTC

U.S. President Donald Trump has called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin to reach a peace agreement before the onset of winter. Speaking after conversations with both leaders, Trump expressed confidence that Moscow is open to negotiations, stating, "He wants a deal, and if Zelensky wants a deal, that would be great."

Following his discussions with Washington, Zelensky described his meeting with Trump as "positive and productive." He noted that both Washington and Kyiv share the goal of stopping the war in the coming months. While both leaders expressed optimism regarding a quick resolution, neither side has released formal timelines or conditions for potential peace talks.

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

Ukrainian and Russian forces remain engaged in intense combat across multiple operational sectors, with Ukrainian military officials recording over 200 combat engagements in recent 24-hour periods. Russian troops conducted repeated assaults aiming to breach Ukrainian positions, concentrating heavy offensive pressure near Lyman, Kostiantynivka, and Pokrovsk.

Simultaneously, tactical movements continue along several front-line axes. Ukrainian forces reportedly advanced on the right bank of the Oskil River north of Kupyansk and consolidated positions in the Lyman sector. Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed its troops captured several settlements near Sumy. On the southern front, Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the Russian General Staff, publicly denied reports of Ukrainian advances in the Zaporizhzhia region.

Sources: The Insider, Радіо Свобода, Українська правда

Russian forces launched nearly 60 attacks across five districts in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region over a 24-hour period, according to local emergency services. The shelling and strikes resulted in at least five civilian deaths and left 16 others injured.

The heaviest casualties occurred in Kamianske district, where three people were killed and five suffered injuries. In Pavlohrad district, strikes left two dead and seven wounded. Further casualties and structural fires were reported in Nikopol district as emergency response crews worked to contain the damage and evaluate destruction across the affected areas.

Sources: Ziarul de Gardă.

Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has called on parliament to draft legal provisions for eventual post-war elections, highlighting the need for early administrative preparations. Fedorov, who was removed from his post by President Volodymyr Zelensky in July, stressed that lawmakers must establish frameworks to address logistical hurdles before martial law ends.

Under current legislation, national elections are suspended while martial law remains enforced across Ukraine. However, advocates for legislative groundwork argue that early action is crucial to guarantee voting rights for millions of displaced citizens living abroad and troops serving on the frontline. Preparing these protocols in advance aims to ensure a smooth democratic transition once security conditions permit balloting.

Sources: Le Monde

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally rejected a 15-point Gaza peace proposal backed by US President Donald Trump, declaring that Israeli military forces will not pull out from the territory until Hamas is "genuinely disarmed".

Netanyahu's remarks to his cabinet underscore a growing rift between Jerusalem and Washington, even as Israeli military operations in Gaza have largely paused under American pressure. The prime minister is balancing demands from far-right coalition partners against US diplomacy ahead of Israel's national election scheduled for October 27.

While Hamas had previously accepted the 15-point framework, Israel's refusal leaves the peace initiative stalled amidst broader regional instability, including recent Houthi strikes reported in Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

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