On September 8, Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk announced that a fire at an energy facility in Kyiv region, attacked by Russia, was extinguished. Restoration work is underway, and there are no power outages. Russian strikes also took place that night in Chernihiv and Donetsk regions and other areas.
The European Union and the United States have started working on a new sanctions package against Russia. The focus is on secondary measures—possible restrictions targeting countries purchasing Russian oil and gas. Potentially affected countries include China, the main importer of Russian oil, as well as Kazakhstan. The sanctions under consideration include: restrictions on Russian banks and energy companies, Russian payment systems and crypto exchanges; new export barriers for goods and chemicals used in the military industry and "shadow" tanker fleets; cancellation of previous exceptions for some companies; and sanctions against evasion, particularly through third countries.
The EU is holding consultations on secondary sanctions against China, but a decision will be difficult due to the need for unanimity among the 27 members. Europe is continuing to seek ways to diplomatically pressure China, given its influence on Russia and military partnership with Moscow. China has reduced purchases of Russian raw materials but remains a key financial partner.
The United States is urging the EU to take decisive steps, proposing tariffs on China and emphasizing the need for a full refusal of Russian energy. These positions have been politically discussed, including amid calls by Donald Trump and signals from US authorities about new imminent restrictions.
After a missile attack on the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, diplomats toured the premises to show the international community the scale of Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities.
Other news includes Russian statements about a "threat" from Finland and remarks about changes in US policy toward Europe. The growing economic dependence of Russia on China is noted: the share of Chinese companies in Russia is increasing, but both exports and imports are declining, deepening the crisis.
In conclusion, a US court rejected Donald Trump's appeal and upheld an $83.3 million payment to writer Elizabeth Jean Carroll.
