Vladimir Putin has warned that Moscow will not bow down to US pressure after the Trump administration imposed a harsh set of sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies.
The sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil are an "unfriendly" act which "will have certain consequences”, Putin said, adding that Russia’s energy sector feels confident.
"This is, of course, an attempt to put pressure on Russia,” he added. “But no self-respecting country and no self-respecting people ever decides anything under pressure."
The Russian president also claimed it will not “significantly affect” Moscow’s economic well-being, and warned. The price of oil has jumped by 5.6 per cent since the sanctions were announced.
Earlier in the day, Russia’s hawkish former president Dmitry Medvedev said American sanctions on Russian oil were an “act of war” against his nation.
Donald Trump had announced new sanctions on two of Russia’s largest oil companies over Vladimir Putin’s “refusal” to end the “senseless war” in Ukraine - the first such measures since he began his second term as US president.
The US Treasury said it was sanctioning Rosneft and Lukoil in response to Putin’s “lack of serious commitment to a peace process”.
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Key Points
- Russia will not bow to US sanctions pressure, says Putin
- Sanctions an 'act of war' against Russia - Medvedev
- Putin threatens 'overwhelming response' if Ukrainian allowed to use long-range missiles
- Oil prices jump after US sanctions on Russian giants
- Trump slaps Russia’s biggest oil companies with sanctions over Ukraine war: ‘Now is the time to stop the killing’
Watch: Children carried out of Ukraine kindergarten hit by Russian attack
05:14
,
Arpan Rai
Kim Jong Un says military ties with Russia will 'advance non-stop'
04:57
,
Arpan Rai
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said military brotherhood between his country and Russia would "advance non-stop", state media KCNA reported this morning.
Kim made the comments during a speech at the groundbreaking ceremony for a memorial for North Korean soldiers who fought alongside Russian troops in Russia's Kursk region during Moscow's ongoing war with Ukraine, KCNA said.
"The years of militant fraternity, in which a guarantee has been provided for the long-term development of the bilateral friendship at the cost of precious blood, will advance non-stop," Kim said, according to KCNA.
Kim and Russian president Vladimir Putin have signed a mutual defence pact. North Korea has sent soldiers, artillery ammunition and missiles to Russia to support Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Challenges posed by what he called the forces of "domination and tyranny" – typical language to refer to the North's enemies in the West – cannot hinder the two countries' ties, Kim added.
The event was the latest public honouring of North Korean troops who fought in Russia to repel an incursion by Ukrainian forces.
Starmer urges Ukraine’s allies to provide more long-range weapons to strike back at Russia
04:52
,
Arpan Rai
Sir Keir Starmer will urge allies to increase Ukraine’s supply of long-range weapons to strike back at Russia.
The prime minister will host leaders including Volodymyr Zelensky in London for talks on how to increase pressure on Moscow and boost Ukraine’s defences.
Measures under consideration will include further efforts to cripple the economy supporting Vladimir Putin’s war effort by taking Russian oil and gas off the global market and seeking ways to use frozen assets to fund Ukraine’s defences.
Ukrainian president Zelensky, Denmark’s prime minister Mette Frederiksen, Dutch premier Dick Schoof, and Nato secretary general Mark Rutte will be in London, while around 20 other leaders will dial in to a meeting of the “coalition of the willing” – the initiative led by Sir Keir and France’s Emmanuel Macron.
On freeze of Russian assets, Belgium seeks concrete guarantees
04:35
,
Arpan Rai
Belgium needs concrete and solid guarantees before supporting a plan to use frozen Russian assets to fund a giant loan to Kyiv, pointing out that the plan is "unchartered territory", the country’s PM Bart De Wever said.
Belgium's position is critical, as the assets in question are held by Belgian financial institution Euroclear. The government has cautioned against seizing the assets, arguing it could expose Euroclear to litigation and ultimately create a major financial crisis.
