On October 23, Washington hosted significant diplomatic events following Mark Rutte’s visit. Donald Trump announced the cancellation of his planned meeting with Vladimir Putin in Budapest, indicating, however, that talks with the Russian leader may still occur in the future.
Trump stressed that he did not authorize strikes against Russia with American missiles, and unveiled new US sanctions targeting major Russian energy companies such as Rosneft and Lukoil. The list includes dozens of subsidiaries across oil and gas extraction, refining, and transportation. The new restrictions prohibit these companies from operating in the US. Trump clarified that these sanctions are intended to press Russia toward peace negotiations over the war in Ukraine, though he expressed doubt about their immediate effectiveness.
Additionally, both European and Russian oil refineries have come under attack or witnessed explosions, including an incident in Slovakia affecting a refinery owned by a Hungarian company. This has sparked debate among European politicians about blocking supply via the “Druzhba” pipeline as a way to curb Russian oil flows to the EU.
Trump announced plans to discuss ending the war in Ukraine with Chinese leader Xi Jinping at their upcoming meeting in South Korea, with the agenda including nuclear arms control, Chinese purchase of Russian oil, and broader efforts to end the conflict. He expressed hope that China could influence Putin’s stance.
Meanwhile, European countries have adopted the 19th sanctions package against Russia, which includes bans on some energy exports, restrictions for Russia’s shadow fleet and diplomats, and measures affecting banks from Kazakhstan and Belarus, along with Chinese companies accused of helping bypass restrictions.
Russian drone attacks continue to hit Ukraine, with recent strikes in Kyiv and Sumy causing civilian and infrastructure damage. In turn, explosions have been reported at Russian military and energy sites.
The focus remains on how the US, EU, and China are working to pressure Russia to end the war by increasing economic sanctions and exploring diplomatic avenues.
