Financial Times
The Financial Times is a British daily newspaper focused on business and economic news, founded in 1888 in London. Published by Financial Times Ltd, it is regarded as one of the world's most influential outlets on finance, business and international affairs.
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Ukrainian drones hit St Petersburg oil terminal, VK data centre and bridge in large-scale overnight attack
On the night of 18 October, Ukrainian drones launched a large-scale attack on Saint Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast, striking the Petersburg Oil Terminal, the Ruchyi fuel depot, a VKontakte data centre, a cable-stayed bridge on the Western High-Speed Diameter, and an Ozon logistics centre. Fires broke out at the oil terminal's tank farm and at the Ozon warehouse; Russian authorities reported power outages, restricted flights at Pulkovo airport, and one death plus five injuries in Saint Petersburg. Ukrainian defence company Fire Point said its FP-1 drones were used.
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Zelensky: Russia struck Ukrainian energy infrastructure 76 times since Trump's 'energy ceasefire' announcement
President Volodymyr Zelensky reported on October 18 that Russia has deliberately attacked Ukrainian energy and oil-and-gas infrastructure 76 times since U.S. President Donald Trump announced an "energy ceasefire" on October 11. Overnight strikes on substations in Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskyi and Odesa oblasts left tens of thousands of households without electricity, and Zelensky said the weekly strike tally included nearly 2,700 drones, 1,700 aerial bombs and 66 missiles, most of them ballistic.
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Zelensky says US has resumed sharing intelligence with Ukraine after a three-day pause
In an interview broadcast on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday, October 18, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the United States has resumed sharing intelligence with Ukraine after it was blocked for "a certain period of time." According to Zelensky's office, the pause lasted three days and coincided with Russian ballistic missile strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure on October 12 and the night of October 14. Zelensky also said he hopes negotiations with Washington can take place during the same week, and warned that US alignment with Russia would be "a historic mistake and a great tragedy."
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Trump suspends Russia sanctions under "Graham Law" days before they were to take effect
President Donald Trump on October 16, 2026 signed an executive order suspending the application of sanctions, restrictions, and tariffs against Russia that had been due to take effect on October 18 under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act. Using a waiver provision in the law, Trump certified to Congress that the suspension serves the national interests of the United States. The order keeps the new measures formally on the books but does not apply them for now, while previously imposed US sanctions against Russia remain in force. Critics including the law's co-author Senator Richard Blumenthal and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the move; Russia's Kirill Dmitriev welcomed it as a "truly historic moment."
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Zelensky: Ukrainian aviation shoots down 55–60% of Russia's jet-powered Shahed drones
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian aviation is now intercepting 55–60% of Russia's jet-powered Shahed drones, a figure he attributed to increased 20 mm ammunition supplies for F-16 fighters agreed with partners. Speaking to journalists on 17 October, he announced new cheap-missile and turret solutions from partners and Ukraine's own defense industry, and outlined upcoming cooperation including PAC-2/PAC-3 talks and the joint European-Ukrainian "Freya" air-defense project.
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Trump says Zelensky is 'not the person' the US should be dealing with, calls Ukrainian refinery strikes 'a disgrace'
In a Newsmax interview published on October 15, US President Donald Trump publicly broke with Volodymyr Zelensky, saying he is "not a big fan" of the Ukrainian president and that Zelensky "is not the person we should be dealing with." Trump said it is harder to negotiate with Zelensky than with Vladimir Putin, demanded Ukraine halt strikes on Russian oil refineries, called such strikes "a disgrace," and repeated his call for Ukrainian elections. Zelensky responded in Brussels the following day, saying he finds it easier to deal with Trump than with Putin and that Ukraine is ready to hold elections if Russia accepts a 60-day ceasefire.
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US ordered Starlink restrictions for Ukraine, Reuters reports; Trump denies involvement
In the night of October 13–14, SpaceX unilaterally imposed speed restrictions on Starshield satellite terminals used by Ukrainian forces, cutting off connectivity above roughly 160 km/h during a major Russian attack. Reuters, citing two US officials and one Western official, reports the order came from the White House, while The Telegraph says Elon Musk proposed the idea and Donald Trump agreed. Trump publicly denied both his own and Musk's involvement. By October 15 the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said operation in motion had been restored, though President Zelensky said the previous speeds had not returned and the cap was being lifted only gradually.
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Babiš blasts Trump's diesel deal with Putin as 'slap' to Europe at EU summit in Brussels
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived at an EU leaders' summit in Brussels on 16 October 2026, where Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš publicly criticised Donald Trump's diesel agreement with Vladimir Putin, calling it a 'slap' to Europe. Zelensky told journalists in Brussels that Putin does not want real peace talks and warned that concessions on Russian diesel could be followed by gas deals and sanctions relief. The summit comes amid reports that Trump has shifted from mediator to a party doing deals with Moscow, and that Washington has pressured Kyiv over strikes on Russian oil refineries.
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Russia launches massive new campaign of strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities
On 16 October, Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov publicly reported to Vladimir Putin that Russia had begun a dedicated campaign of massive strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Overnight into 17 October, Russian forces hit energy facilities in 10 oblasts, with President Volodymyr Zelensky saying more than 15 power generation and transmission sites were damaged in one of the largest such strikes on record.
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US proposed handing frozen Russian assets to Washington-controlled vehicle; Europeans reject plan
The United States proposed to European allies that part of roughly €260 billion in frozen Russian sovereign assets be unfrozen and transferred to a financial structure under US control, to revive peace talks on Ukraine, the Financial Times reported on 15 October. European delegates rejected the idea, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz publicly insisted the assets remain frozen in Europe with Europeans deciding their fate. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow had no information about the proposal.
