Thursday, 23 October, 2025
Russia announced on Wednesday that it had carried out a large-scale nuclear exercise, just a day after the United States postponed plans for a second summit between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on the war in Ukraine.
The Kremlin released footage showing General Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff, briefing President Putin on the drills. According to Russian officials, the exercise included missile launches from ground-based systems, submarines, and strategic aircraft—featuring intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of striking targets in the United States.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its long-range Tu-22M3 strategic bombers flew over the Baltic Sea, shadowed at various points by fighter jets from foreign—presumably NATO—states.
At several critical moments during the war, President Vladimir Putin has invoked Russia’s nuclear capabilities as a warning to Kyiv and its Western allies. NATO, meanwhile, has been holding its own nuclear deterrence exercises this month.
On Wednesday, Sweden announced that it had signed a letter of intent to supply Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine, as European nations step up efforts to strengthen Kyiv’s defences in a conflict now stretching into its fourth year with no end in sight.
Ukrainian pilots have been in Sweden to test the Gripen, a rugged and relatively low-cost option compared to aircraft such as the US F-35.
Kyiv aimed to receive and start using Gripens next year and expected to acquire at least 100, President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a visit to Swedish defence manufacturer Saab.
Trump Puts Off Summit, Calling Talks Premature
Russia and Ukraine exchanged heavy missile strikes overnight, as renewed uncertainty clouded the US-led push for peace.
After months of stalled diplomacy, Presidents Putin and Trump spoke last week and unexpectedly announced plans for a summit in Hungary, which the Kremlin said could take place within weeks.
However, following a phone call on Monday between the two countries’ top diplomats, the White House announced the next day that Trump had no plans to meet Putin “in the immediate future.” Trump said he did not want to hold a “wasted meeting,” a caution reportedly shared by the Kremlin.
Russian officials, however, said preparations for a summit were continuing. “The dates haven’t been set yet, but thorough preparation is required, and that takes time,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
A US official clarified that the summit had not been cancelled, noting that Washington’s focus is currently on Trump’s upcoming visit to Asia.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte expressed cautious optimism ahead of a meeting with Trump on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters at the US Senate after meeting with lawmakers, Rutte said he was “fairly confident” that an eventual agreement to end the war could be reached. He added he had “total confidence” in Trump, noting that the US president “has a clear vision for bringing this war to a durable and lasting end.”
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte declined to comment on the prospects of a Trump-Putin summit but said US allies were “working very hard” on Trump’s initiative to have them fund weapons for Ukraine.
Rutte praised Trump for brokering the Gaza ceasefire and said the US president aims to achieve a similar outcome in Ukraine. “I cannot predict exactly what steps will follow, and it will require extensive discussion. It will not end tomorrow, but I am fairly confident we can deliver,” he said.
The summit delay came after Russia reiterated its previous peace terms to the US, including that Ukraine cede full control of the southeastern Donbas region, according to three sources. This effectively contradicted Trump’s statement last week that both sides should stop at the current front lines. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, however, told state news agency RIA that he could not confirm Moscow had communicated its position as reported by Reuters.
Through the first nine months of his second term, Trump has pressed for an end to the conflict, the deadliest in Europe since World War Two. While critical at times of Ukrainian President Zelenskiy and frustrated with Putin, he has not followed through on repeated threats of new sanctions against Moscow.
European defence shares rose following the summit delay, reflecting strong backing for Kyiv by most European governments, which have pledged to increase military spending to support Ukraine’s defence needs. EU leaders are scheduled to meet on Thursday to discuss a proposal to use frozen Russian assets to fund a $163 billion loan to Ukraine—a scheme Moscow has denounced as theft and promised to retaliate against.
A senior Ukrainian official said Kyiv must have full discretion in how the funds are spent, stressing it should not be restricted to buying arms from European countries.
Ukraine’s military said late Tuesday that it had used Franco-British Storm Shadow air-launched missiles to strike a chemical plant in Russia’s southern Bryansk region.
Ukrainian authorities reported on Wednesday that Russian attacks had killed six people, including two children, in Kyiv and surrounding areas, while power outages affected multiple regions. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called on international partners to provide “additional energy support” to prevent a looming humanitarian crisis as winter approaches.