"Can this (plan) be legal? That is a very good question... There are no clear answers," De Wever told reporters after attending an EU summit in Brussels where it was one of the subjects being discussed with EU leaders.
"We will in any case be buried in litigation. That seems like a certainty,” he said.
EU leaders did not reach an agreement on how to handle the frozen assets during the summit. The issue will be discussed further at the next EU summit in December.
Starmer issues message to allies after Putin fails to end war
04:17
,
Arpan Rai
Prime minister Keir Starmer is set to host European leaders in London today for a critical meeting of the Coalition of Willing as Ukraine’s allies ramp up pressure on Russia heading into winter.
The PM’s office said the meeting today comes after “Putin proved yet again that he is not serious about ending his illegal war, failing to engage with president Trump’s most recent proposals for meaningful peace talks.”
Here’s the full remarks by Sir Keir:
“The only person involved in this conflict who does not want to stop the war is President Putin, and his depraved strikes on young children in a nursery this week make that crystal clear.
“Time and again we offer Putin the chance to end his needless invasion, to stop the killing and recall his troops, but he repeatedly rejects those proposals and any chance of peace.
“From the battlefield to the global markets, as Putin continues to commit atrocities in Ukraine we must ratchet up the pressure on Russia and build on President Trump’s decisive action.
“After all, Ukraine’s security matters to us all, and what happens on the frontline of Donetsk today is shaping our collective future for years to come.”
Britain calls for strong measures against Russia as Zelensky heads to London
04:11
,
Arpan Rai
Britain is calling for a raft of measures against Russia to strengthen Ukraine's hand ahead of any future peace talks, as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky heads to London today.
Prime minister Keir Starmer's office said he would press a meeting of the "Coalition of the Willing" countries that have pledged to strengthen support for Ukraine to take Russian oil and gas off the global market, use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine, and give Kyiv more long-range missiles.
Sir Keir said Putin had shown he was not serious about proposals to end the war.
“The only person involved in this conflict who does not want to stop the war is president Putin, and his depraved strikes on young children in a nursery this week make that crystal clear,” he said in a statement this morning.
The PM said: “Time and again we offer Putin the chance to end his needless invasion, to stop the killing and recall his troops, but he repeatedly rejects those proposals and any chance of peace.”
The meeting today at No 10 is coming on the heels of US president Donald Trump hitting Russia's two biggest oil companies with sanctions, a dramatic U-turn after he said last week that he and Putin would soon hold a summit in Budapest to try to end the war in Ukraine.
Russian military planes violate Lithuania's airspace, says president
04:02
,
Arpan Rai
Russian military planes briefly violated Lithuania's airspace yesterday evening, the Lithuanian president said.
Lithuania's foreign ministry planned to summon Russian Embassy representatives in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius to protest the violation, president Gitanas Nauseda said in a post on X.
“This is a blatant breach of international law and territorial integrity of Lithuania," Nauseda wrote on X.
“Once again, it confirms the importance of strengthening European air defence readiness.”
Baltic nations already have been on heightened alert over neighbouring Russia's aggression on Ukraine. And in recent weeks, a series of mysterious drone incidents and airspace violations by Russian war planes have fuelled concerns that Russian president Vladimir Putin might be testing Nato's defensive reflexes.
While Moscow denies it is probing Nato’s defences, some leaders have accused Putin of waging a hybrid war in Europe.
Three arrested in UK on suspicion of helping Russian intelligence
03:00
,
Alex Croft
Three people have been arrested in London on suspicion of assisting Russian intelligence, the Metropolitan Police said on Thursday.
All three were arrested on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service, contrary to section 3 of the National Security Act (NSA), 2023 and they were taken to a police station in London.
The Met said the alleged offences related to Russia.
Commander Dominic Murphy, Head of the Counter Terrorism Policing London, said: "We’re seeing an increasing number of who we would describe as 'proxies' being recruited by foreign intelligence services and these arrests are directly related to our ongoing to efforts to disrupt this type of activity.”
Which countries buy Russian oil and what is the financial hit from sanctions?
