Kyiv residents near a large crater in a courtyard from a Russian missile strike, October 26, 2026
EA-Ukraine VideoCasts: Donald Trump’s Betrayal and Alliance with Putin
Monday’s Coverage: Kremlin — We Will Talk With Kyiv After November 4
UPDATE 1642 GMT:
Ukraine Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has confirmed that Kyiv worked with Finnish and Norwegian leaders over their call with Vladimir Putin.
We welcome such active support for our diplomatic efforts and peace process. This call was, as it was mentioned, coordinated with us, and this is the right approach….
I will say this once again, Ukraine wants to end this war. We have doable proposals and solutions. We are ready for partial ceasefires and a full end to hostilities. Of course, everything needs to be fair. We will not take any one-sided steps.
Sybiha said Ukraine is looking for “a new momentum” and wants to “define new role for Europe in our peace efforts”. He explained, “Probably the only way to get…new quality in our talks is a meeting at the level of President Zelensky and Putin”, as negotiators can discuss matters to a certain level but key decisions can only be made by the heads of states.
UPDATE 1440 GMT:
Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has emphasized that any peace “must be achieved on Ukraine’s terms” and “must be brought about through strength, and not through appeasement towards Russia”.
In the aftermath of the phone call between Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and Vladimir Putin, Kristersson said:
If talks lead to that, then talks are good. But my experience so far – based on the reports we received from German and French attempts at dialogue – is that the results have been very, very modest.
He added that, given Russia’s continued aggression against Ukraine, “I see nothing to suggest that they are seeking peace. But we will surely receive an update on those discussions later today, and I am interested in that.”
UPDATE 1355 GMT:
Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak says three tankers carrying Russian diesel are en route to the US, with a fourth expected to depart Wednesday, following Donald Trump’s agreement undercutting US sanctions.
The first US-bound tanker with Russian diesel departed last week. It loaded nearly 300,000 barrels of diesel at the Primorsk terminal and is headed to New York.
UPDATE 1351 GMT:
After speaking with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb about their call with Vladimir Putin, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed, “Real de-escalatory steps are needed regarding our energy and infrastructure” ahead of the winter.
Finland and Norway, as countries that border Russia, have a particular interest in sound and reliable security arrangements.
We also discussed various formats for our engagement with partners in Europe that could be useful in further supporting diplomacy, our defence, and our shared security.
There must be peace, de-escalation is needed, and Russia must stop dragging out the war.
UPDATE 1332 GMT:
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb have spoken by phone with Vladimir Putin for 90 minutes.
Throughout its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin has rejected a European role in talks. However, earlier this week Putin’s foreign policy Yuri Ushakov called for the involvement of “all of Europe”.
Støre and Stubb were initially given only 20 minutes, but the Norwegian said the conversation was extended and was “substantive, focused on the issues at hand, and professional”.
Much of what he said was already known – he recalled his views on how the conflict evolved since 2014 – and we stated our positions. These are well-known views, which we were able to acknowledge and respond to.
The conversation included what can be done about attacks on energy infrastructure and in the Black Sea. Støre said he and Stubb spoke on behalf of their two countries only, “and no one else”.
The Prime Minister said, “There remain significant differences in our respective positions.” He assured, “We stand with Ukraine, defend its right to self-defence, and emphasise the need for a diplomatic path to end this war in a lasting and just manner.”
Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen criticized the engagement but Støre maintained, “All our partners and allies were informed in advance and received a detailed account afterwards.”
If one assumes that the current situation – where communication from the American administration to Moscow serves as the sole channel for discussing Ukraine outside of Ukraine – is the only way, then one is entitled to that view. I believe it is important that other voices are heard as well.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the call followed “consultations with me, among others, but primarily with President Zelenskyy and the US side…that it would be good for European politicians to have a working contact given the planned ceasefire talks that may take place in Abu Dhabi”.
He said the Ukraine-Russia encounter, with the US present, is planned for 4 November.
Finland’s Stubb briefed Tusk after the call, saying “both sides maintained their positions”. The Polish leader added, “The European side’s impression during the call was one of very restrained optimism” about the chances of making progress.
