Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed hope that a bill of sanctions against Russia can be revived, calling on Kyiv's allies to "voice support" for the measures.
US president Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday that blocked a sweeping new sanctions package targeting the Russian economy, telling Congress the pause was in the "national interest". The sanctions were due to come into force today.
In a statement on social media, Zelensky described Trump's move to put the sanctions on hold as unfortunate, without directly criticising the US president.
“This Act could have helped enormously – and still can! But it needs to actually work, and every voice in support of it matters,” he wrote.
Members of Congress from both parties have strongly criticised the executive order, with Republican senator Thom Tillis calling it "beyond irresponsible".
Trump's secretary of state Marco Rubio described the order as a 60-day pause to "analyse" the economic impacts of the sanctions bill.
He pointed to concerns about high energy prices in the US and the ongoing Iran war, saying: “We need that period of time to sort of study all this and figure out what the right combination is."
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Key Points
- Zelensky hopes for revival of Russian sanctions
- Trump's decision to waive Russian sanctions outrages Congress
- Russian air strike on Kherson kills ambulance driver and injures almost 20
- At least 1,500 troops to participate in war exercises in Poland
- Zelensky says Starlink speed restriction impacting defence against Russian drones
Trump’s deal with devil 'keeps getting dirtier'
07:00 , Namita Singh"Beyond irresponsible," said senator Thom Tillis on social media, outraged about Donald Trump’s decision to pause sanctions on Russia.
"What part of enforcing a law passed 86-11 by the Senate does the President and his advisers not understand?" Tillis said.
"It's unconscionable that this administration is capitulating to a Russian dictator who illegally invaded Ukraine.
"Republican senator John Cornyn of Texas said "Lindsey would be appalled," referring to the late senator Lindsey Graham, who worked tirelessly on the bill before he died this summer. The bill is known as the Lindsey Graham Russian Sanctions Act.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said in a statement that "by giving the Russian economy life support, Trump's deal with the devil keeps getting dirtier."
Senator Elizabeth Warren said Trump is "thumbing his nose" at Congress and "enabling Vladimir Putin to continue his war of aggression." She urged her colleagues to take action to reverse course.
Next steps uncertain with Congress out until after Election Day
06:00 , Namita SinghDonald Trump's actions come as Ukraine is bracing for a stark winter confronting Russia's ongoing attacks on its energy infrastructure to heat homes and keep the lights on.
The next steps are highly uncertain with the House and Senate on recess until after Election Day. Trump had indicated he was waiving the sanctions indefinitely, citing national security concerns.
Later Saturday, Trump told reporters that they don't know what his decision is yet regarding sanctions in Russia, despite the executive order he signed Friday night.
"We'll figure it out, and you'll figure it out. But it's a very good decision, and it's going to be a decision that's good for the country, and I think good for the world," Trump said at a fundraising dinner at his Florida estate.
Secretary of state Marco Rubio, separately addressing reporters on Saturday before departing for Central Asia, suggested Trump would take 60 days to review the global and US economic impacts of imposing the proposed sanctions on Russia and other countries, in light of tariffs already in place.
Pointing to high energy prices and the Iran war, "we need that period of time to sort of study all this and figure out what the right combination is," he said.
Poland says it is verifying a possible violation of its airspace
05:41 , Namita SinghPoland is verifying a possible violation of its airspace by an unidentified object, the army said on Sunday.
So far, there has been no confirmation of a violation of the airspace, the army said in a post on X.
The army said it had deployed a ground search-and-rescue team in the south of Lublin, which is conducting searches for the possible crash site of the object.
Zelensky hopes for revival of Russian sanctions
05:00 , Namita SinghUkraine's president expressed hope that sanctions that were supposed to take effect on Sunday targeting Russia's economy could be revived.
Volodymyr Zelensky described Donald Trump's move to put sanctions on hold as unfortunate, but did not directly criticise the US leader despite deepening tensions between Ukraine and Washington in recent days.
"A decision was unfortunately made in America to completely disregard the Lindsey Graham Act, which was supposed to impose truly effective pressure on Russia to bring this war to an end," Zelensky wrote in a statement on social media.
“This Act could have helped enormously – and still can! But it needs to actually work, and every voice in support of it matters.”