01:30
,
Alex Croft
The US has this week imposed new sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil, Russia’s largest petroleum-producing companies.
After talks to bring about an end to Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine appeared to come to a standstill, the Trump administration made the move to “increase pressure on Russia’s energy sector and degrade the Kremlin’s ability to raise revenue for its war machine and support its weakened economy.”
So how much impact could the move have, and what are the implications for nations who rely on Russia to purchase oil?
EU agrees to finance Ukraine using frozen Russian assets
Friday 24 October 2025 00:00
,
Alex Croft
The EU will agree in principle to fund Ukraine with the help of frozen Russian assets, on Thursday, according to European Council chief Antonio Costa.
They are currently valued at €140bn ($163.2bn). Belgium has threatened to block the initiative.
“If demands are met, we can go forward. If not I will do everything in my power at the European level, also at the national level, politically and legally to stop this decision,” Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Weve said.
They have requested that the risk be shared between member countries.
China suspends Russian oil purchases after sanctions
Thursday 23 October 2025 23:00
,
Alex Croft
Chinese state oil majors have suspended buying Russian seaborne oil after the US imposed sanctions on Mosco’s two biggest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, sources told Reuters on Thursday.
Refiners in India, the biggest buy of Russia’s seaborne oil, are also set to cut their purchases substantially.
Hungary is the only place where a Ukraine-Russia peace deal can be sealed, says PM Orban
Thursday 23 October 2025 22:00
,
Alex Croft
Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban, has said his country is the only place a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine can be secured.
The comments were made in a speech marking the anniversary of Hungary's 1956 anti-Soviet uprising.
Orban previously declared that Ukraine is “not a sovereign country”. A summit between US President Donald Trump and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin was to be held in Budapest before it was called off last minute with Trump saying it would be “wasted time”.
The Kremlin hit back: “Noone wants to waste their time.”
What's included in the EU's 19th package of sanctions against Russia?
Thursday 23 October 2025 21:00
,
Maira Butt
As a 19th sanctions package has been implemented against Russia, including new additions such as restrictions on the movement of diplomats within the EU.
“It's a significant package that targets main Russian revenue streams through new energy, financial, and trade measures,” the Danish rotating presidency of the EU said.
The package was approved by the 27 member states after Slovakia dropped its block.
"It targets Russian banks, crypto exchanges, entities in India and China, among others," EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in a post on X.
It includes a ban on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and will take effect in two stages. Short-term contracts will end after six months and long-term contracts after 1 January 2027, a year earlier than the Commission’s roadmap. It is part of the EU’s plan to completely phasing out Russian energy.
“The EU is curbing Russian diplomats' movements to counter the attempts of destabilisation,” said Kallas. “It is increasingly harder for Putin to fund this war.”
How could the West use Russia's frozen assets?
Thursday 23 October 2025 20:00
,
Daniel Keane
At the outset of Russia's war in Ukraine, Euroclear was holding bonds for the Russian central bank.
As these bonds have matured, the resulting cash has become stuck in Euroclear because of EU sanctions against Moscow.
Euroclear now invests the cash in the European Central Bank. The idea is for Euroclear to instead invest in zero-coupon bonds issued by the European Commission.
The EU would then use the cash to issue a "Reparations Loan" to Ukraine, in tranches, according to needs.
The loan would only be repaid by Ukraine once it receives war reparations from Russia in a peace agreement, effectively allowing Ukraine to spend the money now, rather than wait until Moscow pays up.
'No territorial concessions' says Zelensky
Thursday 23 October 2025 19:00
,
Maira Butt
After President Donald Trump is reported to have tossed aside maps of the terrain across Russia and Ukraine during talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky last week, the Ukrainian leader made his position on borders clear at a press conference in Brussels on Thursday.
Asked about the possibility of territorial concessions, Zelensky said: “No territorial concessions.”
