In recent days, tens of thousands of French high school students (mostly of immigrant background) have rallied with demands for increased funding of schools - all this while Europe is facing an existential enemy kept at bay only by the heroism of Ukrainians. Protests escalated into riots; in the city of Limoges, a beautiful historical building was burned to the ground (trigger warning for lovers of art and architecture). Then on Sunday, "a Paris synagogue was ransacked and Jewish-owned businesses were damaged... In Marseille, which has one of Europe's largest Jewish communities, rioters looted numerous businesses, including Jewish-owned establishments. French journalist Paul Amar alleged that rioters specifically targeted Jewish businesses while sparing Muslim-owned stores." Well, I remember how in the 1990s, the French were bewaring our prospective immigrants like the plague, and were chastising us that we must stay in our country and work to make it a better place - while welcoming millions from other countries known as hotbeds of religious extremism.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
WP: Putin confident that Trump will give him victory
From the Washington Post / Yahoo!News:
"Russia, sensing victory, cheers Trump's latest shift against Ukraine
The Kremlin is counting the Trump administration's latest turn against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a major triumph and, coupled with political upheaval in Europe, a sign that Western support for Ukraine is finally crumbling.
In the 10 days since Vladimir Putin last spoke by telephone with the American president, Donald Trump has announced a sanctions waiver for Russian diesel supplies to the global market, throttled Ukraine's access to vital battlefield satellite systems, put sweeping new sanctions against Russian on hold, as well as moved even more firmly to Russia's side by calling for Zelensky's ouster and holding up supplies of critical interceptor missiles.
On Monday, Trump blasted the Ukrainian president again, saying it was "time for somebody else to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine."
The stakes seem higher than ever. Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff is set to travel to Oslo on Tuesday to meet Zelensky, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store. Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is expected to participate via video link.
"The aim is to put diplomatic efforts on a more constructive path,' Store said.
Zelensky said on Sunday that if Washington aligned with Russia, Ukraine would not survive.
"If the United States will support Putin - it's unbelievable, it's a tragedy," he told NBC News' "Meet the Press" on Sunday. "If these two countries will be together, of course we will not prevail. And we will not be able to stand."
While the European leaders and Zelensky might hope to use the Oslo meeting to steer the Trump administration to a tougher stance against Moscow, Kremlin officials have been crowing that victory over Ukraine is on the horizon, and that Trump's recent moves are steps toward an ever closer alignment between Washington and Moscow.
Trump's recent ratcheting up of pressure on Zelensky could mean the U.S. president is again seeking to strong-arm the Ukrainian leader into a deal on terms favorable to Moscow.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday that Witkoff is expected to brief Putin following the Oslo talks.
Earlier, Peskov said Ukraine's recent resumption of strikes on Russian oil refineries - in defiance of Trump's demands - showed Zelensky's administration in its death throes.
"Some final signs of agony are being observed," Peskov said. "The Kyiv regime is resisting. But this cannot change the course of events."
"Checkmate," Kremlin special envoy Kirill Dmitriev posted triumphantly.
In Moscow, members of the Russian elite said that Putin, a former KGB officer, once again managed to turn the U.S. president.
Putin has decades of experience charming and manipulating foreign leaders, and has demonstrated a consistent ability to flatter Trump and pull him on side, analysts and officials said.
This time, they said, the Russian leader preyed on Trump's fears over low approval ratings and sky-high energy prices ahead of the U.S. midterm elections, offering a deal on Russian diesel fuel that will supply just a fraction of America's daily consumption and have no impact on prices.
On Friday, the average U.S. diesel price continued to climb to $6.33 per gallon, an increase of about 5 cents per gallon from the previous week.
"Russia's leaders have achieved a certain political victory," said a Russian academic close to senior Russian diplomats, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomacy. "All this happened after their telephone call. Probably Putin was able to convince Trump."
Putin, the academic added, "probably conducted this conversation very professionally and prepared his arguments well."
Mikhail Khodorkovsky, once Russia's richest man and now an opposition leader in exile, said recent events followed a pattern in Putin's relations with Trump.
"I am absolutely convinced that they believe that they managed to take advantage, as they always do; they are opportunists," Khodorkovsky said. "In this case, they believe they have waited for the moment of Trump's additional weakness and [taken] advantage of it."
"For Putin, everything that is happening today are signs of the West's weakness," he said.
Dmitriev, the special envoy, and other Russian officials hailed the diesel deal and Trump's waiving of tough sanctions that were to be imposed under a bill adopted in honor of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, a firm GOP supporter of Ukraine, as steps toward broader Russia-U.S. economic cooperation.
Historically, Russia and the U.S. have never been big economic partners, with Russia exporting little of interest to the U.S. market.
"There is a whole range of economic and investment projects being discussed with the American side that will be implemented," Dmitriev told a Russian energy forum last week. "Our list of projects being discussed with the American side also includes various projects in the Arctic, energy projects, LNG [liquefied natural gas] projects and other areas."
"More and more Americans, including within the administration, understand that sanctions harm the United States itself," he added...
After an Aug. 31 meeting with Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov at a Group of 20 event in Asheville, North Carolina, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent blamed Ukraine's strikes on Russian oil refineries as the reason for surging fuel prices - rather than the war in Iran.
It was then easy for Putin to recruit Trump into sharing that viewpoint, some observers said.
"The simplest explanation is that Trump was simply interested in having a talking point for the midterms on diesel, that he has a deal to lower it, said Daniel Fried, a former assistant secretary of state for Europe during George W. Bush's administration.
"I think it is just Trump lashing out because he's feeling cornered and unhappy with the midterms, and Zelensky stood in his way," Fried said, especially after Zelensky publicly derided Trump as "weak" after he announced the diesel deal.
"Trump then extended his frustration to add pressure and try to force a settlement based on a great power deal with Putin, who is skilled at playing his more gullible interlocutors," he said.
