Oct 29, 2026, 01:30 PM UTC

US President Donald Trump has urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin to reach a peace agreement before winter. Speaking after a meeting with Zelensky and a telephone call with Putin, Trump stated he believes the Russian leader wants to conclude a deal. Trump emphasized that both sides must negotiate directly to end the conflict.

Zelensky described his discussion with Trump as "positive and productive," noting that both nations share the objective of stopping Russian military action soon. The Ukrainian leader indicated that the war could enter its final phase in the coming months. Trump reiterated his alignment with Zelensky on multiple issues while maintaining that a negotiated settlement remains essential.

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

Iranian state media reported attacks on six vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, including three commercial tankers and three US military ships, alongside missile launches aimed at an American aircraft carrier. Emergency crews successfully extinguished a fire aboard one damaged tanker.

US President Donald Trump minimised the disruption, asserting that "Hormuz [is] open" and claiming Tehran faces severe hardship. Conversely, American intelligence assessments warned that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps feels emboldened, raising concerns over potential escalation. The maritime engagements follow renewed US strikes in July that disrupted a 14-point memorandum of understanding established between Washington and Tehran in June.

Sources: Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica.

United States federal prosecutors have unsealed charges against five individuals connected to Russian intelligence for conspiring to carry out targeted assassinations and sabotage across Europe and North America. According to the Department of Justice, the network recruited operatives internationally to monitor and attack entities and individuals supporting Ukraine, including a June 2024 attack in Prague.

Meanwhile, Denmark’s Security and Intelligence Service reported that Russian operatives conducted physical sabotage against Danish defense firms supplying equipment to Ukrainian forces. Danish authorities characterized the acts as a major escalation in Moscow’s ongoing hybrid warfare campaign aimed at undermining Western support for Kyiv. All five primary suspects in the American indictment remain at large.

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

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has explicitly rejected a 15-point Gaza peace framework championed by US President Donald Trump, reiterating that Israeli forces will not withdraw from the enclave without the complete disarmament of Hamas.

Addressing his government in televised remarks, Netanyahu stated that "Israel rejects the 15-point document" and confirmed the military "will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed." The refusal comes despite an effective pause in Israeli military operations following pressure from Washington.

The stance highlights growing diplomatic friction between Israel and the United States. It also underscores domestic political pressures on Netanyahu, who faces an upcoming national election on October 27 while balancing demands from far-right coalition partners opposed to territorial concessions.

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