The US opposes the participation of European diplomats in today's talks in Switzerland on Ukraine's peace plan. Americans do not want the presence of other European diplomats during negotiations with Ukrainians.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy faces the most painful choice: to agree to a peace deal that involves giving up part of Donbas, or to continue the war. This is due to new efforts by the Trump administration for a peace deal that involves compromises from Ukraine.
European leaders are seeking to rewrite Trump's Donbas proposal, which they believe benefits Russia. They want any ceasefire to begin with a freeze of the conflict along the current line of demarcation.
US senators said Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Washington's peace plan Moscow's 'wish list'. Rubio later denied this, stating that the plan was developed based on proposals from Russia and Ukraine.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine held telephone conversations with the heads of the foreign policy agencies of India and Great Britain. Peace efforts and coordination of steps to promote a just peace were discussed ahead of the meeting of national security advisors.
Ukrainian advisors will work in Switzerland tomorrow with representatives from the US, Britain, France, and Germany on the parameters of a peace agreement. President Zelenskyy announced that the absolute majority of European leaders are ready to help and join the consultations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a conversation with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, discussing diplomatic work in planning the peace process. Ukrainian advisors will work in Switzerland together with representatives of the US and the E3 format.
Switzerland has allocated almost $12 million to the World Bank fund to support the restoration of the Ukrainian healthcare system. The funds will be directed to a project to expand access to medical services, restore and modernize hospitals, and provide them with modern equipment.
An Arctic air mass has brought the most intense November cold snap in over a decade to France and Switzerland. Heavy snowfall is expected in the Alps in the coming days, and temperatures in Bern will drop to -7 °C.
World coffee prices sharply dropped after Trump's decision to lift 40% tariffs on agricultural imports from Brazil. Arabica futures on ICE fell by 4.6% to $3.5925 per pound, while robusta dropped by 5% to $4400 per ton.
The Guardian reviewed ancient European traditions that help keep people healthy from Iceland to Ukraine. Among them are daily swimming workouts, short daytime naps, and five meals a day.
Switzerland managed to get the US to lower tariffs imposed by Donald Trump with expensive gifts. The delegation presented a Rolex watch and a personalized 1 kg gold bar worth over $130,000.
The Donald Trump administration has reached an agreement with Switzerland to reduce import tariffs to 15%, ending several months of trade confrontation. Switzerland will invest $200 billion in the US and relocate part of its production.
China's unofficial gold purchases could be 10 times higher than official figures, as the country seeks to diversify its assets away from the US dollar. China's total purchases in 2025 could reach 250 tons, more than a third of the total global demand from central banks.
US President Donald Trump plans to attend the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, which could signal a warming of relations between the US and Switzerland. This visit will give the Swiss government a chance to reset relations with the White House amid trade disputes.
A Swiss parliamentary committee has recommended allowing arms exports to countries involved in armed conflicts. The decision was supported by 16 members against 9, with the final decision to be made by the Senate.
The gastronomic towel "ENEIDA" was created within the framework of cooperation between the International Women's Movement "For Family Values" and the Charitable Foundation "MHP-Hromadi". The symbolism of the towel embodies a person's path from the earthly to the spiritual, the unity of generations and the pod, the harmony of male and female principles, the power of life, love, and the continuity of Ukrainian traditions.
The World Records Book recognized Diia. AI as an achievement in the categories "First Time" and "Inventions." It is the world's first AI assistant that provides citizens with public services at the national level.
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.