Putin threatens 'overwhelming response' if Ukrainian allowed to use long-range missiles
Thursday 23 October 2025 18:23
,
Alex Croft
Vladimir Putin has threatened an “overwhelming response” if the Trump administration lifts restrictions on Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles provided by Western allies.
Asked about a Wall Street Journal report which suggested Washington may take the move, and remarks by Volodymyr Zelensky about domestic missiles with a range of 3,000 km (1,900 miles), Putin said: "This is an attempt at escalation."
"But if such weapons are used to attack Russian territory, the response will be very serious, if not overwhelming. Let them think about it," he added.
Russia will not bow to US sanctions pressure, says Putin
Thursday 23 October 2025 18:12
,
Alex Croft
President Vladimir Putin has hit back strongly against Donald Trump’s sanctions on two large Russian oil companies, warning that Moscow would never bow to pressure from the United States or any other country.
US sanctions are an "unfriendly" act and "will have certain consequences, but they will not significantly affect our economic well-being," Putin said. He added that Russia's energy sector feels confident.
"This is, of course, an attempt to put pressure on Russia," Putin said. "But no self-respecting country and no self-respecting people ever decides anything under pressure."
Putin said breaking the balance in the global energy markets could lead to a hike in prices that would be uncomfortable for countries such as the United States, especially given the internal political calendar in the United States.
Critics fear Putin is ‘cynically using’ Melania Trump as she pleads with Russia to return kidnapped Ukrainian children
Thursday 23 October 2025 18:00
,
Maira Butt
Melania Trump’s back-channel efforts to effect the return of Ukrainian children who’ve been kidnapped by Russian forces have been lauded by both President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Andrew Feinberg reports:
In pictures: The aftermath of a Russian drone strike on Ukraine
Thursday 23 October 2025 17:30
,
Maira Butt
Russia vows 'painful response' if EU confiscates Russian assets
Thursday 23 October 2025 17:00
,
Maira Butt
Any action by the EU to confiscate Russian assets in Euroclear accounts will result in a "painful response" from Russia, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.
The EU has no legal means to seize Russian assets, so their confiscation would be 'theft,' Zakharova said.
Mapped: The crucial Ukraine region Trump says should be ‘cut up’ between Zelensky and Putin
Thursday 23 October 2025 16:30
,
Maira Butt
A critical region of Ukraine became the centre of a heated debate between Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump during a White House meeting, according to reports.
Vladimir Putin has long demanded that Ukraine cede the Donbas to Moscow, a chunk of eastern Ukraine the majority of which has been occupied by Russian forces since its February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Alex Croft reports:
Belgium demands change in plan to use frozen Russian assets for Ukraine
Thursday 23 October 2025 16:17
,
Maira Butt
Hundreds of Russian troops stranded and starving in ‘death zone’ on Ukraine’s Dnipro River
Thursday 23 October 2025 16:00
,
Maira Butt
Hundreds of starving and marooned Russian troops are being killed by Ukrainian drones in the “death zone” of the Dnipro delta, according to a report.
The river, surrounded by low-lying marshy islands, is split between Russian control on the left bank and Ukrainian control on the right.
At least 5,100 Russians have died in the area since January this year, some from starvation, according to Ukrainian intelligence.
Russian frozen assets should be available for the purchase of weapons - Zelensky
Thursday 23 October 2025 15:48
,
James Reynolds
Speaking now in Brussels, Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russian frozen assets should be made available for the purchase of both European and American weapons.
How would the West use Russia's frozen assets to help Ukraine?
Thursday 23 October 2025 15:44
,
James Reynolds
The European Union is searching for a way to finance Ukraine's defence and reconstruction in 2026 and 2027 with Russian central bank assets immobilised in the West after Moscow's invasion.
Under international law, sovereign assets cannot be confiscated, so the European Commission has put forward a plan to allow EU governments to use up to 185 billion euros without confiscating them.
At the outset of the war, Euroclear was holding bonds for the Russian central bank. As these bonds have matured, the resulting cash has become stuck in Euroclear because of EU sanctions against Moscow.
