Switzerland
The US and Switzerland are close to reducing tariffs on exports to 15% instead of 39%. An agreement could be reached within the next two weeks.
The EU introduced a new entry-exit system (EES) on October 12, which involves collecting biometric data from non-EU citizens. Currently, all checkpoints on the border with Hungary and Poland are connected to the system, and no traffic complications have been observed.
Ukraine is testing AI-driven phagotherapy, which selects viruses to destroy antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This technology could become a faster and more accessible method of treating wounded soldiers and veterans.
Switzerland is investing almost 9 million Swiss francs in the four-year Ukrainian-Swiss TRUE project, which will run until 2029. It aims to develop a modern rehabilitation system in Ukraine, is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and will be implemented by the Ukrainian Charitable Foundation "Patients of Ukraine" and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute.
The Irish government has reduced the period of stay for newly arrived Ukrainians in state housing from 90 to 30 days. Weekly financial contributions for accommodation are also being introduced for asylum seekers who are working.
Following Ukraine's permission for men aged 18-22 to travel abroad, Switzerland has recorded a significant increase in applications for temporary protection type S from this age group. Since the end of August, the number of such applications has risen from 3 to 185 by mid-October, accounting for a third of all new applications.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy approved the main directions of further sanctions work against Russia after a meeting with the heads of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the SBU, and the Foreign Intelligence Service. He instructed to rectify the absence of sanctions against Russian enterprises involved in weapons production and to work more actively with international partners to synchronize sanctions.
Around five thousand people protested in Riga against Latvia's plans to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention. The Saeima is expected to vote on this decision on October 30.
Ukraine is preparing new sanctions against Russian military production and propaganda, and is also synchronizing the 19th package of European Union sanctions. President Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of blocking contacts of Russian entities working for the war.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the finalization of negotiations on a trade agreement with the United States, which is expected to ease high tariffs imposed by the Donald Trump administration. The agreement could be concluded in the near future, affecting thousands of jobs in the automotive and citrus industries.
Lithuania is temporarily closing two border crossings with Belarus, Medininkai and Šalčininkai, for a month, starting on Wednesday. Exceptions will apply to diplomats, EU citizens, and other categories, while Šalčininkai will be completely closed and Medininkai partially open.
The Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has identified 68 new foreign components in missiles and UAVs used by Russia to attack Ukrainian energy infrastructure. These components were found in weapons used during the October 22 attack and originate from various countries, including the USA, China, Switzerland, Japan, and Taiwan.
The European Union has confirmed financial support for Ukraine until 2027 and is increasing sanctions pressure on Russia. The use of frozen Russian assets to protect against aggression is also being considered.
Italy, Switzerland, and Spain offer up to 32,000 euros for moving to remote villages to combat the demographic crisis. However, these programs are investment-based and have strict conditions, including long-term residency, real estate investment, or starting a business.
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.
On October 17, 2025, the Latvian State Security Service opened criminal proceedings against its citizen for a verbal attack on a Ukrainian family in Switzerland. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expressed gratitude to Latvia for its prompt reaction to the incident.
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.
The Third Assault Brigade showed a video of battles in the Kharkiv region, where intelligence officers eliminated a Russian sabotage and reconnaissance group near Novoselivka. They prevented the creation of a bridgehead for an offensive on Oskil and the cutting of the Izium–Sloviansk highway.
Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Heorhiy Tykhyi, announced that Ukraine has appealed to Swiss law enforcement. They are to investigate the incident involving a Russian-speaking man threatening a Ukrainian-speaking family on a train.
The Swedish Football Association has fired 49-year-old Dane Jon-Dahl Tomasson from his position as head coach of the national team after defeats to Switzerland and Kosovo. The decision was made due to consistently poor results in the 2026 World Cup qualifying matches.
An unauthorized pro-Palestinian protest in Bern escalated into clashes with the police, resulting in 18 police officers being injured, four of whom were hospitalized. 536 people were detained and subsequently released after identity verification.
From October 12, the EU is gradually implementing the biometric registration system EES, which will replace passport stamps. Ukrainians with temporary protection or a residence permit are not subject to registration, but for others, border crossing times may increase.
841 Russian citizens must leave Latvia by October 13 due to not submitting an application for long-term EU resident status. Staying in the country after this date will become illegal, which may lead to deportation.
As of the end of August 2025, 4. 37 million Ukrainians had temporary protection in the EU, which is 30,980 more people than at the end of July. The largest increase was recorded in Germany, the Czech Republic, and Romania.
Switzerland is restricting the granting of protection status to Ukrainians who lived outside combat zones. Moreover, for individuals from Volyn, Rivne, Lviv, Ternopil, Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Chernivtsi regions, deportation is even possible.
Australia handed over illegally exported archaeological artifacts to Ukraine, including a temporal pendant and an arrowhead. These unique objects, confiscated in Australia, will take their rightful place in the exhibition of one of Ukraine's museums.
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. "
Turkey may cooperate with the US on the development of rare earth element deposits in western Anatolia, after talks with China and Russia slowed down. Ankara and Washington are exploring a joint project in the Beylikova area, where a deposit of cerium, praseodymium, and neodymium has been discovered.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Russian drones and missiles used on October 5 contained over 100,000 foreign-made components. Ukraine expects a systemic decision from this week's meeting of G7 sanctions coordinators.
Next week, a meeting of G7 sanctions coordinators will take place to discuss limiting the supply of foreign components to Russia. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that Russian missiles and drones contain critical Western-made components.