European Union ministers will meet on Thursday to debate options for financing Ukraine over the next two years, with officials saying the most likely plan involves using frozen Russian assets rather than new borrowing, though Belgium has sought legal guarantees to shield securities depositor Euroclear from potential Russian lawsuits (Reuters)
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated Russia’s desire for the war to end, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Moscow continues provoking Europe to exploit fears of escalation across the continent (Newsweek)
Russian Strikes on Nuclear Powerplants
Russian drones and missiles hit substations supplying Ukraine’s Khmelnytskyi and Rivne nuclear power plants, killing seven people and knocking out power in several regions (Reuters)
EU General Calls for European Troop Presence in Post-War Settlement
European Union Military Committee Chair General Sean Clancy said the deployment of European troops should be part of Western security guarantees (Reuters)
A U.S. official told Reuters that Washington also backs European efforts to repurpose more than $200 billion in frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine (Reuters)
Meanwhile, heavy fighting continues in the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, as both sides push to increase their military leverage (AP)
Pokrovsk Battle Continues
Moscow said its troops seized dozens of buildings in Pokrovsk amid close-quarters fighting, aiming to cut off Ukrainian defenders as Russian forces advance toward nearby Myrnohrad; Kyiv acknowledges mounting pressure but continues to insist that its units remain engaged (Reuters)
In Russia, Ukrainian forces hit an oil refinery in Volgograd for the second time in three months while also targeting other energy sites, as Kyiv continues to pressure Moscow by disrupting fuel supplies (Euronews)
Separately, NATO officials told the Associated Press that the U.S.-made Merops platform is being positioned along the alliance’s eastern border to counter low-flying Russian drones, offering cheaper interceptions than fighter jets and improved detection where radar struggles, as the bloc accelerates defense efforts amid increased Russian drone incursions (AP)
Battle in Ukraine’s Pokrovsk
Russia and Ukraine both reported fierce fighting in the eastern Ukrainian logistics hub of Pokrovsk today; Russia has been trying to capture the city for over a year and claimed today that Ukrainian troops were “trapped” there, which Ukraine denied (NBC)
Ukraine’s efforts to defend the city included a recent operation with U.S.-made Black Hawk helicopters (Business Insider)
Separately, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered preparations for a possible resumption of nuclear tests after Trump made a similar announcement last week (CNN)
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright has since clarified that Trump was talking about testing “non-critical explosions” (Fox News)
Putin said Russia would only resume testing if the United States did so (CBS)
Heavy Fighting in Pokrovsk
Russian and Ukrainian forces clashed in Pokrovsk on Monday following a mass Russian troop mobilization; Ukraine denied a Russian claim of battlefield advancements and intensified operations in Dobropillia to distract Russian forces, while smaller-scale clashes occurred in Kupiansk (Reuters)
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine would establish defense production sites in Germany and Denmark to boost exports of low-demand weapons and thereby fund domestic production of urgent armaments (Kyiv Independent)
Zelenskyy also announced that new U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems supplied via Germany are now active in Ukraine, as Russian missile and drone attacks killed civilians and damaged energy sites overnight; Kyiv continues to press Western partners for more air defenses (AP)
Russian Mobilization in Donetsk
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said about 170,000 Russian soldiers are pressing to seize Pokrovsk, although he rejected Moscow’s claims of encirclement, even as Ukrainian forces struggle with manpower shortages; a Russian seizure of the city would be a significant victory (AP)
Meanwhile, overnight drone attacks wounded civilians in Sumy, while the UN warned that expanding strikes on energy infrastructure could spark a severe winter crisis (Reuters; UN)
In Poland, officials said that the military intercepted a Russian aircraft flying over the Baltic Sea, although it did not penetrate Polish airspace; the incident marks the third interception this week (Newsweek)
Russian Nuclear Weapons Test
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow conducted a successful launch of a new Poseidon nuclear-powered undersea weapon, which analysts say is especially threatening to coastal regions; the weapons test comes amid heightened Russian nuclear signaling (Reuters)
Meanwhile, in Belgium, officials launched an investigation after guards reported multiple drones flying over a military facility in Marche-en-Famenne, amid rising concern across Europe over recent Russian airspace incursions (Anadolu Agency)
Ukraine Reiterates Commitment to Truce
Ukrainian and European officials will meet this week to draft a ceasefire framework, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated that Kyiv is open to talks but would not withdraw from or cede more territory (Reuters)
Zelenskyy also suggested that Ukrainian long-range attacks on Russian oil facilities have reduced Moscow’s refining capacity by one-fifth (AP)
Sanctions Bite Russian Oil Firm
Lukoil, Russia’s second-largest oil producer, said it will sell its international assets following new U.S. sanctions aimed at disrupting Russia’s war financing (Lukoil)
