Ukrainians can join the celebration by preparing five original herring recipes, including forshmak, "Herring under a fur coat" salad, and canapés with beetroot hummus.
On October 2, Ukrainian clubs will begin their first-round matches of the 2025/26 Conference League. Kyiv's "Dynamo" will host "Crystal Palace" in Poland, and Donetsk's "Shakhtar" will play away against Scottish "Aberdeen".
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.
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.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sybiha discussed new packages of military aid to Ukraine with his counterparts from Germany, Poland, and France. They are united in the view that security guarantees must be effective and legally binding.
The European Union has launched an official investigation into the supply of urea from Russia. Finland and Sweden are strengthening the defense of NATO's eastern flank, while Serbia and Kenya have detained suspects in pro-Russian activities.
Parliamentary elections have begun in Moldova, which will determine the composition of the legislative body for the next four years. Voting will take place from 7:00 to 21:00 at 2274 polling stations, of which 1973 are open on the territory of the Republic of Moldova.
In Denmark, unidentified drones were spotted near military facilities overnight, following several drone incursions near airports and critical infrastructure. The Prime Minister called it "the most serious attack on Denmark's critical infrastructure to date."
An unknown drone was spotted over the Valajaskoski hydropower plant in Rovaniemi, Finland. This incident occurred after the country's power plants were declared no-fly zones.
European Commissioner for Defense Andrius Kubilius emphasized the need for the EU to develop additional capabilities to combat drones. He noted that this requires drawing on Ukraine's experience, as well as focusing on drone detection and the use of traditional artillery.
Ukraine has expressed its readiness to participate in the "Drone Wall" project, initiated by the European Commission, and to play an active role in protecting Europe from the Russian drone threat. Kyiv expects to sign a joint declaration with partners in October and is ready to share its experience in the field of unmanned technologies.
Microsoft and Asus have officially opened pre-orders for the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X, which will go on sale on October 16. Prices for the consoles range from $499 to $1599 depending on the model and region.
Russian "Shaheds" of the "Geran-2" and "Geran-3" types have a flight range of up to 2500 km and 1600 km, respectively, which allows them to reach European countries, including Great Britain and France. Expert Kostiantyn Kryvolap notes that European air defense systems are effective against high-altitude targets, but may have problems with low-flying drones.
In 2024, the average age at which young people in the EU leave their parents' home decreased to 26. 2 years. At the same time, 9.7% of young people aged 15–29 in the EU lived in households that spent 40% or more of their income on housing.
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.
President Zelenskyy at the UN General Assembly announced a resolution condemning Russia's abduction of children. A pilot mechanism for tracing deported children has been launched with the support of a number of countries, including Austria, Latvia, and Estonia.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that there was no need to shoot down MiG aircraft that flew into Estonia, as they posed no immediate threat. Three Russian MiG-31 fighters violated Estonian airspace, remaining there for 12 minutes.
The NATO Council condemned Russia's dangerous violation of Estonian airspace on September 19, calling it part of irresponsible behavior. The Alliance expressed solidarity with member countries and reaffirmed support for Ukraine.
An international study found that only 13% of Ukrainian teachers feel real state support. This is happening against the backdrop of heavy workload and low salaries, which leads to emotional burnout of almost a third of teachers.
Hungary will not give up Russian oil, citing a lack of infrastructure for alternative supplies. Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó called Western European officials "fanatics" who criticize Budapest's position.
The 80th session of the UN General Assembly has begun in New York and will last until September 29. It will bring together about a hundred presidents and over 40 prime ministers to discuss global challenges and strengthen international cooperation.
The EU has started discussing the creation of a "drone wall" that would protect against further Russian attacks.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb stated that security guarantees for Ukraine, discussed by the "Coalition of the Willing," would require European countries to fight Russia in the event of future aggression. These guarantees would become effective after an agreement between Ukraine and Russia, with Russia having no veto power over their format.
The head of British foreign intelligence MI6, Sir Richard Moore, stated that Putin does not seek peace and overestimated his strength. He noted that the invasion did not break Ukraine, but accelerated Russia's decline.
Estonia will completely stop importing Russian natural gas, including liquefied gas, from next year, according to a government decision of September 18. This expansion of sanctions was initiated by Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna to cut the Kremlin's revenues.
The European Union plans to spend billions of euros on an "anti-drone wall" using technologies tested in Ukraine after Russian incursions into NATO airspace. This initiative aims to address the vulnerability where NATO relies on expensive technology to intercept cheap drones.
China has entered the top 10 of the UN's annual innovation ranking for the first time, taking 10th place. This was due to significant investments in research and development, while Germany dropped to 11th place.
Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces, General Janne Jaakkola, stated that they are closely monitoring the "Zapad" exercises of Russia and Belarus. He noted that Russia has resources for other purposes besides the war in Ukraine and warned of possible "unexpected turns" during the maneuvers.
The European Union is considering tightening restrictions on tourist visas for Russian citizens and imposing restrictions on the movement of Russian diplomats within the bloc.
Finland is building a 3. 5-meter high barrier with barbed wire on its border with Russia, designed to detect and destroy enemy drones. The project, which will cover about 200 kilometers, is almost half completed and will be equipped with a sensor system.