He separately thanked Democrats and Republicans who supported the legislation, saying that blocking it would encourage Russia to continue killing and that limiting Ukraine’s ability to retaliate would not bring peace.
“Nevertheless, we very much hope — and I personally hope — that the president of the United States of America will do everything possible to make (Russian president Vladimir) Putin stop the killing, stop the attacks on our energy infrastructure, and end this war,” he said.
It took almost a year for Lindsey Graham to persuade Trump to agree to the Russian sanctions package.
It was designed to impose steep tariffs on countries that import large amounts of Russian oil and energy products and was promoted as a way to halt the flow of funds fuelling Putin's four-year war against Ukraine.
Trump's decision to waive Russian sanctions outrages Congress
04:00 , Namita SinghPresident Donald Trump's abrupt decision to waive sanctions on Russia days before they were to take effect drew outrage on Saturday from members of Congress, which had overwhelmingly passed the legislation in a bipartisan display of American support for Ukraine in the war with Russia.
Lawmakers from both parties blasted the executive order late on Friday, the latest in a series of steps that the Republican president has taken drawing the United States closer to Russia's Vladimir Putin.
Trump recently announced a diesel deal with Putin to import Russian energy in a long-shot effort to curb high gas prices in the US that are roiling the midterm elections on 3 November.
"I think it's clear Russia is the aggressor, and we've got to do everything we can to put economic pressure on Russia," senator Rick Scott said in an interview with the Associated Press. "So it's not the first thing I would be doing.”
Zelensky says issues persist with Starlink and matter is being discussed with US
03:20 , Adam WithnallUkraine still cannot use its interceptor systems against Russian drone attacks because of speed restrictions imposed on Starlink, president Volodymyr Zelensky has said, adding that Kyiv was discussing the issue with US officials.
Zelensky told reporters in a WhatsApp media chat that Ukrainian officials had been told the restrictions were linked to technical issues.
He said Ukraine had tested Starlink on European Union territory and encountered no such problems there, with the system operating at higher speeds.
On Friday, Donald Trump said he did not believe either the US government or Elon Musk was to blame for deliberately restricting Ukraine’s Starlink access, and the UK government said it had received assurances from the White House that access had been restored.
At least 1,500 troops to participate in war exercises in Poland
03:00 , Alex CroftAt least 1,500 troops from Britain, France and Germany will take part in the war exercise next month, according to The Times, alongside Polish forces.
The wargames will simulate moving troops and supplies such as food and fuel, and was agreed at a coalition of the willing summit in July.
Russian air strike on Kherson kills ambulance driver and injures almost 20
01:30 , Alex CroftA Russian air strike on Kherson in southern Ukraine killed one person and injured 19 others, governor Oleksandr Prokudin has said on Saturday.
The person killed was an ambulance driver, and one child was among the injured, Prokudin said on Telegram.
Zelensky says meeting between US, Ukraine and Russia is possible
Sunday 18 October 2026 00:00 , Alex CroftA trilateral meeting between Ukraine, the United States and Russia could take place during the G20 summit in Miami later this year, or in a Middle Eastern country, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
"The meeting could then take place in the United States during the G20 summit. But there has been no confirmation yet from either Russia or the United States. It could also be held in a European country," he said.
The G20 summit is due to take place in December.
Aftermath of Russian strikes on Zaporizhzhia
Saturday 17 October 2026 23:01 , Adam Withnall
Romanian F-16 fighter jets shoot down two drones over its territorial waters
Saturday 17 October 2026 22:43 , Alex CroftRomanian F-16 fighter jets shot down two drones over the country's territorial waters on Saturday, the defence ministry said.
The drones were shot down days after two chemical tankers were hit by drones near Romania's Black Sea coast, the latest in a series of attacks highlighting risks to commercial shipping on NATO's eastern flank.
Trump is 'exacerbating and prolonging' the Ukraine war, former adviser says
Saturday 17 October 2026 22:01 , Harriette BoucherDonald Trump is “exacerbating and prolonging” the war in Ukraine, his former Russia adviser has claimed.
Fiona Hill, who worked under the president during his first term, has accused him of blaming Ukraine for domestic issues he has caused in the US, and also described him as being “unbelievably vulnerable” to Vladimir Putin.