Stubb and Støre also told Putin that the security of NATO’s northern and eastern flanks were “non-negotiable”, he said.
UPDATE 0954 GMT:
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has commented further on Russia’s strikes on Kyiv and 10 other regions.
The President chided US Defense Pete Hegseth’s suspension of air defense interceptors to Ukraine from NATO allies.
The artificial and prolonged delays in the delivery of interceptor packages for Patriot and NASAMS systems, which unfortunately have occurred recently, are directly helping Russia achieve the objectives of its terrorist campaign. Every such delay means another Russian strike on one facility or another.
UPDATE 0849 GMT:
Ukraine’s air defenses intercepted 257 of 280 drones, including 56 of 69 jet-powered UAVs, launched by Russia overnight.
The Russians also attacked with 16 ballistic missiles. Air defenses downed two Iskander-M/S-400 missiles launched from the Bryansk region in westrern Russia.
UPDATE 0654 GMT:
Ukraine has asked European partners to transfer 10% of their Patriot and IRIS-T air defense interceptor missiles.
Defense Minister Yevhen Khmara said the request was sent to the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Poland.
Ukraine is also wanting to scale up joint production of Ukrainian drones in other countries, Khmara said.
After a meeting in Paris with counterparts from the UK, France, Italy, and Poland, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said the countries had already prepared winter aid packages for Ukraine.
“Furthermore, we will do everything possible to ensure that the United States also supports Ukraine—with supplies, and above all, with intelligence and satellite data,” Pistorius said.
UPDATE 0646 GMT:
A local ceasefire took effect early Tuesday in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky in the Kherson region in southern Ukraine.
Around 2,000 residents have been held by the Russians, who feared Ukrainian attacks if the civilians left. Ukraine’s officials said the Russian troops confiscated aid, sometimes forcibly, that was airdropped to help the residents facing exhaustion of food and essential supplies.
Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, posted, “A ceasefire came into effect today at 3 a.m. Kyiv time (4 a.m. Moscow time) in designated areas related to the humanitarian mission.”
The ceasefire is in place until at least Saturday.
The halt was arranged by the intervention of Pope Leo XIV although both Ukraine and Russia, seeking favor from the US, credited Melania Trump.
UPDATE 0639 GMT:
Romania says a network “coordinated” from Russia started a fire near an arms factory on September 14.
The Russian Ambassador to Sofia has been summoned.
Two Belarusians and a Ukrainian, all resident in European Union countries, were involved in the arson near the city of Brasov. Two are in custody in Germany as “they were preparing to commit similar offenses” and third is at large in Poland, said Romania’s office for organized crime.
Russia has been pursuing hybrid warfare, including sabotage, trying to break European support for Ukraine. Over the past three weeks, the Russians have also struck at least eight cargo ships off the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria. Around 34 sailors were killed or are missing.
ORIGINAL ENTRY: At least one civilian has been murdered and 12 injured by Russian ballistic missile strikes on Kyiv overnight.
The Russians hit a university campus, a major bridge, an administrative building, and medical facilities.
The slain civilian was a 46-year-old woman. Those injured include a paramedic, a medical technician, and a 20-year-old university student. Nine medical personnel have been hospitalized.
The attacks began around 9:45 p.m. Explosions were heard near a Metro station in Kyiv’s Desnyanskyi district. Two medical facilities and a school in the Dniprovskyi district were damaged. A three-story commercial building was “partially destroyed”, killing the woman.
Further waves of missiles followed at 3:30 and 3:45 a.m. The Southern Bridge over the Dnipro River was hit.
Zelensky: Delays in Providing Air Defense “Help Terror”
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky posted, “The missiles hit very crowded areas, and there is not a single military facility nearby.”
It is precisely under such circumstances, when the threat is constant, when strikes can come at any moment and target cities and villages directly, that artificial delays in providing air defense to Ukraine help terror.
The President called for “the proper tools to destroy Russian ballistic missile launchers”.
It is important that the world sees that Russia is showing nothing but a desire to kill and continue waging war. Ukraine must not be left to face this alone, and it is solely Russia’s fault that the war is still going on and people are still dying.