That Trump and Putin share a view that strongmen should dominate a world divided into spheres of influence made it even easier for Putin, Fried added. "Trump appears to have been attracted to this view for decades," he said. "And therefore, Ukraine is expendable on strategic grounds, in Trump's view, and it was standing in the way of a perfectly good campaign talking point."
Trump's latest swing toward Putin was hardly surprising, said a former senior U.S. intelligence official.
"It almost doesn't matter what he says, because Trump just seems like he's very eager. He's a very receptive audience," the former intelligence official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.
"If you look at the longer-term trends, he has clearly a preference for Putin over Zelensky, and that transcends any kind of temporary relaxation of the tensions that he has with Zelensky."
"He likes strong authoritarian leaders," the official said. "And deep down, there is this underlying belief on his part that Ukraine cannot win this war, that Russia is bigger, Russia is stronger, Russia is going to crush Ukraine if that's what it takes."
Signs point to Trump seeking to strong-arm Ukraine into a deal by December, when Trump has invited Putin to join him at the G-20 leaders' summit in Miami, said Andrew Weiss, a Russian expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington.
"The only way I can explain it is that it's connected to the milestones leading up to the meeting of the G-20 in December," Weiss said. "I feel like what's going on here is not really about diesel or refinery long-range strikes. It's really about Trump thinking that he can push the Ukrainians into some sort of political settlement."
The Russians have "tried to use the administration as a battering ram to get the Ukrainians to surrender Donbas," Weiss said, referring to the swatch of eastern Ukraine coveted by Putin.
"But then that only opens up a subsequent conversation about constraints on Ukrainian military capabilities" he added, or other underlying Russian demands. "The administration has repeatedly misdiagnosed what the Russians want and the Russians don't make that easy because they don't say exactly what they want.""
Sunday, October 18, 2026
Film director Eric Bergkraut: Anna Politkovskaya predicted Russia's war in Ukraine back in 2004
This year, Oct 7 was the 20th anniversary of the murder of heroic Russian investigating journalist and human rights activist Anna Politkovskaya. In Novaya Gazeta, the Swiss film director Eric Bergkraut who worked with her remembers:
"...She understood the rules of the game in Western democracies very well. She harbored no illusions on that score. The events that unfolded after her death—the way Western European democracies chose to turn a blind eye to human rights violations [in countries like Russia]—have ultimately led to a situation where everyone is now paying the price, including through the war in Ukraine.
I remember inviting both Zainap and Anna to the French premiere of "Koka" in Paris. At first, the attaché from the Swiss embassy was very pleased with the idea. But two days later, she called me from the embassy and said, "No, that’s impossible. Two individuals who are in opposition to Putin—we cannot allow that. We are a neutral country." It was absurd! I felt terrible—I had to call Anna and tell her she couldn't come. But she just found it amusing. She wasn't shocked at all; she understood the logic of Western European politics very well... That’s just one episode—not the most significant one. To me, it simply showed that Anna had a very good grasp of the realities we lived in. She harbored no illusions whatsoever...
I also recorded an interview with Raphaël Glucksmann... Rafael confided in me that, back in 2004, Anna had told him: "You’ll see—Putin will start a war against Ukraine." You know, it took me a long time to truly grasp just how aggressive Putin’s policy really is...
It seems to me that many politicians mistakenly view human rights and their observance as something secondary—as matters of lesser importance. This is precisely what characterized Putin’s relations with Western European leaders—from Chirac and Schröder to Merkel and Sarkozy—the underlying assumption being that human rights are mere details, while economic interests take precedence. Now, we can see where that has led. I believe this is a mistake. Upholding human rights is essential, not least for the preservation of peace.
I am very struck by a remark made by Anna: “A society that accepts lies will also accept violence.” And that is truly the case. Now, millions of people are paying the price for it."
US senator: Investigate the Starlink disruptions in Ukraine
US senator Tom Tillis on X:
"@elonmusk please tell me these overnight disruptions to Starlink terminals in Ukraine were unintended - that @SpaceX is doing everything it can to fix a temporary glitch...
The latest reporting suggests this strategic snafu may have occurred more locally within DOD Starshield systems, not with Starlink or SpaceX.
I’m not holding my breath for Defense Secretary Hegseth to offer transparency, so we’ll be asking the DOD Inspector General to initiate an investigation and report back to Congress and the American People.
Meanwhile, both Ukrainian civilians and U.S. diplomatic and security personnel were placed at unnecessary risk and without warning.
At best, this was an unacceptable error or lapse, and at worst a conscious decision to clear the field for a Russian attack."
Wednesday, October 14, 2026
Another cynical statement by the Kremlin
From the KyivPost:
"Peskov: Russia Did Not Break Trump’s ‘Energy Truce’ Because Terms Were Never Set
The Kremlin claimed that Russia cannot be accused of breaking US President Donald Trump’s abrupt energy truce because its terms were never set, hours after Russian strikes cut power to at least 600,000 Ukrainian citizens.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov made the remarks on Wednesday, Oct. 14, when asked about Russia’s overnight attacks on Ukraine’s power grid.
“The energy truce proposed by Trump was not specified, so it cannot be said that Russia is not complying with it,” Peskov said according to the Russian news outlet Astra.
Moscow names Kyiv, Kharkiv power plants as targets
Russia’s Defense Ministry said that its forces used ground-based precision weapons and long-range attack drones against energy and communications facilities it claimed were serving Ukraine’s military and defense industry.
The ministry listed the Darnytsia CHP-4 and CHP-5 combined heat and power plants in Kyiv, as well as CHP-6, the Trypillia thermal power plant and a major electrical substation in Kyiv region.
In the Kharkiv region, the ministry named the Kharkiv CHP-5 and the Zmiiv thermal power plant.
It also claimed to have hit an Ukrssibbank data center, alleging without evidence that it was used to gather intelligence on Russian forces.
