Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky with troops defending the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, September 18, 2025

Thursday’s Coverage: Zelensky — What “Security Guarantees” Mean

UPDATE 1921 GMT:

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has commented on the three Russian jets that violated Estonian airspace:

These are not accidents. This is a systematic Russian campaign directed against Europe, against NATO, against the West. And it requires a systemic response. Strong action must be taken—both collectively and individually by each nation.

Zelensky welcomed the European Union’s advance towards a “truly robust 19th sanctions package against Russia”: “This is an important step that will intensify pressure on Russia’s war machine and have a tangible impact.”

In his nightly address to the nation, the President reiterated that Ukrainian troops have liberated territory in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine.

UPDATE 1856 GMT:

Estonia has formally requested a NATO Article 4 consultation over the Russian violation of its airspace.

The consultation has only been requested nine times in NATO’s 76 years, but twice in just over a week after Russia’s drone incursion into Poland.

UPDATE 1852 GMT:

Adding to calls for vigilance after Russia’s incursion into Estonian airspace, Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė said it “is one more hard proof” that NATO’s air defense mission “Eastern Sentry is long due”.

She referred to Turkey’s downing in 2015 of a Russian warplane that violated its airspace during an attack on Syrian civilians: “PS. Türkiye set an example 10 years ago. Some food for thought.

UPDATE 1834 GMT:

European ministers have condemned Russia’s incursion of Estonian airspace with three MiG-31 fighter jets.

European Council President António Costa said European Union leaders will discuss a “collective response to Russia’s action” at the Council meeting in Copenhagen on October 1.

Ukraine Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha posted:

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys said, “Russia directly threatens Euroatlantic security and tests NATO’s limits….These are not accidents. The Alliance is being tested militarily.”

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala echoed, “Russia is further escalating tensions on Nato’s eastern border and testing how far it can go.” NATO must “resolutely strengthen our defense capabilities”.

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson assured, “Sweden stands in solidarity with our allies and contributes to security in our region.”

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadepuhl summarized, “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.”

UPDATE 1534 GMT:

Providing NATO protection, Italian F-35 aircraft intercepted three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets which violated Estonian airspace on Friday.

The Russian warplanes were over Estonia for a total of 12 minutes.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said the incursion was “unprecedently brazen”, with a note of protest to the top Russian diplomat in the country.

The jets did not submit flight plans and had their radio switched off.

The violation was the fourth of the Estonian airspace this year.

European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen reacted:

>blockquote>Europe stands with Estonia in the face of Russia’s latest violation of our airspace.

We will respond to every provocation with determination while investing in a stronger Eastern flank.

As threats escalate, so too will our pressure.

I call on EU leaders to swiftly approve our 19th sanctions package.

UPDATE 1443 GMT:

The European Commission has adopted the 19th package of sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Russia “has shown the full extent of its contempt for diplomacy and international law” over the last month, with its largest-scale drone and missile attacks on Ukraine. She cited Russian strikes on Kyiv, with the EU office among damaged buildings, and drone incursions into Poland and Romania.

The restrictions include 118 additional vessels from the Russian “shadow fleet”, bringing the total to 560. A full transaction ban has been imposed on energy companies Rosneft and Gazpromneft, and other companies will have assets frozen. Refiners, oil traders, and petrochemical companies in third countries, including China, are targeted for purchasing oil in breach of sanctions.

Von der Leyen said the bloc will also step up measures against circumvention, prohibiting transactions in crypto currencies, listing foreign banks connected to Russian alternative payment service systems, and restricting transactions with entities in special economic zones”.

Another 45 companies are listed for providing direct or indirect support to the Russian military-industrial complex.

“In a war driven by innovation, cutting off Russia’s access to key technologies is crucial. Above all when it comes to drones,” Von der Leyen said.

Russian frozen assets “will not be touched”, but Ukraine will get loans to be repaid by future Russian reparations.

Declaring “sanctions bite”, EU foreign policy head Kaja Kallas said the package will “have a visible impact on Russia’s public finance and economic growth”.

”Any source of income for the Kremlin to continue its aggression is a target,” she emphasized.

Meanwhile, as Donald Trump avoids toughening sanctions until the European Union cuts off all imports of Russian energy, EU energy spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen said eight counties still import LNG or Russian gas via pipelines: Belgium, France, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, and Spain.

UPDATE 0922 GMT:

European Union officials say the European Commission will propose banning imports of Russian liquified natural gas by January 1, 2027, a year earlier than planned.

The measure will be part of the 19th package of sanctions against Russia over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The EU’s plan to halt all Russian oil and gas imports has been hindered by Hungary and Slovakia, whose Prime Ministers are allies of Vladimir Putin.

Slovak Economy Minister Denisa Sakova said on Wednesday:

Before we can fully commit, we need to have the right conditions in place — otherwise we risk seriously damaging our industry and economy….As long as we have an alternative route, and the transmission capacity is sufficient, Slovakia has no problem diversifying.

Hungarian Cabinet Minister Gergely Gulyas said at a press briefing, “When it goes against Hungarian interests directly, such as on energy purchases, then we’ll veto.”

Donald Trump has said he will only toughen sanctions on Russia once the EU cuts off all imports of Russian energy.

UPDATE 0645 GMT:

At least five civilians have been murdered and at least seven injured by Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past day.

Air defenses downed 71 of 86 drones. The other 15 drones struck six locations.

The fatalities were from a Russian airstrike on the city of Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine.

Casualties were also recorded in the Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia regions.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: President Volodymyr Zelensky has declared an “important success” in a counter-offensive in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine.

Zelensky said on Thursday night that forces liberated 160 square km (62 square miles), with seven settlements have been retaken in the Dobropillia and Pokrovsk sectors.

Last month, Russian troops made an incursion of 15 to 20 km (9 to 12.5 miles) toward the strategic Dobropillia–Kramatorsk highway, near the embattled city of Pokrovsk.

Those gains have evaporated since late August. Zelensky said Russia lost 2,500 soldiers just in the Pokrovsk direction, with more than 1,300 killed. Almost 100 Russian soldiers have been captured.

Earlier in the day, Zelensky met troops in the region.

Russia has tried since February 2024 to overrun the logistics hub of Pokrovsk. Dobropillia, a coal-mining town, is almost 30 km (18 miles) to the north.

Elsewhere in the region, five civilians have been murdered by a Russian airstrike on Kostiantynivka on Thursday morning.

The victims were two women, aged 62 and 65, and three men, aged 65, 67, and 74. Four apartment buildings were damaged.