Topic: United States
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Putin proposes Trump–Xi trilateral on Ukraine, without Zelensky; Rubio confirms talks
Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed a trilateral summit with US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to discuss ending the war in Ukraine on terms favourable to Moscow, according to The Wall Street Journal. The Kremlin suggested the APEC summit in Shenzhen on 18–19 November as a possible venue. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed on 19 October in Samarkand that discussions had taken place but said he did not know whether the meeting had been finalised. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would not be included in the proposed format.
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Russia launches massive combined strike on Kyiv overnight, killing one and damaging metro, shopping centre and energy infrastructure
On the night of 18–19 October, Russia struck Ukraine with Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic missiles, Iskander-K cruise missiles and 269 strike drones, including 59 jet-powered Shaheds. Kyiv was hit by two waves of ballistic strikes at around 23:00 and 03:00, killing a 21-year-old woman and damaging residential buildings, a medical facility, an educational institution, a metro station and the Cosmo Multimall shopping centre. Ukrainian officials say the first wave arrived without partner warning; US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he did not know exactly what happened.
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Trump lifts Russia energy sanctions, oil prices fall and energy ceasefire with Ukraine announced
On October 19, oil prices dropped after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order lifting sanctions and tariffs against Russia and rescinding pending enhanced sanctions under the Graham Act. Brent crude fell 1.80% to $107.88 per barrel and WTI dropped 1.14% to $100.25. Trump simultaneously announced a Ukraine–Russia energy ceasefire covering strikes on oil refineries, though Ukraine said attacks on its own energy infrastructure continue.
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Ukraine reports Starlink connectivity loss for military drones; Zelensky calls it a "planned special operation"
On 14 October, Ukrainian military drones equipped with Starlink terminals lost connectivity, with the slowdown lasting roughly a day and effects lingering into 17 October. The incident occurred while US President Donald Trump was threatening to halt intelligence sharing over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking in Brussels on 17 October, said connectivity had not fully recovered and described the episode as a "planned special operation." Both Trump and SpaceX owner Elon Musk denied involvement in any throttling.
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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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Zelensky speaks with Trump's envoys Witkoff and Kushner on air defence and diplomacy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke by phone on Sunday, 18 October, with US President Donald Trump's representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The two sides discussed the results of a recent Ukrainian-US meeting in Florida, ongoing Russian shelling, air defence cooperation, and next steps in diplomacy. Zelensky announced the call via social media and said Ukraine remains ready to work constructively for a real result.
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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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SpaceX unilaterally imposed speed limit on Starshield terminals in Ukraine on October 14, sparking dispute with the Trump administration
On the night of October 14, SpaceX unilaterally imposed a speed cap of approximately 160–161 km/h on Starshield military satellite terminals used by Ukraine, without prior warning. The restriction has disabled Ukrainian drone-interceptors designed to chase Russian jet-powered Shahed drones, and prompted a dispute over who ordered it: Ukraine's President Zelensky called the measure a "planned operation" after testing Starlink in EU countries at 180+ km/h without limits, while the White House, Elon Musk, Secretary of State Rubio and President Trump all denied involvement.
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Coalition of the Willing to rehearse Ukraine peacekeeping in Poland in November
Military exercises of the "Coalition of the Willing" will take place in Poland in November, rehearsing the deployment of European troops in Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire or peace deal with Russia. British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting announced the drills after his first meeting with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon on 15 October. At least 1,500 personnel from the UK, France and Germany will take part, alongside Polish forces.
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Russia launches massive combined missile and drone attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure in 10 oblasts
In the night of October 17, Russia struck energy infrastructure across 10 Ukrainian oblasts with ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and 332 strike drones, one of the largest composite attacks recorded. Air defense intercepted 293 aerial targets, but direct hits were recorded at 22 locations. President Zelensky said more than 15 power generation and transmission facilities were hit and characterized the attack as a deliberate attempt to cause a nationwide blackout.
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Trump suspends Russia sanctions under Graham Law, agrees Russian diesel deal, in sharp break with Zelensky
On October 16, 2025, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order suspending the implementation of sanctions and tariffs against Russia under the bipartisan Graham Law (HR 5334), just two days before they were due to take effect. The move came a week after Trump agreed during a phone call with Vladimir Putin to import hundreds of thousands of tons of Russian diesel fuel. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the 60-day review and rejected criticism that easing sanctions was a "gift" to Putin. President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that if the United States sides with Russia, Ukraine "will not be able to win and will not be able to survive," and said the sanctions suspension is a continuation of Trump's "diesel deal" with Moscow. The decision drew rare bipartisan criticism, including from Republican Senators John Cornyn, Thom Tillis, Ted Cruz, Kevin Cramer and Dave McCormick, as well as Democrats. Separately, SpaceX unilaterally restricted the Starshield terminals that Ukraine's military relies on, and US officials warned Ukraine that intelligence sharing and arms supplies could be reduced.
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U.S. extends Lukoil sanctions exemptions for foreign gas stations until April 2027
The U.S. Department of the Treasury extended general licenses allowing certain activities with sanctioned Russian oil company Lukoil until April 24, 2027. The licenses permit Lukoil-branded gas stations outside Russia and named Bulgarian Lukoil entities to continue operating while the underlying sanctions remain in force. The decision came about a week after President Donald Trump announced a deal for Russian diesel supplies to U.S. and global markets, drawing bipartisan U.S. criticism and sharp pushback from EU foreign ministers.
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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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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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European leaders brace for Trump siding with Moscow as energy sanctions are rolled back
European leaders gathering at an EU summit in Brussels this week are bracing for a scenario in which US President Donald Trump effectively sides with Moscow after a week of steps that rolled back years of US energy sanctions on Russia, pressured Kyiv to stop strikes on Russian oil refineries, and publicly questioned the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told reporters in Brussels that "the Western alliance is now in a weaker position than it was a few days ago," and several EU leaders privately said Trump is inclined to attack Kyiv and back Moscow, and is unlikely to change. Zelenskyy has said he feels betrayed and publicly criticised Trump. Despite the friction, the US continues to sell weapons and share intelligence with Ukraine.
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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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Ukraine anti-corruption agencies complete investigation into ex-justice minister Stefanishyna
NABU and SAPO have finished the pre-trial investigation into former Vice Prime Minister and Justice Minister Olha Stefanishyna, who is suspected of illicit enrichment of more than UAH 13.9 million and of filing false declarations. The case file has been opened to her defense for review, after which court hearings are expected to begin. The case centers on two Kyiv apartments worth nearly UAH 11 million, an undeclared apartment in the Lvivska Ploshcha complex, and an undeclared Mercedes-Benz.
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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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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.