The European Union is changing its strategy of sanctions against Russia, preparing tougher restrictions instead of a gradual increase in pressure. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced significantly stricter measures in energy, financial services, and trade, which will be included in the 19th package of sanctions, agreed with the United States.
Russia is developing a plan to nationalize and quickly sell off foreign assets if the European Union confiscates frozen Russian funds. The President of the Russian Federation signed a decree allowing the express sale of state assets in response to "unfriendly" actions by foreign states.
The Ministry of Culture of Ukraine has evacuated over 670,000 museum items from frontline regions by September 2025, with almost 100,000 of them this year. The Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Fund is being established for systematic international support.
French military seized the Russian tanker "Pushpa" off the coast of Saint-Nazaire, which repeatedly changed names and flags and is under international sanctions. The vessel is linked to a "ghost fleet" that finances Russian troops and may be involved in sabotage operations.
EU leaders at an informal summit discussed common defense, frozen Russian assets, and Ukraine's accession to the EU. Meetings of defense ministers and EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas will become more frequent.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha reacted to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's statement about his country's unwillingness to be in integration associations with Ukraine. Sybiha noted that the countries are already members of many international organizations and formats.
In the second quarter of 2025, renewable energy sources generated 54% of the EU's clean electricity, surpassing last year's figure. Solar energy became the largest source of electricity in the EU in June 2025.
Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko urged the European Commission to accelerate the preparation of technical documents for Ukraine's accession to the EU. She emphasized the completion of the legislative screening and the receipt of €16.5 billion from the EU in 2025.
Russian wheat exports decreased by 29% in July-September 2025, reaching 10. 9 million tons. This will weaken Russia's position in the global market and reduce foreign exchange earnings.
G7 countries are close to agreeing on new sanctions aimed at sharply limiting Russia's oil revenues and strengthening Ukraine's financial stability. Options include sanctions against the shadow tanker fleet and restrictions in the financial sector.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán spoke out against António Costa's plan to bypass Hungary's veto and accelerate Ukraine's accession to the EU. He also declared the country's dependence on Russian energy, despite US demands.
Parliamentary elections in the Czech Republic will be held on October 3 and 4. Andrej Babiš's ANO party is leading in the polls, ahead of the ruling coalition.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated that Russia's incursions into European airspace are tantamount to "state-sponsored terrorism. " She noted that Russia is escalating the situation with various incursions.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen supported the use of frozen Russian assets for Ukraine. She noted that Russia is waging a hybrid war against Europe, but it is impossible to defend against all its manifestations.
Ukraine received a tranche of EU macro-financial assistance totaling 4 billion euros under the ERA loan mechanism. These funds are financed by profits from immobilized Russian assets.
Raiffeisen Bank International failed to sell a stake in its Russian business as Moscow seeks to maintain a financial bridge with the West. Russian officials fear Western sanctions against the bank if it is sold.
Russian occupiers claim that repairs at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant are impossible due to "military actions," which the IAEA confirms. The plant relies on diesel generators with a limited fuel supply, threatening a nuclear catastrophe.
Leaders of the European Union member states will not negotiate the latest sanctions against Russia today in Copenhagen, but EU ambassadors may greenlight these measures on Friday.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban may find support in his attempts to hinder Ukraine's accession to the EU, particularly from French President Emmanuel Macron. The proposal by European Council President António Costa to change EU accession rules to circumvent Hungary's resistance is meeting opposition from a number of countries, including France, the Netherlands, and Greece.
The European Union has called on Russia to immediately withdraw all forces and military equipment from the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and all of Ukraine, returning control of the plant to Ukrainian authorities. This comes after the Zaporizhzhia NPP lost connection to an external power source for the tenth time, marking the longest and most serious outage.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb said that Donald Trump is ready for decisive action against the Kremlin in response to the war against Ukraine. Stubb called on Ukraine's supporters to be patient and supported the use of frozen Russian assets to finance Kyiv.
Romania plans to quickly start producing defense drones on its territory in cooperation with Ukraine. This is a strategic step to protect its own forces, as well as EU and NATO allies, and to enhance the air defense of the Alliance's eastern flank.
Senator John Kennedy introduced a resolution to the US Senate calling for the transfer of Russian sovereign assets under the jurisdiction of G7 countries to Ukraine. It is proposed to pay tranches of $10 billion monthly until the assets are fully depleted.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting on strengthening sanctions policy, instructing to extend the validity of expiring sanctions and accelerate synchronization with partners. In September, Ukraine imposed sanctions against 166 individuals and 127 legal entities, and also synchronized British sanctions.
The European Commission is urging EU countries to provide tax incentives for investment accounts to attract 10 trillion euros of Europeans' savings. This is part of an effort to deepen capital markets and provide companies with opportunities for growth.
The European Commission has proposed four key defense projects, including a drone wall to block Russian air aggression. These proposals will be discussed at an informal meeting of EU leaders in Copenhagen.
Ukraine has successfully completed the final stage of screening its legislation for compliance with European Union norms. This process lasted 15 months and was one of the fastest among all candidate countries.
Former British Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair has become the first appointed member of the new "Peace Council" chaired by Trump. This council will temporarily control the administration of the Gaza Strip if Hamas accepts the American plan to end the war.
The European Union is preparing to begin technical work on the accession of Ukraine and Moldova, despite Hungary's ongoing blocking of accession negotiations. The European Commission has proposed adjusting the rules to circumvent Hungary's veto, by starting technical work in several "clusters" even without an official decision.
Senior EU officials have endorsed Trump's 20-point plan for resolving the situation in Gaza, stating that it offers a chance to end the war. They are urging Hamas to accept it without delay, starting with the immediate release of hostages.
