In May 2023 at a CNN Town Hall meeting, Donald Trump, already well advanced in his campaign to become president of the United States again, said: “They’re dying, Russians and Ukrainians. I want to stop them dying.

António Costa, the President of the European Council, has emphasised at the opening ceremony of the Polish presidency of the Council of the European Union that supporting Ukraine must remain the top priority in the near future.

The 155th Mechanized Brigade, partially trained by France, came under scrutiny after a Ukrainian reporter said 1,700 men had deserted since March.

The EU says most states will not be affected but other European countries, including Moldova, are facing shortages.

Russia's Foreign Ministry blamed the U.S. for the decision, saying it will impact "the standard of living of European citizens."

The expiration of Russian piped gas through Ukraine has put EU leaders on edge, sparking fresh supply concerns ahead of a cold winter season.

Oil prices edged up on Thursday after a holiday-thinned trading session driven by demand optimism in China, the world's largest crude oil importer, and supported by an industry report showing a decline in US crude inventories.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is extending a new, unfunded portfolio risk-sharing facility to Ukraine ’s JSC OTP Bank (OTPU) to enable €200 million of new financing to Ukraine’s private sector in the midst of the ongoing war.

Poland began its six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union, a role that rotates among member states. This marks the second time Poland has taken on this significant responsibility since joining the EU.

Russia pumped gas on Monday to European customers via Ukraine for one of the last days before a key transit deal expires at the end of the year, marking the almost complete loss of Russia's once mighty hold over the European gas market.