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Zelensky says Ukraine will resume strikes on Russian oil refineries after US-requested pause
President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with the Financial Times that Ukraine is lifting its moratorium on strikes against Russian oil refineries. He said Ukraine had paused strikes on Russian energy infrastructure for three days at the request of the United States, but that during the pause Russia continued attacking Ukrainian energy, the United States did not provide advance warning of Russian ballistic strikes on Kyiv, and SpaceX restricted Starshield terminals to a 160 km/h speed threshold. Zelensky said he could agree to stop again only in exchange for additional Patriot interceptors.
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Zelensky tells Financial Times Ukraine cooperation benefits France, as Le Pen vows to halt funding
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded in a Financial Times interview to Marine Le Pen's stated intention to stop French financing of Ukraine if she wins the 2027 presidential election. Zelensky argued that French industry benefits from Ukrainian battlefield experience, technologies and joint production, and said that if Le Pen takes office, she must be persuaded that she "has the most powerful European system that works." Le Pen, who leads polls ahead of the 2027 vote, has said France can no longer sustain its current level of aid and would phase out financial support six months after taking office.
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France's foreign minister says Europe now supplies two-thirds of Ukraine's intelligence
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said in a France Inter interview on 15 October that two-thirds of the intelligence currently received by Ukraine comes from European countries, including France. His comments come amid uncertainty over US intelligence sharing following reported threats from Washington to halt it if Kyiv continues striking Russian energy infrastructure. Barrot said Europe has long shouldered the main share of support to Ukraine and accused the Kremlin of using social media to spread demoralisation. He did not directly confirm or deny that Washington had reduced intelligence sharing.
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Zelensky says he will not resign, calls it 'my responsibility'
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with Piers Morgan that he has no intention of resigning, calling the question of his replacement a decision for the Ukrainian people rather than for Donald Trump, Elon Musk, or anyone else. He said holding elections is impossible under wartime conditions, even as a source close to him dismissed reports that Kyiv was considering capitulation.
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Zelensky confirms US warned it could halt intelligence sharing if Ukraine keeps striking Russian oil refineries
President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed in an NPR interview that the Trump administration warned Ukraine it could stop sharing intelligence if Ukrainian forces continued to attack Russian oil refineries. Zelensky said the warning was conveyed to his generals, not to him personally, and that as of the interview the exchange had not actually been halted. The warning comes as Kyiv was hit by ballistic missiles on the evenings of October 12 and 13 without advance US warning, and SpaceX imposed speed-based restrictions on Starlink and Starshield terminals used by the Ukrainian military. Trump publicly denied that intelligence sharing had been stopped.
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SpaceX throttles military Starlink terminals in Ukraine without warning, disrupting drone operations
In the night of October 13–14, SpaceX unilaterally restricted the speed of Starshield — the military package of Starlink satellite terminals — used by Ukraine's Defense Forces, without prior notice. The cap of roughly 100 mph (160 km/h), later reported to have been tightened to 60–70 km/h in some units, disrupted drone operations on the Huliaipole direction, hampered the use of interceptor drones against Russian Shaheds, and forced the cancellation of several missions. President Zelensky called the move a "big mistake," presidential adviser Serhiy Beskrestnov said it was linked to the political situation, and Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski publicly accused Elon Musk of politicizing his products.
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Le Pen tells FT she would cut EU budget and end French aid to Kyiv if elected
In an interview with the Financial Times, Marine Le Pen said that if she wins France's 2027 presidential election she would sharply reduce the EU budget and Brussels' powers, withhold French support for EU funding for Ukraine, and halt bilateral French aid to Kyiv outside limited military training and operational support. She also confirmed her opposition to Ukraine's EU membership and called for a "great peace conference" to reach a diplomatic settlement of the war. Le Pen currently leads French presidential polls by a significant margin.
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US and Europe draft four-part Ukraine peace plan as Trump–Putin diesel deal overshadows Miami talks
On 9 October, US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner hosted a six-hour meeting at Witkoff's Shell Bay golf club near Miami with a Ukrainian delegation and representatives of the UK, France, Germany, the EU and NATO. The US envoys asked Ukraine to stop strikes on Russian oil refineries, relayed that Vladimir Putin is not yet ready to negotiate and is conditioning talks on receiving the remaining roughly 11% of the Donbas under Ukrainian control, and announced that Donald Trump had struck a separate deal with Putin on Russian diesel exports. President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected the strike demand and called the diesel decision "unfair and dishonest." The Washington Post subsequently reported that Washington and European capitals are shaping a four-part peace proposal covering reconstruction financing, NATO-Article-5-style security guarantees, economic and energy integration including a possible Russia–Europe pipeline, and a ceasefire along the current front line. Ukraine's presidential office dismissed the leak as "not bad PR" rather than a joint US–European document.
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Syrskyi in first major interview since dismissal: Ukraine's war outcome uncertain, Kursk operation a success
Former Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, dismissed by President Zelenskyy in July, gave his first major interview to the BBC in which he said it is impossible to say with certainty whether Ukraine is winning or losing the war, defended the 2024 Kursk operation as a successful and necessary maneuver, and detailed his procurement-related disagreements with former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. He denied issuing any ultimatum to Fedorov and said the decision to remove him rested solely with the president. The interview was published on 13 October 2026.
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Polish president accuses PM Tusk of exaggerating Russian threat for political gain
Polish President Karol Nawrocki said in an interview with Rzeczpospolita that the level of Russian threat has not significantly changed in the past six months and accused Prime Minister Donald Tusk of using that threat for personal political gain. Tusk responded on X, thanking Nawrocki for his honesty, and the two leaders' offices traded further barbs in a public dispute with direct implications for Poland's alliance standing and domestic threat assessments.