Europe Bolsters Defenses, Trump Expresses Disappointment with Putin
European nations are moving to enhance thier defenses against drone attacks, beginning with countries bordering Russia on teh EU’s eastern flank, with plans for eventual expansion across the Union, according to a recent commission proposal. This initiative comes amidst escalating conflict in Ukraine and increasing concerns about potential threats closer to home.
Trump Questions putin’s Actions
Former U.S. President Donald Trump voiced his bewilderment over the ongoing war in Ukraine, stating, “I don’t understand why he continues this war.” He reiterated his ”very disappointed” feelings regarding the actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin,while also noting their previously “very good relationship,” suggesting it “is probably still the case,” as reported to The New york Times.
Trump previously hosted Putin with “great honor” in Alaska on August 15th, but this meeting yielded no apparent changes in Russia’s military policy towards Ukraine.
Ukraine Faces Widespread Power Outages
A recent wave of Russian strikes has left nearly all of Ukraine’s 24 regions grappling with power cuts. Ukrenergo, the national network operator, reported that emergency power cuts have been implemented across the country, with the exception of the heavily contested Donetsk region in the east. Restoration efforts are underway, and residents are urged to conserve electricity. Prior to wednesday, cuts had already been enacted in eight regions, with private operator DTEK also reporting outages in Lviv, Odessa, Kyiv, and the surrounding region.
These intensified attacks on energy infrastructure and railway networks raise fears of a renewed campaign to disrupt power supplies as winter approaches, potentially impacting millions.
Frozen Russian assets for Ukraine Reconstruction
European Commissioner for the Economy, Valdis Dombrovskis, advocated for utilizing income generated from frozen Russian assets to fund reconstruction efforts in Ukraine. Speaking to AFP, Dombrovskis stated the Commission is preparing a reparations law at the European level to facilitate this process and is encouraging G7 partners to explore similar measures regarding assets held within their own territories.