Asked what his strategy on Ukraine was, she told Sky News: “His strategy is just about himself. Trump is worrying about the midterms, which are coming up very quickly.
“The expectation is that the Republican Party will get a trouncing because of Trump’s own failure to handle so many of the domestic issues as well as the foreign policy portfolio because he’s dragged the United States into a war with Iran, which is the main reason for skyrocketing prices of petrol and diesel.
“Trump is trying to blame Ukraine for this and say that the majority of the pricing increases is because of Ukraine’s attacks on Russian refineries.”
Putin says Russia is building non-negotiable 'security zone' in Ukraine along border
Saturday 17 October 2026 21:00 , Namita SinghRussia is establishing a "security zone" inside Ukraine along its border, which will be non-negotiable in any future talks with Kyiv, president Vladimir Putin said on Friday.
Putin, wearing a military uniform and speaking during a visit to a command post, said the operation was in response to Ukraine's 2024-25 incursion into Russia's western Kursk region.
"The Russian armed forces were tasked not only with expelling the enemy from our land but also with establishing a security zone in the adjacent territory. This task is being carried out successfully," he said in televised comments.
"Our goal is to ensure the absolute security of Russia's border regions for the future, and we do not plan to make this a subject for potential peace negotiations with Ukraine."
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the planned security zone spanned 660km, of which 70 per cent was currently under Russia's control. He did not say how deep it would reach inside Ukraine.
Putin has spoken before about the need for such a zone but has not previously spelt out the planned extent of it or said it would be off-limits for talks. It requires Russia to carve out land in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions, which are not among those it has claimed as its own territory since launching the war in Ukraine in 2022.
Recap: Trump refuses to blame Russia for war
Saturday 17 October 2026 20:00 , Alex CroftThe US president has placed himself at loggerheads with the UK and other allies over the conflict by refusing to say president Vladimir Putin sparked the Ukraine war.
Britain and most other Nato members have been clear in blaming and condemning the Kremlin for the Ukraine conflict, triggered by Mr Putin ordering the invasion of the neighbouring nation in 2022.
But when Donald Trump was asked whether he had forgotten that it was the Russian leader who started the war, he did not respond directly and implied it was not straightforward.
He said: “I know the details, OK, and at some point I’ll release the details.”Mr Trump added: “But I don’t care anything except for one. I want that war ended.”
His comments, as he left the White House for a campaign rally in Georgia, came after he again rounded on Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, saying he was “not a big fan” and claiming he was “more difficult to deal with than Putin”.
Mr Trump previously suggested Ukraine needed a new leader and claimed Mr Putin wanted a peace deal more.
Pope Leo phones Putin from hospital to plead for help for Ukrainian town
Saturday 17 October 2026 19:01 , Alex CroftPope Leo personally telephoned Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday to urge a ceasefire and request safe passage for humanitarian aid into the besieged Ukrainian town of Oleshky.
Ukrainian forces remain in control of Dobropillia, claims Kyiv military
Saturday 17 October 2026 18:00 , Alex CroftUkraine's General Staff said on Saturday that Ukrainian forces remained in control of the eastern town of Dobropillia, describing Russia's claim to have captured it as untrue.
In an emailed statement, General Staff spokesman Andriy Kovaliov said Ukraine also rejected Russia's claim that Russian forces had captured more than 1,800 square km (695 square miles) of Ukrainian territory and 92 settlements since September 1.
Watch: A sea drone was used to strike a Russian Olympic city’s port as part of Ukraine's Black Sea blockade.
Saturday 17 October 2026 17:29 , Alex CroftTrump giving in to Putin, warn US lawmakers
Saturday 17 October 2026 17:00 , Alex CroftUS Representative Don Beyer, a Virginia Democrat, blasted Trump for the waiver of key Russia-related US sanctions and tariffs days before they were to take effect, saying he was giving in to Putin.
"Trump's latest surrender to Putin again betrays our Ukrainian partners and defies clear congressional intent of legislation designed to punish Russia for its illegal war of aggression," Beyer said in a statement.
Trump had also faced criticism from several US senators, including some Republicans, over a recent diesel deal with Russia in which Trump agreed to lift sanctions on Russian exports and Russia agreed to supply diesel to global markets in an effort to lower fuel prices.