Ukrainian authorities confirmed that Russian ballistic missiles struck Kyiv’s CHP-4 power plant and a nine-story residential building late Tuesday, Oct. 13, killing at least three people and injuring 26, including an eight-year-old child.
According to Ukraine’s Air Force, Russia launched 39 missiles and 128 drones in the attack, which began at 6 p.m. local time. Air defenses downed four missiles and 115 drones.
Zelensky continues pressing Washington for sanctions
Zelensky called the strike deliberate, saying it damaged 26 sites in Ukraine’s power system and four oil and gas facilities, and warned of further outages.
“Russia does not view the US President’s statements as strong,” Zelensky said..."
Zelensky: Our people are dying because of Trump's betrayal
From the Telegraph / Yahoo!News:
"Zelensky: I feel betrayed by Trump
Volodymyr Zelensky said that he felt betrayed by Donald Trump, and warned the US president was not acting on the "right side of history".
"It is a pity that we are losing a strong partner," the Ukrainian leader said on Wednesday amid an escalating public clash with his American counterpart.
Relations between Kyiv and the White House have sharply deteriorated after Mr Trump agreed on Friday to waive sanctions on Russia to import diesel.
The US president has been pressuring Ukraine to halt its strikes on Russian oil refineries, blaming Kyiv – not the Iran war – for rising energy prices. On Saturday he said Ukraine needed "a new president".
In an interview with Piers Morgan Uncensored on Wednesday, Mr Zelensky said he would not resign under US pressure.
Asked whether he felt "betrayed" by recent events, he said: "Really, yes, between us. But it's a little bit more complicated than just my emotions or my feelings.
"Our country has to survive, and we count on our real partners, strategic partners, the United States and President Trump. They wanted us not to attack. My opinion was, it is not fair."
He suggested Mr Trump's diesel deal with Vladimir Putin was an "attempt to push Ukraine to capitulation" and give up the Donbas region, a concession which the Russian leader has claimed is needed for him to consider ending his invasion.
'People will die'
The US has also threatened to suspend intelligence-sharing to force Ukraine to stop its refinery attacks.
Mr Zelensky claimed on Tuesday that Kyiv had stopped receiving warnings from allies about missile attacks. He also accused Elon Musk, the tech billionaire, of imposing limits on his Starlink technology, which is critical as a communication device for Ukrainian forces on the front line.
"I am sure they knew what they did, absolutely. Because it was 1am at night, Starlink was blocked by SpaceX and the United States," Mr Zelensky said.
Addressing Mr Musk directly, he added: "This decision will bring a lot of human losses. Of course, people will die."
Writing on X, Mr Musk blamed the US government for the restrictions. An official speaking to Axios denied having anything to do with the alleged Starlink restrictions..."
Ukrainian ex-president: Ukraine once placed extraordinary faith in the United States, and now the USA asks it - the victim, to pay the price for the aggressor's crimes
In his Facebook page, former Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko turns to the present US president:
"To Donald J. Trump, 45th and 47th President of the United States
Civilian Ukrainians killed because Trump withdraws intelligence from Ukraine, hoping that it will capitulate to Putin
From AP / Yahoo!News:
"Zelenskyy says Ukraine received no intelligence from partners about missiles headed to Kyiv
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine received no early warning from its partners about five Russian ballistic missiles that hit civilian infrastructure in the capital of Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday, as tensions rise between the Ukrainian leader and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Zelenskyy did not specify which partners he was talking about. He characterized the barrage as "particularly vile" and emphasized that receiving intelligence from partners about such attacks "helps save lives" and is "one of the most critical issues."
"This is precisely what helps prevent people from being killed — when there is an early warning about ballistic missiles," he wrote in a post on X...
More missiles struck Kyiv late Tuesday, targeting energy systems. Zelenskyy said again that the country received no early warning from partners.
"It is important that the world does not stay silent about this," he posted on X. "And it is important that the United States really see what is happening and who is responsible for this war continuing."..."
Update - CBS journalist Aidan Stretch on X:
"NEW: US officials blamed “bad weather” for not warning Ukraine of Russian missile launches overnight which killed 6 and left more than 600,000 without power, sources tell @CBSNews. Ukrainian officials don’t buy the excuse, believing intelligence was withheld on purpose."
US senators of both parties oppose Trump's deal with Putin
From Politico / Yahoo!News:
"Bipartisan group of senators demands Trump kill Russian diesel deal
A bipartisan group of senators is calling on President Donald Trump to "immediately reverse course" on his decision to allow Russian diesel imports, accusing the administration of violating federal law and handing Moscow a financial lifeline as it wages war against Ukraine.
"President Trump's decision to allow Russian diesel imports to the U.S. runs directly counter to that law," the senators said in a statement released Sunday, citing Congress' 2022 ban on Russian energy imports. "The Administration has also failed to consult with Congress or submit any explanation to justify its decision as required by statute."
The rebuke includes four Republicans — Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Thom Tillis (N.C.) and John Curtis (Utah) — along with Democratic Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), Richard Blumenthal (Conn.) and Ron Wyden (Ore.). Shaheen is the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee..."The United States should not provide Putin with a financial lifeline while Russia continues to kill Ukrainian civilians," the senators wrote. "The Administration must immediately reverse course."
Tillis, a Republican who frequently splits with the Trump administration, had already questioned the deal's legality Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press," pointing to the 2022 law's conditions for lifting the import ban, including a full Russian withdrawal from Ukraine.
"I do believe there's a legitimate case for saying the president's not following the law," Tillis said. "We were very clear that Russia is the aggressor. Russia is the one who can end this war by backing out of territory they occupied."..."Transcript of Trump's incoherent rambling
RealClearPolitics / Yahoo!News, October 11, 2026:
"Trump: We Told Zelensky Not To Hit Russian Oil, "What Does He Do? He Hits The Diesel Fuel"
(It's a war that should have never been started. If I were president, if the election weren't rigged, I would have been president, and that war would have never started.)
