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)
Ukraine Says China Aids Russian Operations
A Ukrainian intelligence official said that China is providing Russia with satellite intelligence to improve missile strikes inside Ukraine, citing the August attack on a U.S.-owned factory in Zakarpattia that injured fifteen; Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously accused China of providing Russia with weapons, gunpowder, and even manufacturing arms on its territory (Reuters)
Meanwhile, Munich Airport reopened Saturday after two drone sightings forced its second shutdown in a single day, part of a broader pattern of drone-related disruptions at major European airports (PBS)
Russia Hits Ukraine’s Gas Network
The Russian barrage was the most significant attack yet against Ukraine’s energy sector, involving 381 drones and 35 missiles that targeted gas facilities in Kharkiv and Poltava, causing critical damage and injuries in what officials said was an effort to cripple the Ukrainian power grid before winter (AP)
Meanwhile, U.S. officials suggested that plans to send long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine face hurdles because of existing limits in U.S. stocks, rendering other long-range weapons or European alternatives more feasible (Reuters)
In Western Europe, governments continue reporting malign Russian activity, with Denmark reporting that Russian warships have been provoking Danish forces in their strait and Belgium detecting drone incursions around a military base near its border with Germany (Anadolu Agency)
European Leaders Urge Tougher Stance on Russia
At a Copenhagen summit, leaders from Britain, France, Germany, and other states urged tougher action against Russia, including shooting down drones violating European airspace, seizing “shadow fleet” oil tankers funding Moscow’s war, and imposing stronger sanctions (AP)
That same day, French authorities detained the captain of a ship they accused of being part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” to evade Western sanctions on Russian oil; French President Emmanuel Macron described the measure as a bid to increase pressure on Moscow (Reuters)
EU Considers Using Frozen Russian Assets to Back Ukraine Loan
At a European Political Community summit in Copenhagen, European Union leaders discussed a plan to fund long-term support for Kyiv by backing a roughly $165 billion “reparation loan” using hundreds of billions in frozen Russian assets; Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Ukraine would repay only if Russia pays war reparations, while Moscow condemned the idea as “theft” (AP)
Meanwhile, the Trump administration will begin giving Ukraine intelligence on Russia’s energy infrastructure in support of long-range strikes and is urging NATO allies to replicate the move; Washington is also weighing Kyiv’s request for Tomahawk missiles and continues pressing Europe and other buyers to halt Russian crude imports (Reuters)
Ukraine Drone Cooperation
Ukraine’s military is sending a mission to Denmark to share expertise on drone combat, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced (WaPo)
Romania’s government also hopes to establish joint drone production with Ukraine (Reuters)
The developments follow an agreement by European militaries last week to build a “drone wall” along their borders with Russia and Ukraine to better intercept airspace violations (AP)
Russia’s Exit From Anti-Torture Pact
President Vladimir Putin signed a law withdrawing Russia from the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture; the pact is part of the Council of Europe’s framework and allows international monitors to visit detention centers (CNA)
Russia had remained a party to the convention until now, despite being expelled from the Council of Europe in 2022 following its invasion of Ukraine (AP)
Twelve-Hour Weekend Attack Kills At Least Four People in Kyiv
Ukrainian officials said the attacks wounded seventy others across the country (AP)
Poland mobilized its air defenses as a precautionary measure during the attack (ABC)
The aerial assault follows Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s comments at the UN Saturday that Russia is open to talks on “eliminating the root causes of the conflict,” a phrase that Moscow has often used to refer to its maximalist goals of demilitarizing Ukraine (UN; CFR)
Meanwhile, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said that the United States is considering Ukraine’s request for long-range Tomahawk missiles to strike Russian forces; Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned Moscow is “carefully analyzing” the potential deal and warned it could escalate the war (CBS)
Ukraine Plans U.S. Trip for Major Arms Deals
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian officials will soon visit the United States to negotiate a $90 billion “Mega Deal” for American weapons and a separate “Drone Deal” for U.S. purchases of Ukrainian-made drones; the arms push comes as Kyiv expands drone strikes on Russian energy facilities and works to strengthen its air defenses (Reuters)
European Ministers Advance Plan for Border ‘Drone Wall’
Officials from ten eastern flank nations met virtually with NATO and Ukrainian officials to outline a one-year plan to develop advanced detection systems that would intercept drones along borders with Russia and Ukraine, amid rising airspace violations; EU leaders will discuss the project next week in Copenhagen and again in Brussels later in October (AP)
