Today, October 24, it was reported that Russian military aircraft—Su-30 and Il-78—again violated the airspace of a NATO country. According to Lithuania's Ministry of Defense, the incursion was brief: the planes entered Lithuanian airspace from the Kaliningrad region near the border town of Kiprtai and penetrated only 700 meters before leaving. The incident lasted just 18 seconds. NATO's air policing jets were scrambled, keeping the situation under control.
Meanwhile, in the US, it was announced that Trump plans to meet with S. this Thursday, and a future Trump-Putin meeting remains possible if it promises tangible results. The White House spokesperson confirmed readiness for dialogue, emphasizing that any meeting must be productive. The US administration remains focused on concrete steps from Russia toward ending its war on Ukraine.
Equally important, both Europe and Russia are assessing the losses from new US-imposed sanctions, which primarily impact Russia's energy sector. These sanctions have contributed to rising oil prices and shrinking Russian budget revenues. Currently, 70% of Russian oil exports are under US blocking sanctions, and losses are expected to grow. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has stated it is ready to increase oil output to compensate for any shortfall caused by new sanctions.
European countries are also dealing with the consequences: Germany is demanding exemptions for state-controlled subsidiaries of Rosneft that are formally Russian-owned. Meanwhile, Belgium has blocked a €140 billion reparations loan for Ukraine, citing legal risks and the need for formal legislation regarding the use of frozen Russian assets.
Ukraine continues to face budgetary challenges, funding its armed forces primarily from domestic resources. President Zelensky stressed the urgent need for international financial help.
In Russia, authorities are planning to involve reservists in the war to offset the shortage of contract soldiers, signalling worsening manpower issues in the military campaign.
