Oct 13, 2026, 02:30 PM UTC

Following recent discussions, U.S. President Donald Trump has called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin to reach a peace agreement before winter. Speaking after a telephone conversation with Putin, Trump expressed confidence that Moscow is seeking a resolution, adding that "if Zelensky wants an agreement, that would be great."

Zelensky characterized his recent meeting with Trump as "positive and productive," noting that both Washington and Kyiv share the goal of ending the conflict in the coming months. While both leaders expressed optimism regarding diplomatic progress, neither side offered specific details or an established framework for potential negotiations.

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

Tehran's state broadcaster claimed Iranian forces hit six vessels in the Persian Gulf, including three commercial tankers and three US military ships, while also launching missiles toward an American aircraft carrier. A fire on one hit tanker was reportedly brought under control.

US President Donald Trump contested Tehran's account, asserting that the Strait of Hormuz remains open and claiming Iranian forces face severe military difficulties. However, US intelligence assessments warned that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps views its position as strengthened, heightening concerns over potential conflict escalation.

The recent exchanges follow months of hostilities, including February airstrikes, a 14-point truce signed in June, and fresh US strikes earlier this month.

Sources: Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica.

Federal prosecutors in New York have unsealed charges against five individuals linked to Russian intelligence services for conspiring to carry out targeted assassinations and sabotage. US authorities allege the Kremlin-backed network recruited facilitators globally to track and eliminate individuals supporting Ukraine across Europe and North America.

The unsealed indictment detailed several plots, including a June 2024 operation executed in Prague. All five defendants remain at large. Meanwhile, Danish intelligence officials revealed during a Copenhagen security conference that domestic defense companies supplying military hardware to Ukraine have faced direct Russian hybrid attacks and sabotage.

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

Russian forces launched nearly 60 attacks targeting five districts in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region over a 24-hour period, resulting in five civilian fatalities and 16 injuries, according to local emergency service reports.

The heaviest impact was recorded in Kamianske district, where three individuals were killed and five others sustained injuries. In Pavlohrad district, strikes left two dead and seven wounded. Additional casualties and infrastructure damage occurred in Nikopol district. Emergency teams deployed across the region to extinguish fires, clear rubble, and assist residents.

Sources: Ziarul de Gardă.

Russian ground forces faced a widespread stalemate across Ukraine through late September, with independent mapping sources showing virtually zero net territorial changes. Although Moscow claimed battlefield progress, mapping data from the Institute for the Study of War and DeepState indicated negligible movement, while analysis from the Black Bird Group noted limited Russian territorial gains in August were offset by localized Ukrainian counterattacks near Oleksandrivka.

With frontline momentum constrained, Moscow has intensified large-scale bombardments targeting Ukraine's energy grid ahead of winter. Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhij Koreckyj confirmed recent strikes marked the largest attack on heating and power infrastructure since the previous heating season, with President Volodymyr Zelensky identifying energy facilities in the Kyiv region as primary targets. Concurrently, Ukrainian air defense drone interception rates dropped from 92 percent in May to 83 percent in September.

Sources: Deník N, Ekonomický deník, Respect, Seznam Zprávy.