Live:Ukraine
🔹 Putin views the war against Ukraine as his “historic mission,” the Financial Times reports, citing European officials and intelligence sources.
«For him, it’s not about money — it’s about legacy. He wants to go down in history as the greatest Russian ruler since Peter the Great and still believes he can win.»
According to the report, Russia’s military and intelligence services regularly feed Putin information that glorifies the country’s tactical “successes,” claims that Ukraine is suffering heavier losses, and emphasizes Russia’s advantage in resources.
🇱🇹Former Lithuanian Health Minister Aurimas Pečkauskas spent two weeks in the combat zone in Donetsk, working alongside Ukrainian medics.
He served with mobile surgical teams near the front line and later spent several days with the organization TacMed Ukraine, helping coordinate evacuations.
This was Pečkauskas’s third mission to Ukraine. His first visit was as minister, when he toured hospitals in Poltava, Lviv, and Kyiv. During his second, he worked as a doctor at Dnipro’s Mechnikov Hospital.
“We share our knowledge and, at the same time, learn from Ukrainians — both on a clinical and organizational, strategic level. It’s essential to bring this experience back to Lithuania — not only for doctors but also for those responsible for preparing the healthcare system for potential threats,” he said.
🇺🇦🇺🇸 Ukraine has made proposals to the United States regarding gas infrastructure and nuclear power generation, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
He added that both countries are already working on the details of these proposals.
According to Zelensky, the U.S. has signaled its readiness to supply Europe with “as much gas and oil as needed to replace Russian deliveries.”
“In our region, we have the necessary infrastructure and potential that can greatly contribute to Europe’s energy independence. We have submitted our proposals to the United States regarding gas infrastructure, nuclear generation, and several other projects,” the president emphasized.
🔸 Russian forces struck the city of Shakhtarske in the Dnipropetrovsk region overnight, injuring 11 people.
The victims suffered shrapnel wounds, cuts, and bruises. Among those hospitalized is a 69-year-old woman in critical condition due to smoke inhalation.
The attack damaged 14 apartment buildings and a shop, while 30 cars were completely destroyed.
🔹 Far-right Romanian MEP Diana Șoșoacă boasted during a visit to Russia that she allegedly prevented Volodymyr Zelensky from speaking in the Romanian parliament in 2023 — and vowed that next time she would “break his legs.”
The lawmaker made her statement at a meeting of the International Association of Friends of Russia, chaired by pro-Putin activist Pietro Stamezzi. Șoșoacă also attended the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the propaganda channel RT, where Vladimir Putin delivered a speech.
🇺🇸 The United States cannot give all its weapons to Ukraine because it would not have enough for itself, U.S. President Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox News.
When asked whether he believes Vladimir Putin is open to ending the war without seizing a significant portion of Ukrainian territory, Trump replied:
“Well, he’s going to take something. I mean, they’ve been fighting and they hold a lot of territory. He’s already taken some of it,” the U.S. president said.
🇩🇪 Reinstating military conscription in Germany would serve as a “deterrent factor” against Russia, said Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
“If we once again implement conscription for all men of a certain age and collect data on everyone fit for military service, that will be noticed in Russia. In other words, this too is a deterrent factor!” Pistorius stated.
He added that if the country ever declares a “state of defense — which we must prevent,” conscription would be immediately reactivated in accordance with the Basic Law. Germany suspended conscription nearly 15 years ago, in 2011.
“Then we’ll need to know who is ready for deployment and who isn’t. We’re building new, modern structures now. We’ll be ready by mid-2027. By then, we’ll again be able to conduct nationwide conscription,” the minister emphasized.
▪️Earlier, Spiegel reported that Germany’s ruling coalition is considering introducing a lottery-based conscription system if an insufficient number of volunteers come forward.
🔸 According to the Financial Times, during his meeting with Zelensky on October 17, Trump urged Ukraine to accept Russia’s terms for ending the war and said that Russian ruler Vladimir Putin had threatened to “destroy” Ukraine if it refused.
“The meeting between the U.S. and Ukrainian presidents repeatedly turned into a heated exchange, during which Trump was ‘constantly swearing,’” sources familiar with the situation told FT.
❗️❗️❗️In Pokrovsk, Russian forces executed civilians.
Near the railway line recently reached by Russian troops, a drone recorded the bodies of three civilians and a woman with gunshot wounds to her legs. Later, an unidentified man carried the injured woman away in his arms.
🇺🇸 Trump denied that he urged Zelensky to give all of Donetsk to Russia, Reuters quotes him as saying from the presidential plane.
According to him, Donetsk region should remain “divided as it is,” since “78% of the land has already been seized by Russia.”
At the same time, Trump proposed a ceasefire along the current front lines after Zelensky refused to voluntarily cede any territory to Moscow.
Two Reuters sources said that the Ukrainian delegation was unsettled by the U.S. president’s musings about security guarantees for both Ukraine and Russia.
“It was pretty bad. The message was: ‘Your country will freeze, and your country will be destroyed [if you do not make a deal with Russia],’” one of the sources said.
🔹 Russia attacked Ukraine with three Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles and 60 drones.
Ukraine’s Air Force reported that air defenses destroyed 38 enemy drones.
However, three ballistic missiles and 20 attack UAVs hit 12 locations across the country.
🔸 President Zelensky held a press briefing for the media. “Suspilne” and “RBC-Ukraine” highlighted the key statements.
🔹Ukraine and the U.S. are preparing a contract for the purchase of 25 Patriot air defense systems. Ukraine is currently in the general queue, but the White House may alter the delivery order. One possible source of funding is frozen Russian assets.
🔹Zelensky believes that Trump withheld the missiles to avoid escalation with Russia. If Putin hadn’t called, Ukraine might have received them. He added that if the U.S. provides Tomahawk missiles, European partners may later follow suit and potentially supply Taurus as well.
🔹Ukraine is ready to attend the Budapest meeting if invited, although Zelensky said the location is “not ideal” for historical and political reasons. Trump believes that Hungary could help accelerate the end of the war.
🔹The issue of territories, including Donbas, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions, remains unresolved. According to Zelensky, the U.S. is misinterpreting Russia’s signals—while Moscow likely means it won’t advance further, Washington sees this as a possible willingness to return occupied land.
🔹Ukraine has reached agreements with Slovakia on gas imports and knows where to purchase up to $2 billion worth of gas if needed. Norway, Poland, and Greece are also assisting.
🔹Zelensky said Ukraine is closer to ending the war: “That doesn’t mean it will definitely end soon, but President Trump achieved a lot in the Middle East, and on that momentum, he wants to end Russia’s war against Ukraine,” he noted.