Merz’s Shift on Russian Assets
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz endorsed using frozen Russian financial assets to finance a continued weapons supply for Ukraine, reversing his previous position (CNN)
He wrote in the Financial Times that doing so could give Kyiv “staying power” in repelling Russia’s invasion and suggested providing Ukraine with an interest-free loan of around $160 billion (FT)
Copenhagen told NATO members that drones that shut airports and flew over military bases in western Denmark were linked to “state activity,” Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze reported, while Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen called the incursions “systematic hybrid attacks” and said Copenhagen may consider NATO Article 4 consultations (Reuters)
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen linked the activity to Russian drone operations in Europe, although the Kremlin rejected that claim as “unfounded” (BBC)
To address these threats, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte supported US President Donald Trump’s suggestion to down Russian jets violating allied airspace, although only as a last resort (The Hill)
Trump Expresses Belief Ukraine Can Win Back Lost Territory
Previously, Trump had spoken of territory swaps as part of a deal to end the war (Reuters)
As he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump also said NATO countries should shoot down Russian aircraft that enter their airspace (WaPo)
NATO warned it would use “all necessary military and non-military tools” to defend its members after recent Russian airspace violations; Secretary-General Mark Rutte said suspect aircraft would be shot down depending on threat assessments, whereas Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk vowed to strike any intruders “without discussion” (AP)
The warnings came as Norway stated that Russia violated its airspace three times in 2025, while Estonia invoked Article 4 consultations following the recent intrusion of Russian jets (Al Jazeera). In parallel with these NATO efforts, Lithuania’s parliament approved emergency legislation allowing its armed forces to shoot down any unmanned drones violating its airspace; previously, the military could only do so if drones were armed or posed an imminent threat (Kyiv Post)
Meanwhile, Poland announced it will reopen border crossings with Belarus following their closure due to Russian military exercises, although Russia and Ukraine exchanged missiles, drones, and bombs on Tuesday (Reuters; AP)
Russia Denies Estonian Airspace Incursion Claim
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected Estonia’s allegation that three Russian MiG-31s violated its airspace Friday, accusing Tallinn of stoking tensions; Estonia says the jets entered for twelve minutes, prompting NATO consultations and a planned UN Security Council discussion (Reuters)
Meanwhile, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Monday that Poland will immediately shoot down any foreign aircraft violating its territory, following repeated Russian drone and jet incursions into NATO airspace (Politico)
Separately, Russia is prepared to extend its last remaining nuclear arms control treaty with the United States for one year, President Vladimir Putin said; the New START treaty, due to expire in February, limits both countries to 1,500 deployed nuclear warheads and 700 deployed missiles and bombers (WaPo)
It also requires inspections for compliance, though Russia suspended these in 2023 (State)
German Jets Intercept Russian Plane Over Baltic
Two German Eurofighter jets scrambled to intercept a Russian Il-20M reconnaissance plane that switched off its transponders and ignored contact requests over the Baltic Sea; the incident followed Estonia’s accusation that three Russian MiG-31s violated its airspace on September 19 (Guardian)
Estonia Says Russian Jets Breached NATO Airspace
Estonia reported that three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets violated its airspace for twelve minutes, the fourth such incursion this year, prompting Tallinn to summon Moscow’s envoy and call for stronger Western pressure (Reuters)
Meanwhile, Ukraine is asking Western allies to invest billions to boost its defense industry through joint ventures, licensing deals, and direct financing (AP)
Trump: U.S. Would Help Secure Peace After Russia’s War in Ukraine Is Settled
Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer discussed how to pressure Putin toward peace, with Trump calling for European countries to stop buying Russian oil as a prerequisite for new U.S. sanctions on Russia (Guardian)
European Plan for Russian Funds
Brussels is considering using frozen Russian funds to back some $200 billion in loans for Ukraine, unnamed sources told the Financial Times; one version of the plan would reportedly use Russian central bank assets to buy zero-interest EU bonds, which would then be transferred to Kyiv (FT)
Trump Administration Approves First Allied-Funded Arms Aid for Ukraine
Washington cleared up to $1 billion in U.S. weapons shipments under a new NATO-backed mechanism that uses allied funds to supply Kyiv with urgently needed systems such as air defenses (Reuters)