The latest U.S. sanctions hit Russia’s two largest oil firms as well as their subsidiaries; Lukoil has businesses across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East (Bloomberg)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Axios that Ukraine and its allies would work on developing a ceasefire framework over the next ten days; he also suggested Ukraine was asking the United States for additional equipment “similar” to Tomahawk missiles (Axios)
Meanwhile, Russia said it successfully tested its Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile, which is capable of long-range flight and defense evasion, although many experts dismiss the weapon as politically symbolic and unsafe rather than militarily useful; U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the launch as “inappropriate” amid attempts to revive peace talks (NBC)
In Lithuania, authorities shuttered Vilnius airport and land crossings with Belarus after unidentified objects entered its airspace for the fourth time in a single week (Reuters)
Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė later announced a draft decision to close the land crossings indefinitely; Belarus criticized the plan as a “provocation” (AP)
Ukraine’s European Backers Meet in London
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer was expected to discuss weapons support for Ukraine at today’s meeting as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated his requests for long-range missiles (Reuters; UKG)
Meanwhile, Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, landed in Washington to hold official meetings with Trump administration officials following the announcement of U.S. sanctions on major Russian oil firms (CNN)
Zelenskyy Continues Search for Long-Range Missiles
At a European Union (EU) summit in Brussels, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appealed to European leaders to provide long-range missiles after failing to secure U.S. approval for Tomahawks, saying such arms could “change the course of the war;” he also pressed the bloc to finalize a plan to use frozen Russian assets for loans funding reconstruction and weapons purchases (DW)
Ukraine also asked the Europeans to avoid applying restrictions on how it uses these funds (Reuters)
European countries delayed a decision on a $163 billion loan guaranteed by frozen Russian assets; Belgium, where the assets are held, called for repayment guarantees and for broader participation in the loan (Bloomberg)
The European Council said it was committed to addressing Ukraine’s “pressing financial needs for 2026-2027” and called for further consultations (EU)
Separately, global oil prices rose 5 percent following the Trump administration’s new sanctions on Russian energy (Reuters)
Indian refiners are planning to reduce Russian oil imports following the U.S. sanctions, unnamed industry sources told Reuters; the top Indian buyer of Russian crude said that “recalibration” of imports was underway (Reuters)
Reuters also reported that four Chinese national oil companies would avoid immediately trading seaborne Russian oil due to sanctions concerns; the companies did not comment (Reuters)
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the sanctions were “serious” and would have consequences, but vowed Russia would not be swayed by the pressure (WaPo)
Reuters reported that Moscow sent an informal communique to Washington in which it repeated past demands for ending the war, including full control of the Donbas region and a ban on NATO troops there (Reuters)
In Russia, President Vladimir Putin oversaw a nuclear forces readiness test as the Kremlin pushes for talks on renewing the New START treaty (CNN)
In Lithuania, officials reported that Russian jets entered the country’s airspace from Kaliningrad, prompting NATO jets to respond; Vilnius condemned the incident as a “blatant breach of international law,” while Moscow denied any violation (Kyiv Independent)
U.S. Sanctions Russia’s Two Largest Oil Companies
The Trump administration this week sanctioned Russia’s two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, as well as nearly three dozen of their subsidiaries (Treasury)
Sanctioned firms Rosneft and Lukoil are major funders of Russia’s war effort and together account for about half of Russia’s daily oil exports (Guardian)
Trump shared on social media a call for Russia to “immediately agree to [a] ceasefire” (Truth Social)
These are the first significant new sanctions on Moscow during Trump’s second term (NYT)
The European Union (EU) also announced new sanctions on Russia, while NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met with Trump about a twelve-point peace plan for Ukraine (BBC)
Putin-Trump Summit Cancelled
The summit, scheduled to take place in Budapest, was called off after Moscow refused to accept an immediate ceasefire or halt its territorial demands; U.S. officials now say there are “no plans” for the leaders to meet (Reuters)
The cancellation came after a preparatory meeting between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was likewise postponed (NBC)
European diplomats urged Trump to maintain pressure for a ceasefire based on current front lines and warned that the talks had faltered due to Russian intransigence (BBC)
Ukraine and European partners are also preparing a twelve-point peace plan that would see financial restrictions on Russia snap back if it attacked Ukraine again, Bloomberg reported (Bloomberg)
On Thursday, European leaders will discuss the possibility of using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine’s war effort, with a follow-up meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, which consists of thirty-five countries backing Ukraine, to take place in London on Friday (AP)
Trump Pressured Zelenskyy to Concede Parts of Donetsk and Luhansk
Sources told Reuters that Trump made the demand during a White House meeting on Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Reuters)
Meanwhile, in Germany, Munich Airport briefly halted operations following multiple reports of drone activity, although authorities were unable to verify the claims (AP)