But he could have settled it many times, and he chose not to. We said, you can do whatever you want to Russia. Don't hit the refineries because that's a world problem that's caused.
And he wants to make problems for the world. He wants to make problems for our farmers, our ranchers with diesel fuel because Russia supplies a large portion of the diesel fuel throughout the world.
And we told him, do whatever you want, but don't hit the diesel fuel because there's a big problem, big shortage.
And what does he do? He goes and hits the diesel fuel.
He can do whatever he wants, but you can't do that because we have a world problem, and the problem is caused by the lack of refineries for diesel fuel.
So what does he do? He goes and hits refineries.
And I said to him, do what you want, don't hit refineries. There's plenty of targets. Don't hit refineries. And he went out and he-and he's not going to affect our farmers, and he's not going to affect our ranchers, and he's not going to affect the rest of the world.
So he'd better damn well stop.
...
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. President, [unclear].
TRUMP: Well, I agree with you, and you know what I suggest? I suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal because he could have made many deals, and for some reason he never does.
And let me go a step further. If I were president, you wouldn't have ever had that war. That war would have never started.
There was no reason that that war with Ukraine and Russia started. It started due to incompetence. Should have never started.
You wouldn't have lost 30% of your country already. You've lost 30% of your country, and you've had over a million people killed. Between the two of them, over 2 million people killed.
That's a war that should have never started, and I think it's time for Ukraine to get a new president.
Sunday, October 11, 2026
Russia attacked an ambulance
Today (Oct. 11), a Russian drone attacked an ambulance in the Sumi region of Ukraine:
Happily, nobody was killed. The driver (44) and a paramedic (59) were injured. Source: Obozrevatel.
These are the deeds of the country that, according to Trump, wants peace.
Zelensky: Trump blames me because he cannot stop Putin, and gives Putin money to kill our children
From ABCNews:
"'This Week' Transcript 10-11-26: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Majority Whip Tom Emmer & Kansas Democratic Senate Candidate Adam Hamilton
This is a rush transcript of "This Week" airing Sunday, October 11.
JONATHAN KARL, ABC “THIS WEEK” CO-ANCHOR:... “THIS WEEK” starts right now...
KARL: This morning, a “THIS WEEK” exclusive. President Zelenskyy responds.
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINE PRESIDENT: We are defending our sovereignty. It’s our rights. So don’t stop us...
KARL: Good morning. Welcome to “THIS WEEK.”
We have a major exclusive this morning. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy joins us to respond to President Trump’s stunning comments this week about lifting Russian sanctions and calling for a new president of Ukraine...
Up next, a big and important “THIS WEEK” exclusive. Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy responds to President Trump. We’re back in two minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think you heard about the oil deal with Russia. That is a big deal. That is massive amounts of oil coming into our country, and I want to thank President Putin.
Zelenskyy could have settled this war many times. Many, many times. And he chose -- he chooses not to. And I think it's time for Ukraine to get a new president.
(END VIDEO CLIP) (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KARL: Those stunning comments from President Trump expressing gratitude to Vladimir Putin and calling for a new president for Ukraine came after Trump announced a deal to lift U.S. sanctions and buy diesel fuel from Russia. It's a deal that appears to violate a law Congress passed shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Some experts say the deal would only marginally affect diesel prices here in America, but it could provide billions of dollars to fund Russia's war machine.
And we are joined right now by Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, an ABC exclusive.
President Zelenskyy, thank you for joining. Let me get right to what President Trump just said. What is your response? He says it's time for a new president of Ukraine.
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. First of all, good morning and thank you for this dialogue.
So, this week was very difficult for us, not only geopolitically, first of all because of massive attacks, Russian attacks on our civilian infrastructure. So they attacked 196 times our energy sector. It's only electricity, plus 20 times gas and oil. And they killed for now 153 civilians.
So, I think this is an answer what's going on, really what's going on. And it's a signal that Russia doesn't feel real pressure. They want to continue.
About energy, I said it to President Trump, to president's teams, to his team and to his people several times, so we want peace. We are ready for ceasefire. We are ready to begin from any kind of steps of de-escalation. We are ready for energy ceasefire, not to attack energy both sides.
And if the Russians want us not attack their diesel, their refineries and et cetera, we are asking President Trump, give them signal, not attack energy infrastructure of Ukraine. It's fair deal. It's not the best deal. The best deal not -- not to have a war, to stop Putin. But the first step is ceasefire, energy ceasefire.
OK, if they want energy ceasefire, we are open for this. Don't attack us. Don't kill our children. We will stop attack your diesel. And I think it's fair, fair deal.
President Trump said that we need -- Ukraine needs new president. So, first of all, with all respect to President Trump, it's up to our society, up to our people to choose one or another leader. Yes, we are in war and how to do elections is really difficult. Not only that it goes absolutely not secured and it goes out of our law, out of our constitution, but the main thing is to have security infrastructure for this, to give possibility people to vote.
Of course, it's up to Ukrainians when to vote, how to do it and to choose one or another person. But if to answer -- on this question, I know that Putin wanted very much to change the president in Ukraine. I understand it.
And if President Trump really wants to have some changes in -- during elections, I also shared it with his team.
So please tell Putin, give us two months, 60 days off. Total ceasefire, 60 days, and we will organize elections. Of course, we will be ready for any choice of our people, exactly Ukrainian people.
KARL: It's not just President Trump. We also heard from Elon Musk saying Zelenskyy has gone too far. Why are they blaming you for the continuation of this war?
ZELENSKYY: Because these people can't find a key how to stop Putin. Because it's more difficult to stop Putin than to pressure others. Because it's more simple to speak about the prices and connect it with Ukraine.
When everybody in the world understands because of the war in Middle East, the prices are rising. They’re increasing. They’re increasing because of the war in Middle East, of the blocking of Hormuz, because of these reasons. Everybody understands it.
And if we want to speak with people fairly, if we want to be clear, if we want to speak with our nations openly, we have to stop -- I mean, people have to hear reality. Don't play games with people.