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Russia announced on Wednesday that it had carried out a large-scale nuclear exercise, just a day after the United States postponed plans for a second summit between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on the war in Ukraine.
The Kremlin released footage showing General Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff, briefing President Putin on the drills. According to Russian officials, the exercise included missile launches from ground-based systems, submarines, and strategic aircraft—featuring intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of striking targets in the United States.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its long-range Tu-22M3 strategic bombers flew over the Baltic Sea, shadowed at various points by fighter jets from foreign—presumably NATO—states.
At several critical moments during the war, President Vladimir Putin has invoked Russia’s nuclear capabilities as a warning to Kyiv and its Western allies. NATO, meanwhile, has been holding its own nuclear deterrence exercises this month.
On Wednesday, Sweden announced that it had signed a letter of intent to supply Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine, as European nations step up efforts to strengthen Kyiv’s defences in a conflict now stretching into its fourth year with no end in sight.
Ukrainian pilots have been in Sweden to test the Gripen, a rugged and relatively low-cost option compared to aircraft such as the US F-35.
Kyiv aimed to receive and start using Gripens next year and expected to acquire at least 100, President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a visit to Swedish defence manufacturer Saab.
Trump Puts Off Summit, Calling Talks Premature
Russia and Ukraine exchanged heavy missile strikes overnight, as renewed uncertainty clouded the US-led push for peace.
After months of stalled diplomacy, Presidents Putin and Trump spoke last week and unexpectedly announced plans for a summit in Hungary, which the Kremlin said could take place within weeks.
However, following a phone call on Monday between the two countries’ top diplomats, the White House announced the next day that Trump had no plans to meet Putin “in the immediate future.” Trump said he did not want to hold a “wasted meeting,” a caution reportedly shared by the Kremlin.
Russian officials, however, said preparations for a summit were continuing. “The dates haven’t been set yet, but thorough preparation is required, and that takes time,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
A US official clarified that the summit had not been cancelled, noting that Washington’s focus is currently on Trump’s upcoming visit to Asia.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte expressed cautious optimism ahead of a meeting with Trump on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters at the US Senate after meeting with lawmakers, Rutte said he was “fairly confident” that an eventual agreement to end the war could be reached. He added he had “total confidence” in Trump, noting that the US president “has a clear vision for bringing this war to a durable and lasting end.”
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte declined to comment on the prospects of a Trump-Putin summit but said US allies were “working very hard” on Trump’s initiative to have them fund weapons for Ukraine.
Rutte praised Trump for brokering the Gaza ceasefire and said the US president aims to achieve a similar outcome in Ukraine. “I cannot predict exactly what steps will follow, and it will require extensive discussion. It will not end tomorrow, but I am fairly confident we can deliver,” he said.
The summit delay came after Russia reiterated its previous peace terms to the US, including that Ukraine cede full control of the southeastern Donbas region, according to three sources. This effectively contradicted Trump’s statement last week that both sides should stop at the current front lines. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, however, told state news agency RIA that he could not confirm Moscow had communicated its position as reported by Reuters.
Through the first nine months of his second term, Trump has pressed for an end to the conflict, the deadliest in Europe since World War Two. While critical at times of Ukrainian President Zelenskiy and frustrated with Putin, he has not followed through on repeated threats of new sanctions against Moscow.
European defence shares rose following the summit delay, reflecting strong backing for Kyiv by most European governments, which have pledged to increase military spending to support Ukraine’s defence needs. EU leaders are scheduled to meet on Thursday to discuss a proposal to use frozen Russian assets to fund a $163 billion loan to Ukraine—a scheme Moscow has denounced as theft and promised to retaliate against.
A senior Ukrainian official said Kyiv must have full discretion in how the funds are spent, stressing it should not be restricted to buying arms from European countries.
Ukraine’s military said late Tuesday that it had used Franco-British Storm Shadow air-launched missiles to strike a chemical plant in Russia’s southern Bryansk region.
Ukrainian authorities reported on Wednesday that Russian attacks had killed six people, including two children, in Kyiv and surrounding areas, while power outages affected multiple regions. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called on international partners to provide “additional energy support” to prevent a looming humanitarian crisis as winter approaches.
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