Oct 29, 2026, 09:00 PM UTC

The European Union has extended its sanction framework against Moscow as hostilities in Ukraine entered their 1,663rd day. EU diplomatic chief Kaja Kallas and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot condemned a Russian strike on a train near the Ukrainian-Polish border, accusing Moscow of attempting to intimidate European allies.

Ground hostilities and aerial strikes persist. Local authorities reported two people killed and 14 injured by shelling in Ukraine's Kherson region, while Ukrainian drone strikes in Russia's Belgorod region and Sochi reportedly wounded seven individuals.

The strikes coincide with claims by U.S. President Donald Trump that both sides agreed to cease targeting energy facilities. In Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed an executive decree dismissing the country's prosecutor general.

Sources: CDM (Cafe del Montenegro).

France’s Constitutional Council has approved legislation legalizing conditional assisted dying and an emergency agricultural reform package, while rejecting a proposed blanket ban on social media access for minors under 15.

In its ruling, the constitutional court upheld the end-of-life bill alongside three interpretative reservations, including a conscience clause protecting private and religious healthcare institutions from mandatory participation. The judges stated they could not substitute parliamentary judgment on broad societal issues. French President Emmanuel Macron praised the ruling, describing the legislative process as an "exemplary democratic debate."

However, the court struck down Article 1 of a digital safety bill that sought a general social media ban for under-15s, deeming it an excessive restriction on personal freedoms and invalidating the core objective of the government's digital initiative.

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

The agreement between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin allowing Russian diesel exports continues to generate international pushback. American emissaries informed Ukrainian representatives in Miami that permitting fuel sales aims to encourage Moscow back to peace negotiations while reducing US energy costs ahead of midterm elections.

However, the strategy faces strong resistance. Bipartisan US lawmakers warned that relaxing sanctions diminishes diplomatic leverage against Moscow. Meanwhile, analysts cautioned that restored energy revenues could strengthen Russia's wartime economy and potentially enable financial support for foreign allies, deepening dissatisfaction in Kyiv over Washington's approach.

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