KARL: The president has announced this deal. He says to buy diesel fuel from Russia. You've called it a birthday gift to Putin. Explain why.
ZELENSKYY: Because it gives Putin money and he spends money only on this war. Kill us. Kill our children.
I was this week in one (ph) small city, they killed, they are just attacked the building, no military goals, no, no -- even something close to this building, attacked, killed 22 people, around 60 been wounded. And five children, five children, small children were killed.
And he has a lot of money, much money for this war.
KARL: How long can Ukraine continue to defend itself? It's been almost five years of war.
ZELENSKYY: We need to do it, I mean, to stop this war as quick as possible. We count that United States will help us to do this. I hope so.
We count on president, his team involving to stop Putin, but to stop Putin. And I think this is the main goal to stop him. This is the main deal to stop this war.
And we count on American support. Then, and of course, we count on our European partners.
And I hope that we will save this unity, Europe and the United States. It's not simple, by the way, really not simple. We work hardly each day to save this.
But in any way, we will defend ourselves because otherwise, we will lose our life and homes, our freedom, independence, Ukraine. Yeah, we can't lose it. And the truth is on our side.
KARL: President Zelenskyy, thank you for taking time to talk to us.
ZELENSKYY: Of course. Thank you so much.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KARL: You can watch more of my interview with President Zelenskyy on abcnews.com. Up next, Republican majority whip Tom Emmer. We’re back in two minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: But, inexcusably even NATO countries have not cut off much Russian energy and Russian energy products which, as you know, I found out about two weeks ago, and I wasn't happy. Europe has to step it up. They can't be doing what they're doing. They're buying oil and gas from Russia, while they're fighting Russia. It's embarrassing to them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KARL: Well, that was President Trump speaking at the United Nations almost exactly one year ago, blasting Europe for buying Russian oil. Of course, the president announced on Friday that the U.S. now plans to do exactly the same thing..."
What Ukrainians want from the USA
Ukrainian prosecutor Mykola Golomsha in the Obozrevatel, 09.10.2026:
"[The killed civilians in] Kramatorsk and Pryluky are not a backdrop for oil deals. The Ukrainians who lost their lives are not the price for agreements between Trump and Putin
Kramatorsk. Pryluky. Civilians killed. Yet behind the scenes, Trump’s envoys are negotiating with Putin’s representatives regarding Lukoil’s oil assets and the Nord Stream gas pipelines. Ukrainians are dying, while future revenues involving Russia are already being discussed. This is a level of cynicism that cannot be glossed over.
While Russian missiles are killing Ukrainians, the Donald Trump administration is seeking opportunities for economic deals with Moscow. However, existing US and EU sanctions create serious legal obstacles to such plans.
Why, instead of increasing economic pressure on the aggressor, are prospects for its return to the energy business being discussed?
TRUMP’S POLICY: PRESSURE ON UKRAINE, NOT THE AGGRESSOR
The Ukrainian authorities are trying not to damage relations with Trump. We understand the importance of American aid, even though it is currently suspended. However, the authorities' diplomatic caution deprives civil society of the right to speak the bitter truth.
Trump demonstrates a readiness to reach agreements with Putin without making the requirements of international law central to the negotiation process. His negotiators have not made public condemnation of the aggression the foundation of their initiatives, while the negotiation process itself is repeatedly described as being at an impasse.
Where is the demand for Putin to halt missile strikes on Ukrainian cities? Where is the enforcement of compliance with UN General Assembly resolutions? Where is the guarantee that the aggressor will not be rewarded for the occupation?
Instead, the world hears talk of negotiations, compromises, and potential business ventures.
Trump has effectively placed Ukraine and Russia on an unequal footing: telling Ukraine that if it wants its territories back, it must reclaim them, while telling Putin that if he wants Ukrainian lands, he should conquer them. Such logic turns international law into the law of the strong and makes the defense of one’s own territory the sole problem of the victim of aggression.
This is not neutrality. It is a dangerous endorsement of the aggressor’s logic.
INTERNATIONAL LAW IS NOT UP FOR BARGAINING
On March 2, 2022, the UN General Assembly, through Resolution ES-11/1 adopted by 141 votes, condemned Russia's aggression and demanded the withdrawal of its troops from Ukraine.
This requirement has not vanished due to Trump’s negotiations with Putin. It has not lost its validity because of war fatigue. And it cannot be replaced by an agreement that rewards the aggressor.
If negotiations are not grounded in international law, and sanctions become a subject of commercial bargaining, the entire international security system is threatened.
OUR DEMANDS
1. To the U.S. Congress: ensure strict oversight of the administration's policy regarding Russia, prevent the circumvention of sanctions, and advance sanctions measures—specifically, the initiatives of Lindsey Graham.
2. To the Trump administration: halt the policy of making economic concessions to Moscow without a genuine end to the aggression. There must be no return to business as usual for the Russian energy sector at the expense of Ukraine’s security.
3. To the US and European partners: step up military aid to Ukraine—particularly in air defense, ammunition, and the assets needed to protect people and critical infrastructure. Sanctions must curtail Russia’s ability to wage war, while aid to Ukraine must strengthen its capacity to defend itself.
4. To the UN General Assembly: demand the implementation of adopted resolutions, step up international pressure on Russia, and utilize UN Charter mechanisms—specifically the "Uniting for Peace" procedure—whenever the Security Council is blocked by a Russian veto.
5. To the Ukrainian authorities: do not prioritize the desire to retain Washington’s favor over national interests. Going forward, publicly and consistently declare that Ukraine’s territories, sovereignty, and right to self-defense are not for sale and cannot be traded for political promises.
6. To the civil society of Ukraine: unite your efforts and demand concrete solutions—not just more declarations—from American lawmakers, European governments, and the UN.
ENOUGH!
Enough silence while prospects for future profits are built upon Ukrainian blood and ruins.
