Oct 21, 2026, 01:00 PM UTC

US President Donald Trump has called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine before winter. Speaking after a phone conversation with Putin and an in-person meeting with Zelensky, Trump stated he believes Moscow is ready for peace, remarking, "He wants a deal and, if Zelensky wants a deal, it would be great."

Zelensky described his discussions with Trump as positive and productive, noting that both nations aim to stop Russian aggression in the coming months. However, neither side disclosed specific conditions or frameworks for potential peace talks.

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

Russian forces launched another wave of overnight drone attacks against Kyiv, injuring a resident and damaging infrastructure following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's address at the United Nations General Assembly. Russian defense officials confirmed an expanded campaign specifically targeting Ukraine's power grid. In response, Kyiv intensified long-range strikes against Russian petroleum facilities, forcing Moscow to import refined fuel.

Simultaneously, German authorities identified two suspects linked to Moscow regarding explosive drone incidents in Leipzig. Addressing the growing hybrid threats across the continent, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated, "We do not tolerate attacks on EU soil, ready to respond."

Sources: Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica.

United States federal prosecutors have charged five alleged Russian intelligence operatives with orchestrating a global campaign of sabotage and assassination plots against supporters of Ukraine. According to an indictment unsealed in Manhattan federal court, the network recruited and financed individuals to conduct surveillance and plan attacks in the United States and Western Europe, including a June 2024 operation in Prague. All five suspects remain at large.

Concurrently, Denmark's Security and Intelligence Service stated that Russian agents executed targeted sabotage against domestic defense contractors supplying military hardware to Kyiv. Danish officials described the incidents as an escalation in Moscow's hybrid warfare strategy. Kremlin officials have repeatedly denied responsibility for state-sponsored attacks.

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

Tensions near the Strait of Hormuz have escalated following reports from Iranian state media claiming missile strikes against three commercial oil tankers and three U.S. naval vessels. Tehran asserted that its strikes targeted American aircraft carriers in retaliation for recent military operations. Emergency crews successfully extinguished a fire aboard one hit tanker.

U.S. President Donald Trump rejected Tehran's assertions, maintaining that the strategic maritime passage remains open and stating that Iran is in "great difficulty." However, U.S. intelligence reports warned that Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders feel emboldened, raising risks of further regional escalation. The latest clashes follow months of hostilites, including joint U.S.-Israeli bombardments in February and a 14-point memorandum signed in June.

Sources: Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica.

European Union member states have resolved a diplomatic standoff to extend sanctions targeting nearly 3,000 Russian individuals and entities associated with the war in Ukraine.

To secure the required unanimous consent before existing measures expired, member states agreed to remove steel magnate Alisher Usmanov and banker Mikhail Fridman from the sanctions list. The compromise followed intense negotiations and deadline extensions driven by objections from France, Slovakia, and Luxembourg regarding specific individual listings.

In parallel, EU foreign ministers gathered in Luxembourg to approve a major new package of economic sanctions. The latest measures aim to further restrict Russia's military capabilities and sustain European support for Ukraine.

Sources: Correctiv, Der Standard, FAZ, ORF, Tagesschau