Austria
EU countries have agreed to cut emissions by 90% by 2040 compared to 1990 levels, a compromise ahead of COP30. The agreement provides for flexibility, including the possibility of purchasing international carbon credits.
The European Space Agency (ESA) will ask member states in November to allocate about 1 billion euros for the development of a network of military-grade reconnaissance satellites. This program will help the military and governments counter threats and mitigate the consequences of natural disasters by transmitting ultra-high-resolution optical images.
The Korneuburg Regional Court in Austria will consider the issue of extraditing Andriy Naumov, the former head of the Main Department of Internal Security of the SBU, to Ukraine. The SBI and the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine are actively cooperating with Austrian law enforcement agencies on this matter.
On October 23, 2025, Hungary marks the 69th anniversary of the suppression of the revolution by Soviet troops. The Commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Hero of Ukraine Robert Brovdi, addressed the people of his "historical homeland" with a speech about the past and present.
On October 23, Ukrainian clubs will play matches of the second round of the Conference League: "Shakhtar" will play against Polish "Legia" at 19:45, and "Dynamo" will meet Turkish "Samsunspor" at 22:00. Bookmakers consider "Shakhtar" the favorite, while in the "Dynamo" match, the advantage is on the side of the Turkish team.
Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker will undergo scheduled back surgery next week due to persistent pain. After the operation, the 65-year-old politician will perform his duties remotely.
The European Union is preparing to approve the 19th package of sanctions against Russia, which includes a ban on imports of Russian liquefied natural gas from 2027. The package also targets Russian banks, lenders in Central Asia, and cryptocurrency exchanges, expanding trade restrictions and blacklisting oil tankers.
Sergiy Kyslytsya noted that a possible meeting between the leaders of the US and Russia on October 23 in Budapest would coincide with the 69th anniversary of the suppression of the revolution in Hungary by Soviet troops. The Ukrainian diplomat emphasized the negligence in choosing the date and place of the meeting.
The President of Ukraine stated that his American counterpart seeks an end to the Russian-Ukrainian war, and Trump's message to stop at the line of contact is, in the opinion of the head of state, positive. At the same time, Volodymyr Zelenskyy does not consider Budapest the best platform for US-Russia negotiations.
The European Union is considering a proposal to allow new countries to join the EU without full voting rights, which could make leaders like Viktor Orban more amenable to Ukraine's accession. This initiative would allow countries like Ukraine to enjoy many of the benefits of EU membership, but without veto power.
Austria has agreed to support the 19th package of EU sanctions against Russia, removing an obstacle to the vote on October 20 in Luxembourg. Vienna had previously blocked the decision, demanding the unfreezing of some Russian assets to compensate for losses incurred by Raiffeisen Bank International.
The German University of Bonn has restricted access for Russian students to certain modules of the master's programs "Cybersecurity" and "Computer Science" due to sanctions. These students can continue their studies by choosing alternative modules and will receive individual consultations.
On October 14, the UNESCO Executive Board adopted a new decision regarding the emergency aid program for Ukraine. The organization reaffirmed its solidarity with the Ukrainian people and condemned Russian aggression.
The European Union is considering using about 200 billion euros of frozen Russian central bank assets as the only way to sustainably finance Ukraine. EU leaders aim to reach a political agreement on this at next week's summit, after which work on a legal proposal will begin.
New research indicates that a famous childhood portrait previously attributed to French Queen Marie Antoinette actually depicts her older sister Maria Carolina. Professor Catriona Seth from Oxford University found inconsistencies in the details of the image.
A number of European countries increased their purchases of oil and gas from Russia in 2025, despite a general reduction in dependence on Russian energy. The total amount of Russian energy imports exceeded 213 billion euros since 2022, while aid to Ukraine from the European Union amounted to 167 billion euros.
Austria has suspended the adoption of the 19th package of EU sanctions against Russia, demanding the unfreezing of Rasperia Trading assets to compensate Raiffeisen Bank. The bank seeks to recover 2.1 billion euros it lost due to a Russian court decision.
The Hungarian government has changed its position and agreed to ban Russian liquefied natural gas supplies to EU countries. However, Slovakia and Austria remain the main obstacles to approving the 19th package of EU sanctions against Russia.
The Austrian Ministry of Interior is considering the possibility of revoking the citizenship of Jan Marsalek, the former head of Wirecard, who fled Austria after Wirecard's bankruptcy in 2020. Marsalek is the main suspect in a $4 billion fraud case. He is also allegedly acting in the interests of the Kremlin.
EU governments have agreed to restrict travel for Russian diplomats within the bloc in response to a surge in sabotage, often led by spies operating under diplomatic cover. This is part of a new package of sanctions being developed by Brussels, which requires unanimous support.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs deported over 170 foreign nationals and eco-activist Greta Thunberg, who attempted to break through to the Gaza Strip as part of the so-called "Global Flotilla of Sumud. "
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala congratulated ANO party leader Andrej Babiš on his victory in the parliamentary elections. Fiala noted that the SPOLU coalition bore the brunt of the crises, and the ruling parties' result was better in terms of votes than in 2021.
The State Customs Service reported the seizure of 421 iPhones, including 76 new iPhone 17s, at the Ukrainian border in the week leading up to their official release. During the same period, 9,584 iPhones were officially imported with customs payments totaling UAH 63.8 million.
The EU plans to unfreeze €2 billion worth of Strabag shares linked to Deripaska to compensate Raiffeisen Bank International. This decision is prompted by a fine the bank was forced to pay in Russia.
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.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki proposed a bill to increase the minimum period of continuous residence in the country for obtaining citizenship from three to ten years. This is aimed at better integration of foreigners and adaptation to Polish society.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine is building a new security architecture together with Great Britain, France, and over 30 countries. This is happening after the Budapest Memorandum, which was supposed to guarantee security, "failed" and turned into "empty words."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in New York to participate in the 80th session of the UN General Assembly. According to Russian media, he will also meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the United States.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that he is ready to meet with the head of the Kremlin, Putin, anywhere except Moscow. Negotiations were proposed in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Europe, Austria, Switzerland, and Kazakhstan.
Ukraine, the EU, and 36 countries jointly called on Russia to stop the killings and start negotiations with Ukraine. The statement was made at the UN on September 23, 2025.