The lawmakers who criticized the deal said it would help fund Russia's war efforts.
Russia launches ballistic missile attack on Zaporizhstal steelworks,
Saturday 17 October 2026 16:30 , Alex CroftRussia has launched another ballistic missile attack on Ukraine's Zaporizhstal steelworks, causing damage to its blast furnace facilities, the plant's owner, Metinvest Group, said.
It said six ballistic missiles struck the plant's internal energy and logistics infrastructure.
"Russia continues to target a steel plant that has not been able to resume normal operations following previous attacks. There is no logic to these strikes, just as there is no logic to the war itself," Oleksandr Myronenko, chief operating officer of Metinvest, said in a statement.
Zaporizhstal, located in Zaporizhzhia in southern Ukraine, was hit by ballistic missile attacks in August and in September that killed eight employees and injured another 31 steelworkers.
Following the attack on August 11, the entire production complex was shut down, the company said.
The Ukrainian steel producers' union said last month that the country, one of the world's 10 largest steel producers before Russia's full-scale invasion, had halted steel production after Russian attacks shut its remaining operating plants.
With Reuters
Zelensky asked neighbours to allow grain transit amid Black Sea blockade, says Hungarian PM
Saturday 17 October 2026 16:01 , Alex CroftVolodymyr Zelensky has asked neighbours Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary to allow the transit of Ukrainian grain cargoes due to a Black Sea blockade, Hungarian prime minister Peter Magyar said on Saturday.
Magyar, who agreed with Zelensky to reset Ukraine-Hungary ties at a bilateral meeting on Friday, said he would have no objections to the measure if the Ukrainian grain cargoes only passed through Hungary, private broadcaster RTL reported.
Ukraine is among the world's top producers of wheat, corn and sunflower seeds and around 90 per cent of its exports of such crops go through the Black Sea, where a Russian campaign of attacks has almost halted agricultural exports from its Black Sea ports.
Full report: Zelensky urges support for new US sanctions on Russia after Trump puts them on hold
Saturday 17 October 2026 15:29 , Alex CroftUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky urged supporters Saturday to speak out in defense of new U.S. sanctions against Russia, hours after President Donald Trump signed an executive order pausing a sweeping package of restrictions targeting the Russian economy.
The White House's decision has further raised fears that Ukraine could be left exposed to Moscow’s escalating assaults with winter approaching.
Zelensky described Trump's move to put sanctions on hold as unfortunate, but did not directly criticize the U.S. leader despite deepening tensions between Ukraine and Washington in recent days.
Read more here:
Zelenskyy urges support for new US sanctions on Russia after Trump puts them on hold
Walk out on Russian officials
Saturday 17 October 2026 15:03 , Adam WithnallThe global economy is showing great resilience but there is no room for complacency, the head of the International Monetary Fund's steering committee has said, while divisions over Russia's war against Ukraine sparked a walkout of delegates.
Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan, who heads the IMF's steering committee, asked about the walkout by nearly half of delegates during remarks by Russia's finance minister at a meeting on Saturday, said the important thing was that members ultimately agreed to the chair's statement.
"We came here for a reason, and we achieved it. Look at this chair statement, it clearly says that all members agreed to the statement, so that's what matters," the chair of the International Monetary and Financial Committee told Reuters.
Mr Al-Jadaan told a press conference that the global economy was demonstrating "remarkable resilience" in the face of profound ongoing challenges, including wars, threats to energy and food security, high public debt levels, and risks linked to the rapid development of artificial intelligence, while warning finance officials against letting down their guard.
Ukraine disputes Russia's battlefield claims
Saturday 17 October 2026 14:43 , Adam WithnallUkraine has rejected Russia's claim to have captured more than 695 square miles (1,800 square km) of territory and nearly 100 settlements, including the eastern town of Dobropillia, since the start of September.
On Friday, the chief of Russia's General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, told President Vladimir Putin that Russian forces had captured 92 Ukrainian settlements and made significant territorial gains since the start of last month. Ukraine's General Staff spokesman Andriy Kovaliov dismissed the claims as false.