Enough fear of calling a dangerous policy dangerous simply because it is being pursued by the US President.
We are grateful to the American people for their support, as well as to all the congressmen, senators, public figures, artists, and actors who stand with Ukraine. We oppose policies that pressure Ukraine—without compelling Putin to halt his aggression—while simultaneously opening up business opportunities with the aggressor state.
Kramatorsk and Pryluky are not a backdrop for oil deals. The lives of Ukrainians lost are not the price to be paid for agreements between Trump and Putin.
The Ukrainian public demands: tough sanctions against Russia, genuine pressure on the aggressor, military aid for Ukraine, and negotiations based on international law.
No peace at Ukraine’s expense. No business over accountability. No concessions to the aggressor.
Stop playing games on the graves of the dead!"
It is outrageous that the West makes deals with Russia, forgetting Ukraine
From the Obozrevatel, October 9, 2026:
"Sanctions at a price list: European principles ended where financial losses began
Ivan Nosenko
Estonia requested that Russia’s Solikamsk Magnesium Plant and its CEO not be included in the new EU sanctions list—and succeeded.
The reason is simple: the Estonian company NPM Silmet relies on Russian raw materials, while European industry uses its products. They say they are looking for an alternative and will revisit the sanctions issue next year.
It turns out that more than four years of major war were not enough.
Ukrainians must die holding back Russia, while we continue buying raw materials from Russia because the alternative is more expensive. A very convenient form of European fairness: your lives versus our profit margins.
And this is despite the fact that Russia poses a direct threat to Estonia itself. In other words, Ukraine is currently holding back a state that could reach Estonia’s borders tomorrow, yet Estonia continues to maintain business ties with it because it is more convenient and cheaper.
Sanctions that remain in place only until they become costly are not sanctions. They are a price list for principles."
Baltic countries want to close EU for Russian grain
From Reuters:
"Baltic countries seek EU ban on Russian grain transit
October 9, 20264:22 PM GMT+3Updated October 9, 2026
Wheat buyers brace for higher costs as Russia-Ukraine war drags on
VILNIUS, Oct 9 (Reuters) - Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia proposed a European Union ban on Friday on Russian grain exports through the bloc in a letter addressed to European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The Baltic states are seeking to end shipments of Russian grain through their ports after Moscow stepped up the transits in response to attacks by Ukraine on its Black Sea ports, with Estonia last week announcing the first ban.
"The EU must not become a channel through which Russia compensates for the economic consequences of its own aggression," the letter read.
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal intends to raise the issue at next week's European Council meeting, according to a separate statement from the Estonian government.
The Russian embassy in Estonia said in an emailed statement that "decisions made by the Estonian government often raise questions in business circles and among society"
The Russian embassies in Latvia and Lithuania did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius on Thursday proposed the measure and also suggested the EU should impose sanctions on Russian agricultural oligarchs who support the war in Ukraine.
"Lithuania will propose not only banning such transit but also adding specific Russian agricultural oligarchs who support the war to the list of sanctioned individuals," he wrote in a post on Facebook.
Reporting by Louise Rasmussen; Editing by Joe Bavier"
***
Why is the EU still open for Russian grain? Crazy!
Boris Johnson: Trump's diesel deal is sickening
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on X:
"It is sickening that the USA is now lifting sanctions on Russian fuel, and transparently ridiculous to blame Ukraine for the spike in prices that obviously began with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Putin is murdering innocent Ukrainian civilians every day. The Ukrainians are fighting for their lives. And yet the White House is apparently determined to force American drivers to bankroll Putin’s slaughter. It won’t work and I doubt it will make much difference to the price of fuel.
If we want Russian oil and gas back on the world market then let’s end this war - with a free, sovereign and independent Ukraine."
US senator: US government has become a sponsor of terror
Democrat senator Chris Murphy on X:
"The United States government is now a funder of state sponsored terrorism.
I know that sounds political and hyperbolic, but it is factually true. Russia is intentionally targeting civilians in Ukraine at scale, and Trump is intentionally funding their efforts."
US veteran diplomat: The Russians are waiting for the US to throw bigger bouquets at their feet
From the New York Times:
"Ukraine Peace Talks Sputter After Trump and Putin Strike Fuel Deal
Efforts to jump start diplomatic talks to end Russia’s war against Ukraine were stalled on Saturday after President Trump said the United States would buy Russian diesel, the latest case of Washington’s undermining Kyiv by giving Moscow economic breathing room.
Mr. Trump’s announcement on Friday came despite a Russian ban on exporting fuel and was followed by the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Russian diesel exports until April. The Kremlin apparently offered no concessions in return.
Hours later, Russian officials said there would be no immediate resumption of peace talks...
While Mr. Trump’s announcement of the diesel deal made no mention of Ukraine, it was poised to hurt Ukrainian efforts to defend itself, as any major purchase of Russian fuel would help fund Moscow’s war machine.
Ukrainian officials said on Saturday that the talks in Miami had ended without a breakthrough.
In an online chat with reporters on Friday evening, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine did not hide his sense of betrayal.
“I believe our team is simply being used as a smoke screen, and that is certainly not fair,” Mr. Zelensky said. He has worked hard to maintain a stable relationship with the White House as Mr. Trump has steered America closer to Russia and away from traditional democratic allies.
“It is certainly not how partners should treat each other,” Mr. Zelensky added, calling Mr. Trump’s announcement on diesel a “weak decision.”
For Kyiv and its European allies, the short-lived talks in Miami laid bare how U.S. diplomacy has drifted from the pursuit of a durable peace settlement to a hunt for business deals with Russia. The Trump administration has placed the burden of compromise almost entirely on Ukraine and put little pressure on Moscow to stop its campaign to destroy the Ukrainian state.
On Saturday, Mr. Zelensky said Russia had directed five guided bombs at a residential area of Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, killing at least 15 people, including three children. “In Russia, they take any easing of pressure to mean they can keep fighting, to mean they can keep dropping bombs on cities,” he said.
