Heorhiy Tykhyi
-
Turkey pushes for Black Sea ceasefire to protect civilian shipping, NATO envoy says
Turkey is working with both Ukraine and Russia to negotiate a temporary partial ceasefire in the Black Sea aimed at protecting civilian cargo ships, Turkey's permanent representative to NATO, Ambassador Basat Öztürk, said at the Turkey–EU business summit in Brussels. Öztürk warned that strikes on commercial vessels threaten energy, food and fertilizer supplies, and pointed to the Black Sea Grain Initiative as a model Turkey could repeat.
-
Nord Stream sabotage trial: Kuznetsov's defense to cite two military commanders as witnesses
The defense of Ukrainian national Serhii Kuznetsov, who is standing trial in Hamburg for the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline sabotage, plans to present written sworn testimony from two of his military commanders, including a figure described as the likely organizer of the entire operation. Kuznetsov himself will not testify; his lawyers argue that as a servicemember he is not authorized to disclose details of his activities. He denies involvement in the sabotage, and Ukraine officially rejects the accusations against him.
-
South Korea recalls ambassador to Ukraine amid dispute over North Korean POW transfer and fuel allegations
On October 8, South Korea's Foreign Ministry announced the recall of its ambassador to Ukraine, Park Hee-chang, amid a diplomatic dispute that erupted after President Volodymyr Zelensky announced at the UN General Assembly on September 23 that Ukraine had transferred two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea. Seoul accused Kyiv of breaching a non-disclosure agreement and demanded an apology, while Ukraine's Office of the President and Foreign Ministry denied any such agreement existed. A separate row flared after Ukrainian sanctions adviser Vladyslav Vlasyuk, citing The Guardian, alleged that more than 176,000 tonnes of fuel were shipped from South Korea to Russia in July and August on sanctioned tankers; South Korea's presidential office rejected the claim as 'unacceptable' and cited official statistics showing no such exports.
-
Ukrainian delegation heads to Washington for two days of talks as Rubio says diplomatic end to war is currently "unattainable"
A Ukrainian delegation is to travel to the United States on 9–10 October for two days of talks with American officials, including US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, with European partners also expected to join. The trip comes as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the Greek outlet Kathimerini that a diplomatic end to Russia's war against Ukraine is currently "unattainable," describing the conflict as a "strategic deadlock" driven by Russia's demand for full control over Donbas, which Kyiv rejects. President Volodymyr Zelensky, visiting the site of an October 7 Russian missile strike on a residential building in Pryluky, publicly rejected Rubio's framing and called for stronger sanctions and pressure on Russia rather than economic engagement with Moscow.
-
EU ambassadors agree on largest Russia sanctions package to date, targeting 1,500 individuals and companies
EU member-state ambassadors agreed on October 7 to add 743 individuals and 826 companies linked to Russia's military-industrial complex to the EU sanctions list, along with 77 people 'elected' to the Russian State Duma from occupied Ukrainian territories. The package also extends the chemical-weapons sanctions regime covering 31 individuals and six organizations. Formal approval is scheduled at the EU Foreign Affairs Council on October 12 in Luxembourg.
-
Hungary lifts block, EU approves screening for Ukraine's clusters 2 and 3
On 7 October, Hungary ended a months-long block on Ukraine's progress in EU accession negotiations, with the EU Council's COELA working group approving screening results for clusters 2 ("Internal Market") and 3 ("Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth"). The same day, EU ambassadors at Coreper agreed to send letters to Ukraine and Moldova requesting their negotiating positions, clearing the procedural path toward a possible Intergovernmental Conference on 13 October at which the two clusters could be formally opened.
-
South Korean ports shipped over 176,000 tonnes of fuel to the Russian Far East in July–August, including via sanctioned tankers
A Guardian investigation found that over 176,000 tonnes of fuel, mostly diesel, were loaded onto seven tankers at South Korean ports in July and August and delivered to the Russian Far East. Three of the tankers were under UK and EU sanctions, and South Korea accounted for about 31% of Russia's seaborne oil-product imports in August. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry confirmed the finding, while the South Korean presidential office denied the allegations and said official trade statistics show no fuel exports from South Korea to Russia.
-
More than half of Ukraine's F-16s grounded by Belgian maintenance delays
A Wall Street Journal report says more than half of Ukraine's F-16 fighters are non-combat-ready because phased technical inspections carried out by Belgian contractor Sabena Aerospace Engineering under a U.S. contract are taking far longer than in the United States. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed to the Financial Times that roughly half the fleet is in long-term repair in Europe and said Ukraine wants to move most of that maintenance onto its own territory with Western support. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry spokesman publicly disputed the 'catastrophically low' readiness framing, saying turnaround times are actually shortening.
-
Zelensky and Trump agree to meet in New York after phone call; Trump presses on Russian oil strikes
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a phone call with US President Donald Trump on the evening of 20 September, during which the two leaders agreed to a personal meeting in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Zelensky publicly framed the call as constructive, thanked Trump for the recent visit of US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Kyiv, and for signing the Lindsey Graham sanctions law against Russia. According to Axios sources, Trump repeatedly asked Zelensky to stop Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries, citing rising global diesel prices.
-
EU weighs moving frozen Russian assets to new EU-level custodian to sidestep Belgian objections
European circles are exploring transferring frozen Russian assets from Belgium's Euroclear depository to a new EU-controlled custodian, which would shift legal responsibility from Belgium to the EU as a whole and remove Belgium's objections to using the funds for Ukraine. Ukraine's Foreign and Finance ministries have already submitted concrete proposals to Brussels. The European Commission treats the idea as theoretical, with no draft legislation prepared and several technical questions — legal basis, management structure, loss coverage in case of court rulings in Russia's favor — still open.