"In fact, through their active operations, the Ukrainian Defence Forces have liberated more territory since the beginning of autumn than the enemy has managed to capture," he said. "The Russian military leadership continues to create an illusion of major victories for its political leadership and domestic audience," he added.
Russia's advances along the frontline have slowed this year but its forces have been bearing down on the so-called "fortress belt" cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, the capture of which would bring Russia closer to its goal of seizing the entire industrialised Donetsk region. Kovaliov also rejected Mr Gerasimov's claims that Russian troops had reached the outskirts of Kramatorsk and were advancing in the suburbs of Sloviansk.
He said Dobropillia, southwest of the two cities, remained under Ukrainian control despite sustained Russian attacks.
Russia 'hits Ukrainian steelworks'
Saturday 17 October 2026 14:34 , Adam WithnallRussia has launched another ballistic missile attack on Ukraine's Zaporizhstal steelworks, causing damage to its blast furnace facilities, the plant's owner, Metinvest Group, has said.
It said six ballistic missiles struck the plant's internal energy and logistics infrastructure.
"Russia continues to target a steel plant that has not been able to resume normal operations `following previous attacks. There is no logic to these strikes, just as there is no logic to the war itself," Oleksandr Myronenko, chief operating officer of Metinvest, said in a statement.
Zaporizhstal, located in Zaporizhzhia in southern Ukraine, was hit by ballistic missile attacks in August and in September that killed eight employees and injured another 31 steelworkers.
Following the attack on August 11, the entire production complex was shut down, the company said.
Zelensky says meeting between US, Ukraine and Russia is possible
Saturday 17 October 2026 14:05 , Adam WithnallA trilateral meeting between Ukraine, the United States and Russia could take place during the G20 summit in Miami later this year, or in a Middle Eastern country, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
"The meeting could then take place in the United States during the G20 summit. But there has been no confirmation yet from either Russia or the United States. It could also be held in a European country," he said.
The G20 summit is due to take place in December.
Putin using winter as 'weapon'
Saturday 17 October 2026 13:32 , Adam WithnallUK defence secretary Wes Streeting has backed calls for an energy ceasefire
Mr Streeting wrote on X: "Russia continues to attack Ukraine’s energy sector. Putin seeks to use winter as a weapon.
"There needs to be an energy ceasefire - Ukraine is not the problem, nor is Ukraine the aggressor."
Energy ceasefire latest: Russia continues to attack Ukraine’s energy sector.
— Wes Streeting (@wesstreeting) October 17, 2026
Putin seeks to use winter as a weapon.
There needs to be an energy ceasefire - Ukraine is not the problem, nor is Ukraine the aggressor. https://t.co/wXuaOp5u73
Russia could 'step up attacks on Western Ukraine'
Saturday 17 October 2026 13:15 , Adam WithnallVolodymyr Zelensky has said that Russia could step up air attacks on western Ukraine, warning that Moscow may deploy ballistic missile systems in Belarus and calling for more air-defence support from Kyiv's allies.
Mr Zelensky told reporters in a WhatsApp media chat that Russia would like to station ballistic missile systems in Belarus, increasing the threat to Ukraine's western regions.
Western Ukraine lies far from the front line and has served as a relative haven during more than four years of war, `with many people and businesses relocating there.
Ukraine's central bank chief welcomes walkout during Russian remarks at IMF
Saturday 17 October 2026 12:30 , Adam WithnallUkraine's top central banker, Andriy Pyshnyi, said he was surprised by the large number of finance officials who left the room when Russia's finance minister addressed the IMF's steering committee on Saturday, calling it a "deep and emotional moment".
Pyshnyi, speaking through an interpreter, said that he routinely left the room when Russian officials spoke at international events, and did the same during Saturday's meeting of the International Monetary and Financial Committee, only to see alarge number of other central bankers join him.
The incident took place at the annual summit of the IMF and World Bank in Bangkok.
"I was impressed by the numbers," Pyshnyi told Reuters. "It was a really deep and emotional moment for me."
Nearly half the delegates at the meeting left during comments by Russian finance minister Anton Siluanov, who spoke in Russian, Bundesbank president Joachim Nagel said.