Daniel Fried, a longtime senior U.S. diplomat and former ambassador to Poland, said it was “very clear that the Russians are completely uninterested in any diplomatic approach and are simply standing back waiting for the West, the U.S., the Ukrainians to come to them with some bigger and better offer.”
“When you start chasing after them, they simply smirk and wait for you to purchase bigger and better bouquets to throw at their feet,” Mr. Fried said.
Mr. Fried argued that decades of relations with Moscow showed that appeals would fail unless backed by the threat of acute consequences.
“If you have sticks, wield the sticks,” he said.
He said Mr. Trump was undermining not only Ukraine’s security but also Europe’s.
“All of this is taking place at a time when Russia is escalating its shadow warfare against Europe, and we are acting as if that is not occurring,” he said...
Ukraine has also made clear that it will continue a campaign against Russian refineries, which has drawn Mr. Trump’s ire.
Mr. Trump’s end run around Ukraine continued a pattern that had been playing out since he started his second term claiming he could end the war in 24 hours.
Last year, Kyiv agreed to a call by Mr. Trump for an immediate, unconditional cease-fire, but Moscow flatly rejected it. That first round of diplomacy established a dynamic that still defines negotiations: Ukraine received no reward for saying yes, and the Kremlin paid no price for saying no.
Since then, ambitions of forging a lasting peace have largely evaporated... Still, when the Trump administration opened the latest diplomatic track on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in late September, Ukrainian officials were startled by how far Mr. Kushner and Mr. Witkoff went in their offerings to Russia.
According to officials familiar with the discussions, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss confidential diplomatic talks, the Americans placed three lucrative economic incentives on the table to coax Moscow into a limited cease-fire either on energy infrastructure or at sea.
Washington floated releasing billions of Russian sovereign assets immobilized in the West. The money, the officials said, was viewed as an upfront incentive for partial truces, not a reward for their enactment. This revived a proposal from last year to release funds to Russia. Then, the suggestion was to release up to $100 billion.
The Americans also revisited a plan to sell off parts of the Russian oil giant Lukoil in a multibillion-dollar deal that would go to a group of Middle Eastern investors, including some with business ties to U.S. negotiators.
And Mr. Witkoff and Mr. Kushner revived a U.S. proposal that would allow Belarus, the Kremlin’s ally and neighbor, to export potash, according to officials familiar with the talks.
Kyiv has been careful not to reject any proposal outright but has demanded guardrails. For instance, it has suggested dollar-for-dollar mirror payments of frozen assets to Ukraine or guarantees of additional military aid upon any truce breach.
But Mr. Zelensky’s frustration with Washington was clear earlier this week when he visited the site of a Russian missile strike on an apartment building in northern Ukraine, hundreds of miles from the front lines. The strike killed 22 people, including five children — among more than 100 civilians killed in Russian strikes last week alone.
Asked about Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s comments that talks to end the fighting were “proving elusive” because the war had reached a “strategic stalemate,” Mr. Zelensky bristled.
“We are not at a diplomatic dead end,” he said. The problem, he added, was that there was not enough pressure on Moscow.
“Shut down their entire economy,” he said. “Sew Russia’s mouth shut. Don’t feed them with your own sales.”"
***
Daniel Fried also talked to the Ukrainian site Shelter:
"“One of Trump’s most foolish ideas.” Former U.S. sanctions coordinator Fried on the diesel deal with Putin
...I think it is one of the most foolish ideas that I have seen from the Trump administration since the beginning of the Ukraine war. And I don’t say this lightly. Even on its own terms—that is, as an effort to put more diesel fuel on the world market and lower prices—it is impractical, to say nothing of the hazard of doing so when Russia is attacking Ukraine...
I think that Putin has been doing what many Kremlin leaders have done for decades, which is dangle promises of riches or deals or benefits to gullible Americans who sometimes fall for the trick. And I’m afraid in this case, Putin accurately read Trump as sensitive to the price of diesel in the United States, largely because of the Iran war. Putin made an offer, which I do not believe Putin can fulfill. It’s a bad deal. Even if the Russians could put the extra diesel on the market—and I don’t think they can..."
Another cynical statement by Trump: Ukraine should have capitulated 2 years ago
From the Anadole Agency:
"Trump says ‘it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president’ who can ‘make a deal’ with Russia
Asserting Russian President Vladimir Putin's willingness to make a deal with Kyiv, Trump said that Zelenskyy “would have been a lot better off and he could have made a much better deal two years ago.”
"President Putin would like to see a settlement strongly and look, he's freeing up a lot of oil for the world," Trump added, referring to a new deal for Russia to sell diesel fuel, which Zelenskyy strongly criticized..."
ISW: Putin used the phone call with Trump to blame Ukraine for the failed peace efforts
From the Institute for the Study of War:
"Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 10, 2026
Russian President Vladimir Putin used his phone call with US President Donald Trump on October 9 to falsely blame Ukraine for the lack of peace negotiations’ progress despite Russia’s continued unwillingness to engage in meaningful negotiations or make any concessions to end the war in Ukraine. Russian Presidential Aide Yuriy Ushakov claimed that Putin told Trump that Ukraine’s alleged long-range strikes against Russian election infrastructure during the September 2026 Russian State Duma elections “thwarted the possibility” of “immediately” resuming peace negotiations — attempting to malign Ukraine as the party responsible for halting peace negotiations.[1] There is, in fact, no evidence that Ukraine targeted Russian election infrastructure during the September 2026 Duma elections, and Russian claims that Ukraine attempted to target election infrastructure remain unfounded. Putin emphasized that Russia’s commitment to achieve all its war goals and objectives — which are tantamount to full Ukrainian and Western surrender — remain unchanged. Ukraine, the United States, and Europe have repeatedly presented various ceasefires and peace proposals with concessions to Russia — all of which the Kremlin has continuously rejected.[2] Moscow has insisted on painting Ukraine as the intransigent party in peace efforts despite the fact that Russia has not offered any concessions and has rejected numerous compromise proposals that the US and Ukraine have offered. Putin’s October 9 reiteration of his commitment to Russia’s unchanged war aims demonstrates the Kremlin’s continued unwillingness to accept any compromised peace proposals on any terms that fall short of fulfilling Russia’s maximalist demands of Ukraine’s complete capitulation.[3]"
Pence: Trump's decision makes no sense and betrays Graham's legacy
Former US Vice President Mike Pence:
"President Trump’s decision to lift sanctions on Russian fuel amidst Putin’s ongoing and brutal attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine makes no sense and is a betrayal of the legacy and leadership of the late Senator Lindsey Graham.