Euroclear now invests the cash in the European Central Bank. The idea is for Euroclear to instead invest in zero-coupon bonds issued by the European Commission.
The EU would then use the cash to issue a "Reparations Loan" to Ukraine, in tranches, according to needs. The loan would only be repaid by Ukraine once it receives war reparations from Russia in a peace agreement, effectively allowing Ukraine to spend the money now, rather than wait until Moscow pays up.
China suspends Russian oil purchases after sanctions
Thursday 23 October 2025 15:30
,
Maira Butt
Chinese state oil majors have suspended buying Russian seaborne oil after the US imposed sanctions on Mosco’s two biggest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, sources told Reuters on Thursday.
Refiners in India, the biggest buy of Russia’s seaborne oil, are also set to cut their purchases substantially.
Hungary is the only place where a Ukraine-Russia peace deal can be sealed, says PM Orban
Thursday 23 October 2025 14:55
,
Maira Butt
Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban, has said his country is the only place a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine can be secured.
The comments were made in a speech marking the anniversary of Hungary's 1956 anti-Soviet uprising.
Orban previously declared that Ukraine is “not a sovereign country”. A summit between US President Donald Trump and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin was to be held in Budapest before it was called off last minute with Trump saying it would be “wasted time”.
The Kremlin hit back: “Noone wants to waste their time.”
EU agrees to finance Ukraine using frozen Russian assets
Thursday 23 October 2025 14:25
,
Maira Butt
The EU will agree in principle to fund Ukraine with the help of frozen Russian assets, on Thursday, according to European Council chief Antonio Costa.
They are currently valued at €140bn ($163.2bn). Belgium has threatened to block the initiative.
“If demands are met, we can go forward. If not I will do everything in my power at the European level, also at the national level, politically and legally to stop this decision,” Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Weve said.
They have requested that the risk be shared between member countries.
Which countries buy Russian oil and what is the financial hit from sanctions?
Thursday 23 October 2025 14:00
,
Maira Butt
The US has this week imposed new sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil, Russia’s largest petroleum-producing companies.
After talks to bring about an end to Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine appeared to come to a standstill, the Trump administration made the move to “increase pressure on Russia’s energy sector and degrade the Kremlin’s ability to raise revenue for its war machine and support its weakened economy.”
So how much impact could the move have, and what are the implications for nations who rely on Russia to purchase oil?
Three arrested in UK on suspicion of helping Russian intelligence
Thursday 23 October 2025 13:35
,
James Reynolds
Three people have been arrested in London on suspicion of assisting Russian intelligence, the Metropolitan Police said on Thursday.
All three were arrested on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service, contrary to section 3 of the National Security Act (NSA), 2023 and they were taken to a police station in London.
The Met said the alleged offences related to Russia.
Commander Dominic Murphy, Head of the Counter Terrorism Policing London, said: "We’re seeing an increasing number of who we would describe as 'proxies' being recruited by foreign intelligence services and these arrests are directly related to our ongoing to efforts to disrupt this type of activity.”
Ukraine would use frozen Russian assets to buy weapons from European allies - Zelensky
Thursday 23 October 2025 13:18
,
James Reynolds
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged European Union leaders on Thursday to agree as soon as possible on a plan to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine.
Zelensky, who is visiting Brussels, said on X that the proposed mechanism for using frozen Russian assets was entirely legal and fair.
He said Ukraine would use a significant part of the assets to buy weapons from its European allies.
In pictures: Russian mortars fire on Ukrainian positions
Thursday 23 October 2025 13:02
,
James Reynolds
Finland to buy US weapons for Ukraine
Thursday 23 October 2025 12:42
,
James Reynolds
Finland will buy American weapons for Ukraine worth 100 million euros, Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat (HS) reported on Thursday, citing the Nordic country's Prime Minister Petteri Orpo.