Pyshnyi said the walkout sent an important signal to Russia and its backers. "This unprovoked aggression has to be stopped," he said.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has heavily impacted the IMFC, preventing it from reaching consensus statements in the years since. There were deep divisions again atthis week's meetings as fresh tensions flared betweenthe US and Ukraine.
Macron criticises Trump's Russian diesel deal as not useful
Saturday 17 October 2026 12:00 , Namita SinghFrench president Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that a diesel deal struck by US president Donald Trump with Russia was not useful and created doubts and defiance.
"This decision is not good for anyone. It sends a negative signal. It adds an element of division and doubt," Macron said after an EU summit in Brussels.
Trump claims neither he nor Musk is responsible for Ukraine's loss of Starlink access
Saturday 17 October 2026 11:30 , Namita SinghUS president Donald Trump said on Friday that he did not think either he or Elon Musk was responsible for Ukraine losing Starlink access in a way that affected its military operations against Russia.
Any limit to Ukraine's access to the Starshield system was not imposed by the United States, Trump claimed.
The reduction in services provided by the satellite company interrupted communications with headquarters and caused internet speeds to drop. Reuters reported on Thursday that the White House approved the reduction in Starshield services.
Starshield was developed by SpaceX specifically for government and national-security customers, particularly the US Department of Defence. Starshield uses the Starlink constellation as its backbone.
Putin says Russia is building non-negotiable 'security zone' in Ukraine along border
Saturday 17 October 2026 10:55 , Namita SinghRussia is establishing a "security zone" inside Ukraine along its border, which will be non-negotiable in any future talks with Kyiv, president Vladimir Putin said on Friday.
Putin, wearing a military uniform and speaking during a visit to a command post, said the operation was in response to Ukraine's 2024-25 incursion into Russia's western Kursk region.
"The Russian armed forces were tasked not only with expelling the enemy from our land but also with establishing a security zone in the adjacent territory. This task is being carried out successfully," he said in televised comments.
"Our goal is to ensure the `absolute security of Russia's border regions for the future, and we do not plan to make this a subject for potential peace negotiations with Ukraine."
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the planned security zone spanned 660km, of which 70 per cent was currently under Russia's control. He did not say how deep it would reach inside Ukraine.
Putin has spoken before about the need for such a zone but has not previously spelt out the planned extent of it or said it would be off-limits for talks.
It requires Russia to carve out land in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions, which are not among those it has claimed as its own territory since launching the war in Ukraine in 2022.
Russian attacks kill eight in Ukraine, cut power to over a million
Saturday 17 October 2026 10:00 , Namita SinghRussian attacks killed at least eight people and injured 60 across Ukraine on Friday, hit two shopping centres and cut power to more than 1 million people after strikes on the energy grid, officials said.
A 71-year-old woman and a 58-year-old man died and 12 more people were wounded in attacks on three districts of the eastern city of Kharkiv, governor Oleh Syniehubov said.
He had earlier put the death toll at three. Further Russian strikes through the evening injured nine people, officials said.
Attacks in the frontline city of Kramatorsk in Donetsk Region killed two people and two more were killed in southeastern Dnipropetrovsk Region. Ukraine's energy ministry said its repair crews had returned power to over 1 million people who had lost it as a result of Russian attacks on Friday.
It was not clear how many were still without power.
Russia says it struck Ukrainian steel plants and power infrastructure overnight
Saturday 17 October 2026 09:33 , Adam WithnallRussia's defenceministry says it has carried out a large-scale overnight attack on Ukrainian infrastructure targets, including the country's largest steelworks in the city of Kryvyi Rih.
The plant is owned by steel giant ArcelorMittal, which suspended the facility's operations in September after a series of Russian ballistic missile strikes. In a statement, the ministry said the plant supplied steel products to the Ukrainian military-industrial complex.
It said Russian forces had also hit an electricity substation in the northwestern city of Zhytomyr and another steel plant in Zaporizhzhia, a city near the front line.
A cargo vessel in the Black Sea was also hit, it said, alleging that it was delivering military cargo to Ukraine's Odesa port.
Trump refuses to blame Russia for war
Saturday 17 October 2026 09:00 , Namita SinghThe US president has placed himself at loggerheads with the UK and other allies over the conflict by refusing to say president Vladimir Putin sparked the Ukraine war.
