Oct 29, 2026, 03:00 PM UTC

The European Union has extended its sanctions regime against Russia as fighting continues on day 1,663 of the war in Ukraine. EU High Representative Kaja Kallas and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot condemned a recent Russian strike on a train near the Ukrainian-Polish border, accusing Moscow of trying to intimidate European allies and foster division.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Kyiv and Moscow have agreed to stop targeting energy infrastructure. Despite the reported agreement, frontline casualties persist. Local authorities reported two people killed and 14 injured by shelling in Ukraine's Kherson region, while Ukrainian drone strikes in Sochi and Belgorod left seven injured in Russia. Additionally, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree formally dismissing the country's prosecutor general.

Sources: CDM (Cafe del Montenegro).

France’s Constitutional Council has validated legislation establishing a conditional right to assisted dying, alongside an emergency agricultural reform package. In its decision, the court issued three interpretative reservations, notably securing a conscience clause for private and religious healthcare institutions while affirming it would not substitute parliamentary judgment on major societal matters.

However, the constitutional court rejected Article 1 of a digital safety measure banning social media access for minors under the age of 15, declaring that a general ban disproportionately restricted personal freedoms. The ruling effectively invalidates the primary objective of the government's digital initiative. French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the validation of the end-of-life framework, praising the legislative process for concluding an "exemplary democratic debate."

Sources: Le Figaro, La Tribune, Libération, Le Monde, Politico Europe (Defense)

The agreement between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to permit Russian diesel exports continues to draw scrutiny across political and international spheres. American emissaries told Ukrainian representatives during discussions in Miami that permitting fuel sales aims to encourage Moscow to rejoin peace negotiations, alongside efforts to ease domestic energy costs before US midterm elections.

However, the strategy faces strong opposition. Bipartisan lawmakers in Washington warn that relaxing energy sanctions diminishes diplomatic leverage against Russia. Meanwhile, analysts caution that restored petroleum revenues could strengthen Moscow's wartime economy and potentially enable financial assistance to foreign allies such as Iran, leaving Kyiv increasingly dissatisfied with Washington's approach.

Sources: Adevărul, Digi24, HotNews, Moldova1, Ziarul de Gardă.

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković has reaffirmed targets to raise the country's average monthly net wage to €1,600 by 2028, with minimum wage consultations scheduled for October. Concurrently, the government presented a nearly €3 billion National Industrial Development Plan running through 2034 to boost high-tech manufacturing and increase industry's share of GDP.

Despite marking 22 consecutive quarters of expansion, recent economic data showed a growth slowdown, prompting concern from key stakeholders. Mislav Balković, president of the Croatian Employers' Association, cautioned that rising labor costs are outpacing productivity gains, stressing that the private sector must drive future growth. Meanwhile, economist Ljubo Jurčić delivered a grimmer assessment, describing the economy as moving "without an engine and without a rudder" while calling for annual growth rates exceeding five percent.

Sources: HRT Vijesti, Index, Poslovni dnevnik, Vijesti