While Ukraine fights for its survival, Putin’s war machine continues to prosecute his terrorist war on civilian populations and innocent Ukrainians are dying every day.
Now, Instead of implementing the tough sanctions Lindsey Graham fought to his last breath to enact, President Trump has announced the United States is lifting sanctions on Russian energy, fueling the Putin’s war machine.
As I saw firsthand in Ukraine last month, Putin is losing this war. Ukraine has fought the Russian military to a standstill and reinvented warfare with drones taking the fight into the heart of Russia.
America should not be throwing a lifeline to Putin’s war machine. Now is the time to stand strong against Russian aggression as we did during the first Trump administration.
America should not be throwing a lifeline to Putin’s war machine. Now is the time to stand strong against Russian aggression as we did during the first Trump administration.
America is the Leader of the Free World. For our National Security, for the security of our Allies in Europe including Ukraine, President Trump should rescind this deal immediately and return to the strong policies of our four years in the White House; impose harsh sanctions on any nation purchasing Russian energy and work with our allies to ensure Ukraine has the military support it needs to repel and defeat this Russian invasion once and for all. Slava Ukraini🇺🇸🇺🇦"
Trump is doing exactly what the USA kept talking against
From MTN / Yahoo!News:
"Trump’s Putin Diesel Deal Has a Dirty Little Secret
Donald Trump has reopened the U.S. market to Vladimir Putin's diesel, promising Russian fuel sales while energy analysts warn the deal is unlikely to provide the price relief the White House is selling...
The arrangement reverses years of U.S. policy aimed at cutting off Moscow's energy revenue after its invasion of Ukraine. Congress enacted the Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act in April 2022, prohibiting imports of Russian petroleum products unless a president completed a statutory process to end that prohibition...
The Trump regime has offered consumers a geopolitical reversal wrapped in a price-cutting promise. The price-cutting part like will not materialize. But Putin will be laughing all the way to the bank...
The First Tanker Shows This Was No Last-Minute Fix
A tanker identified as the MINERVA ZEN was already nearing the U.S. East Coast as Trump publicly announced the agreement. The vessel left St. Petersburg on September 22, according to shipping-tracking accounts cited by Ukrainian outlet UNN — more than two weeks before Trump's October 9 announcement.
The Coast Guard's active certificate-of-financial-responsibility report identifies MINERVA ZEN, IMO No. 9410909, as a tanker covered through March 2027.
The timing does not establish when Trump and Putin reached their agreement. It does establish that fuel described as the first Russian diesel delivery was already in transit before Trump told Americans he had struck the deal.
Trump administration officials have linked the move directly to Ukraine's refinery strikes. A U.S. official told Axios that Trump made the diesel arrangement after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected repeated U.S. requests to stop attacking Russian oil facilities.
Zelenskyy has made clear that oil-product exports remain central to Russia's capacity to sustain its war. In a call Saturday with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, he urged partners to limit the revenue Russia receives from those exports.
Trump's deal moves in the opposite direction. It creates a new opening for Russian diesel at the moment Kyiv is trying to deny Moscow the money generated by Russian energy.
Republicans Called Russian Oil Purchases Putin's War Chest
The reversal is especially stark against the position Republicans promoted when Russia launched its full-scale assault on Ukraine. On March 8, 2022, then-Sen. Marco Rubio wrote: "Stop importing Russian oil. Start producing more American oil again. That's the plan."
That same year, Congress moved to bar Russian energy imports because lawmakers understood the basic equation: Russian petroleum sales provide revenue to a government waging war on Ukraine. The law covered crude oil, petroleum products, liquefied natural gas, and coal.
Senate Republicans were still making that case this summer. In July, Republican and Democratic senators backed legislation targeting major purchasers of Russian oil and gas, declaring that Russia relies on energy revenue to fund its war and that those enabling it should be held accountable.
Now Trump is not targeting purchasers of Russian energy. He is bringing Russian diesel back into the American market.
Europe is moving the other way. The European Union has continued to target Russian energy revenue, Moscow's military-industrial base, and networks supporting hybrid attacks against Europe.
Kaja Kallas — the European Union's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy and a vice president of the European Commission — has led that effort. Her portfolio includes coordinating the EU's foreign and security policy and sustaining support for Ukraine.
Trump has chosen a different path: lower the pressure on Putin, blame Zelenskyy for refinery strikes, and present Russian fuel as an American economic victory.
What Trump Actually Put on the Table
Trump did not announce a domestic production plan. He announced an arrangement with the dictator whose energy exports Congress spent years trying to choke off.
The administration claims the deal will help consumers. But analysts have already warned that rerouting Russian diesel will do little to change the market, while Ukraine says the sales give Moscow revenue it can use to prolong the war.
That is the trade Trump is making. Americans may see little relief. Putin gets a new customer...
But the timing is the point. Trump unveiled the deal less than a month before Election Day, when diesel prices had become a political liability and his own emergency fuel measures had failed to calm the market.
The United States once barred Russian petroleum products to cut off money for Putin's war. Trump is now offering Moscow access to American buyers in the name of lowering prices.
Truckers and farmers still face high diesel costs. Ukrainians still face Russian attacks. Putin gets the revenue stream."