Trump Declines to Provide Tomahawk Missiles During White House Meeting
Trump declined to commit to providing Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles during a White House meeting on Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Zelenskyy said (AP)
He added that Trump’s support of freezing the conflict along its current front lines “is positive” for Ukraine and that Trump “does not want an escalation” until he meets with Russian officials (Politico)
Zelenskyy’s White House visit comes as Washington has stepped up intelligence support for Ukraine after Putin rejected Trump’s call for direct talks with Zelenskyy (FT)
Trump and Putin Hold Phone Call
U.S. President Donald Trump said he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest to discuss ending the war in Ukraine; Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with Russian counterparts next week to prepare for the talks (CNBC)
It would be their first in-person encounter since their August meeting in Alaska, which failed to yield a Putin-Zelenskyy meeting on ending the war (CFR)
It would also be Putin’s first trip to a European capital in years; Hungary is currently withdrawing from the International Criminal Court, which has issued an arrest warrant for Putin (BBC;Euronews)
Trump and Putin also spoke about potential U.S. transfers of cruise missiles for Ukraine during the call, which came at Putin’s request; Trump called that conversation “very productive” but did not provide further details (BBC)
Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials announced that North Korean soldiers operating in Russia have been sending drones into Ukraine as part of reconnaissance missions (Reuters)
Finally, the European Commission announced four major defense initiatives, including a continent-wide counter-drone network, to boost deterrence against such drone threats and secure its eastern flank (Reuters)
European Security Talks
The United States will impose “costs” on Russia if the war in Ukraine does not end soon, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at a NATO meeting (WaPo)
At the same meeting, NATO’s secretary-general said the alliance and the European Union are coordinating on a drone defense plan for European countries (NATO)
Germany also announced a $2 billion aid package for Ukraine; it will include air defense systems, interceptors, and munitions as part of NATO’s program that purchases U.S. arms for Kyiv (AP)
Russian Drone Threat Accelerates
The UN said that Russian drones targeted a humanitarian convoy distributing aid in southern Ukraine (UN)
Meanwhile, the European Commission announced it will expand the geographic scope of a proposed drone wall to include southern and western European states previously excluded, as the threat of Russian drones continues to stir fears across the continent (Reuters)
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will travel to Washington to discuss U.S. weapons deliveries, including Tomahawk missiles, and to meet U.S. President Donald Trump and members of Congress; the visit follows what Zelenskyy called a “productive” phone call with Trump, who warned Russia he may soon arm Kyiv with the missiles (AP)
U.S.-Ukraine Military Coordination
The United States might send Ukraine long-range Tomahawk missiles if Russia does not settle the war soon, Trump said (AP)
A Kremlin spokesperson called the prospect of the provision one of “extreme concern” (Reuters)
Separately, the Financial Times reported that the United States has stepped up intelligence support for Ukrainian long-range strikes on Russian energy facilities in recent months (FT)
Poland Reports Surge in Cyberattacks
Poland’s digital affairs minister said Russian military intelligence has tripled its cyber operations targeting Poland this year, reaching up to four thousand incidents per day and often coinciding with disinformation campaigns (Reuters)
Meanwhile, Russian forces launched more than 450 drones and 30 missiles overnight, hitting several energy facilities in what officials dubbed one of the largest recent strikes on Ukrainian power infrastructure (AP)
Russia Steps Back From Plutonium Deal
Russia’s lower house voted to officially withdraw from an already-suspended deal with the United States on weapons-grade plutonium disposal; Russia’s deputy foreign minister said the deal could not be restored because “the strategic environment has changed” (Moscow Times)
He also said the momentum toward a Ukraine peace deal generated at the August meeting with Trump in Alaska was “largely gone” (DW)
Putin Claims Russia Seized Thousands of Square Kilometers in Ukraine in 2025
President Vladimir Putin made the claim during an address to Russian military leaders, adding the territorial seizures cover 212 localities and have helped Russia “fully hold the strategic initiative” in the war, although Ukraine has reported counterattacks in Donetsk and Sumy despite continued Russian advances (France24)
Russia Says It Destroyed 251 Ukrainian Drones Overnight
Russian officials said the attack, which included 61 drones over the Black Sea and 40 in Crimea, was one of Kyiv’s largest to date (France 24)
In Moscow, the Kremlin praised U.S. President Trump for calling Russia’s offer to pursue a one-year extension of the New START nuclear treaty “a good idea,” as it warned that letting the last U.S.-Russia arms pact expire could lead to increased nuclear instability (AP)
Still, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine would undermine U.S. ties with Moscow and represent “a new stage of escalation,” even as he claimed the move wouldn’t alter the battlefield balance (Kyiv Post)
Meanwhile, Norway’s Oslo Airport briefly paused some landings after a Norwegian Air pilot reported seeing three to five drones near the runway, continuing the spate of recent drone-related disruptions at major European airports (Reuters)