Britain and most other Nato members have been clear in blaming and condemning the Kremlin for the Ukraine conflict, triggered by Mr Putin ordering the invasion of the neighbouring nation in 2022.
But when Donald Trump was asked whether he had forgotten that it was the Russian leader who started the war, he did not respond directly and implied it was not straightforward.
He said: “I know the details, OK, and at some point I’ll release the details.”Mr Trump added: “But I don’t care anything except for one. I want that war ended.”
His comments, as he left the White House for a campaign rally in Georgia, came after he again rounded on Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, saying he was “not a big fan” and claiming he was “more difficult to deal with than Putin”.
Mr Trump previously suggested Ukraine needed a new leader and claimed Mr Putin wanted a peace deal more.
Russian air strike on Kherson kills ambulance driver and injures almost 20
Saturday 17 October 2026 08:24 , Adam WithnallA Russian air strike on Kherson in southern Ukraine killed one person and injured 19 others, governor Oleksandr Prokudin has said.
The person killed was an ambulance driver, and one child was among the injured, Prokudin said on Telegram.
At least 1,500 troops to participate in war exercises in Poland
Saturday 17 October 2026 08:00 , Namita SinghAt least 1,500 troops from Britain, France and Germany will take part in the war exercise next month, according to The Times, alongside Polish forces.
The wargames will simulate moving troops and supplies such as food and fuel, and was agreed at a coalition of the willing summit in July.
British troops to take part in major Ukraine-facing wargame next month
Saturday 17 October 2026 07:00 , Namita SinghBritish troops are set to take part in a major wargame in Poland.
Defence secretary Wes Streeting announced that UK forces will take part in a “major exercise” while making his first visit to the US in the role.
Britain’s troops will join those from France and Germany in a drill which is aimed at ensuring Nato forces are ready to provide Ukraine with security guarantees once the war is over.
Don Beyer calls on Congress to ensure full support for Ukraine
Saturday 17 October 2026 06:00 , Namita SinghDemocratic Virginia representative Don Beyer noted on social media shortly after the announcement of the sanctions being suspended that he and others had “warned" Trump might make such a move.
The veteran congressman, who spoke out against the bill as it was debated, called on Congress to “fix this flawed law to stop Donald Trump from capitulating to Vladimir Putin and ensure that it truly supports Ukraine”.
The White House did not immediately explain how pausing the sanctions was in the national interest.
The decision was posted on the White House website late in the evening, and the notification noted that the report explaining the decision had been submitted to Congress.
Sanctions were seen as part of Graham's legacy
Saturday 17 October 2026 05:00 , Namita SinghLindsey Graham, a close ally and friend of the president, had just returned from Ukraine when he unexpectedly died in July. He had advocated for stricter US sanctions against Russia as a way of pressuring it to end its war in Ukraine.
His colleagues in Congress responded with bipartisan support after his death and president Donald Trump attached his signature to the legislation — then changed his mind on Friday.
The package had been meant to starve Russian president Vladimir Putin of the resources Moscow needs to continue its war in Ukraine after invading its neighbour more than four years ago. The bill, also drafted by senator Richard Blumenthal, had sought to sanction Russian officials, banks and a shadow fleet of tankers that keeps Russian energy moving.
It also directed Trump to impose up to 100 per cent tariffs on the top five importers of Russian oil or natural gas, with an exception for countries that import less than 15 per cent of Russia’s natural gas exports and have taken significant steps to reduce those imports.
Trump puts new Russia sanctions that he recently signed into law on hold, citing national interest
Saturday 17 October 2026 04:00 , Namita SinghPresident Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order that puts on hold a sweeping new sanctions package targeting the Russian economy, telling Congress the pause was in the national interest.
Trump personally signed the legislation just last month and his move came just two days before a deadline set in the law itself for its implementation. Named after late South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham, it had sought to clamp down more quickly on the flow of financial resources fueling the war against Ukraine.
Trump's unexpected decision comes a week after he stunningly said the US had agreed to purchase diesel from Russia to try to bring down global energy prices, despite that potentially hurting Ukraine in its war with Russia.
An AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll published on 1 October found that Americans disapprove of the president's handling of the Iran war and blame him for higher prices. Trump's approval ratings have sunk to near-historic lows and pressure is mounting as Republicans try to hold control of both chambers of Congress after midterm elections on 3 November
Trump says Zelensky ‘not a good guy’ as Ukraine resumes strikes on Russian oil refineries
Saturday 17 October 2026 03:00 , Harriette BoucherMacron hits out at Trump for sending 'negative signal' over diesel deal
Saturday 17 October 2026 02:00 , Harriette BoucherEmmanuel Macron has said that a diesel deal struck by Donald Trump with Russia was not useful and created doubts and defiance.
Following an EU summit in Brussels on Friday, the French president said: “This decision is not good for anyone. It sends a negative signal. It a an element of division and doubt.”
Several EU leaders have hit out at the US president’s decision to relax sanctions on Russian diesel, as they also grapple with how to tackle energy prices that have soared since the Iran war.
Volodymyr Zelensky told a press conference on the sidelines of the summit: “And now we can see how cash will start flowing back into Russia through the diesel deal.
“This diesel deal will never be enough to offset the impact of the Strait of Hormuz on global markets. But it will put more money straight into Putin’s pocket to fund this war.”
Starlink dispute spotlights Ukraine’s reliance on US in intensifying battle for the skies against Putin
Saturday 17 October 2026 01:00 , Harriette BoucherIf Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy needed a reminder that Ukraine’s war with Russia may well be decided in the skies by the nation with the most advanced weaponry, then it was delivered this week – seemingly by the United States.
On the night of Oct. 13-14, 2026, the guidance system Ukraine’s military uses to blunt Russia’s aerial attacks suddenly stopped working normally. The system, called Starshield, is funded by the U.S. government and run by Elon Musk’s low Earth orbit telecommunications company Starlink, part of SpaceX. Ukraine uses the system to counter strikes and to target Russian military forces and logistics in occupied Ukrainian territory. But new speed restrictions, imposed without notice remotely by code, contributed to multiple mission failures.
Zelenskyy described the move as a “big mistake.” Others, including Musk, pointed the finger at the U.S. government. Amid the blame game, the restrictions were just as suddenly removed: By Oct. 15, Starlink services had apparently been restored to full capacity.
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Saturday 17 October 2026 00:00 , Harriette BoucherMoldova condemns Russia after five drones crash on its territory
Friday 16 October 2026 23:39 , Bryony GoochMoldova condemned Russia on Friday after five drones identified by its authorities as Russian crashed in the country in less than 24 hours.
Moldova's pro-European government, which hopes to join the European Union by 2030, has denounced Russia's invasion of Ukraine and repeatedly criticised the incursions into its airspace. Moldova shares a border with Ukraine.
One drone last week crashed about 35 km (21 miles) from the capital Chisinau.
The five drones entered Moldovan airspace over a little more than 17 hours on Thursday and Friday. All of them crashed, mainly in the northern and eastern districts, lightly injuring one person and causing minor damage.
"These incidents pose a threat to citizens' safety and show the direct consequences for regional stability of Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
The incidents have repeatedly prompted the ministry to summon Russian ambassador Oleg Ozerov to demand explanations.
President Maia Sandu regularly criticises Russian foreign policy as running counter to Moldova's interests and has declined to allow Ozerov to present his credentials although he has been stationed in Moldova for more than two years.
Russia accuses Sandu of pursuing policies hostile to Russia.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that any improvement of ties with Moldova was possible only if Sandu's government "abandoned its policies based on Russophobia."
Streeting ‘reassured’ by US that Ukraine’s access to Starlink restored
Friday 16 October 2026 23:00 , Harriette BoucherDefence Secretary Wes Streeting has received assurances from US counterpart Pete Hegseth that satellite access to Starlink for Ukraine has been fully restored, as the UK minister quoted St Francis of Assisi in an attempt to "bring harmony" between Kyiv and Washington.
Speaking during his inaugural trip to Washington DC as Defence Secretary, Mr Streeting said Mr Hegseth confirmed the critical satellite communications network was functioning again. The root cause of the blackout remains unknown, coming during a period of heightened friction between the United States and Ukraine.
Streeting ‘reassured’ by US defence secretary Ukraine’s access to Starlink restored