WATCH: Children are evacuated from kindergarten after Russian attack
Thursday 23 October 2025 12:31
,
James Reynolds
Children at a kindergarten in Ukraine’s Kharkiv were rushed to safety following a Russian strike on Wednesday.
The attack hit a residential district and destroyed the pre-school, local officials said.
Forty-eight children were evacuated to a shelter following the strike that sparked a fire, officials said.
Four people were hospitalised — two in serious condition and two in moderate condition, authorities said.
Will Trump’s new sanctions on Russian oil companies actually work to stop Putin?
Thursday 23 October 2025 12:16
,
James Reynolds
Donald Trump hit Russia with a new raft of sanctions targeting major oil companies on Wednesday in an apparent effort to strong-arm the Kremlin into sitting down for peace talks over Ukraine.
The sanctions blacklist Russia's two largest oil producers, Rosneft and Lukoil, which between them export around 3.1 million barrels of oil every day.
But what will the sanctions do, and will they get Putin to stop the war?
Ten killed in 'blast at Russian munitions plant'
Thursday 23 October 2025 12:00
,
James Reynolds
Ten people were killed in a blast at a Russian munitions plant overnight, Russian media reports.
The explosion was reported to have occurred at a factory in Kopeysk in Russia’s Chelyabinsk Region.
It was not immediately clear what had caused the blast.
Eighteen people sustained injuries, according to Russian news agency TASS.
Russia vows 'painful response' if EU confiscates Russian assets
Thursday 23 October 2025 11:41
,
James Reynolds
Any action by the EU to confiscate Russian assets in Euroclear accounts will result in a "painful response" from Russia, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.
The EU has no legal means to seize Russian assets, so their confiscation would be 'theft,' Zakharova said.
Turkey eyes fighter jets from NATO allies
Thursday 23 October 2025 11:29
,
James Reynolds
Turkey plans to buy the necessary defence systems from NATO allies and other countries until its domestic fighter jet KAAN is ready for delivery, a Turkish Defence Ministry source said on Thursday.
Reuters reported on Wednesday that Ankara had proposed to its European allies and the United States ways it could swiftly procure advanced fighter jets amid talks to buy 40 Eurofighter Typhoons as well as U.S. F-16s and F-35s, and as President Tayyip Erdogan holds a regional tour to Kuwait, Qatar and Oman.
A person familiar with the matter said that under a deal it is nearing with Britain on the Typhoons, Turkey would promptly receive 12 of them, albeit used, from previous buyers Qatar and Oman to meet its immediate needs.
EU agrees to offer Ukraine financing for two years
Thursday 23 October 2025 11:17
,
James Reynolds
The European Union will on Thursday agree in principle to provide Ukraine with the financing it needs for the next two years, EU Council chief Antonio Costa said, despite a Belgian threat to block a plan to use Russian frozen assets to aid Kyiv.
Arriving at a summit of EU leaders in Brussels, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever laid out three demands for the use of Russian immobilised assets to provide a 140 billion euro ($163.27 billion) loan to Ukraine.
"If demands are met, we can go forward. If not I will do everything in my power at the European level, also at the national level, politically and legally to stop this decision," said De Wever, whose country holds the frozen assets that would be used in the scheme, via securities depository Euroclear.
Russia condemns NATO nuclear drills... after holding nuclear drills
Thursday 23 October 2025 11:02
,
James Reynolds
Russia said on Thursday that an increase in U.S. nuclear weapons stockpiles in Europe, including in Britain, was harming strategic stability.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said NATO drills involving nuclear weapons would lead to increased tensions and risks.
NATO has been carrying out nuclear drills in the North Sea with around 70 aircraft from 14 allied countries as part of exercise ‘Steadfast Noon’.
Russia has been testing the readiness of its own nuclear forces this week, including the launch of a land-based ICBM from a cosmodrome, a ballistic missile from a submarine, and nuclear capable cruise missiles from strategic bombers.
Ukraine rations energy after Russian air assaults strike capital
Thursday 23 October 2025 10:41
,
Sam Kiley in Kyiv
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