Europe Watch

China state oil majors suspend Russian oil buys due to sanctions: Sources– www.channelnewsasia.com

pgnewser October 23, 2025 0

Blurb:

SINGAPORE: Chinese state oil majors have suspended purchases of seaborne Russian oil after the United States imposed sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil, Moscow’s two biggest oil companies, multiple trade sources said on Thursday (Oct 23).

The move comes as refiners in India, the largest buyer of seaborne Russian oil, are set to sharply cut their crude imports from Moscow to comply with the US sanctions imposed over the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine.

A sharp drop in oil demand from Russia’s two largest customers will put a strain on Moscow’s oil revenues and force the world’s top importers to seek alternative supplies and push up global prices.

UK Switches Up Anti-Free Speech Tactics, Expands Dangerous Digital ID– www.newsbusters.org

pgnewser October 23, 2025 0

Blurb:

It’s out with one dystopian tactic and on to the next for the British government’s ongoing assault on free speech.

London’s Metropolitan Police force told The Daily Mail on Monday that it is pulling back on investigating “non-crime hate incidents,” and instead will “focus on matters that meet the threshold for criminal investigations.” But after the U.K. government’s full-throated attack on free speech these last couple of years, it is going to take a lot more than words to restore trust. A good start would be dismantling other dystopian policies that seem to be a censorship crackdown waiting to happen, like its ever-expanding digital identification program.

Trump hopes sanctioning Russian oil companies will bring quick end to Ukraine war– www.washingtonexaminer.com

pgnewser October 23, 2025 0

Blurb:

TRUMP: ‘I JUST FELT IT WAS TIME’: His peace overtures rebuffed by Russian President Vladimir Putin yet again, President Donald Trump reluctantly ordered what he called “massive sanctions,” on Russia’s two biggest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, in the hope that targeting Putin’s primary source of income will force him to agree to freeze the Ukraine war at the current battle lines.

“These are tremendous sanctions. These are very big against their two big oil companies,” Trump said in a social media post by the White House. “And we hope that they won’t be on for long. We hope that the war will be settled.”

“They’re massive sanctions,” Trump said during an Oval Office sit-down with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. “They do a lot of oil. And hopefully it will push, hopefully he’ll [Putin] become reasonable, and hopefully Zelensky will be reasonable too.”

Thousands march in Budapest to support Orbán amid election challenges– abcnews.go.com

pgnewser October 23, 2025 0

Blurb:

BUDAPEST, Hungary — BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Thousands of Hungarians congregated on the streets of Budapest on Thursday in a show of force on behalf of their leader, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who six months ahead of parliamentary elections looks set to face the most competitive ballot in his 15 years in power.

The gathering, dubbed a “peace march” by organizers, came on Hungary’s Oct. 23 national holiday, a remembrance of a failed anti-Soviet uprising in 1956 that was crushed by the Red Army. Marchers shouted slogans backing Orbán and his message that Hungary is at risk of becoming directly involved in Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Trump Calls Off Meeting with Putin in Hungary as Russia Rebuffs Peace Deal Plans– slaynews.com

pgnewser October 23, 2025 0

Blurb:

President Donald Trump has called off plans to meet with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, just days after he floated another round of Ukraine peace talks.

A White House official confirmed that Trump is not meeting his Russian counterpart “in the immediate future,” ABC News reported.

It comes after Trump suggested a summit in Hungary.

Trump’s reversal comes after a phone call on Monday between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Russia Says It Is Immune to New U.S. Oil Sanctions– www.themoscowtimes.com

pgnewser October 23, 2025 0

Blurb:

Russia said Thursday that new U.S. sanctions on its oil industry risked hurting diplomatic efforts to end the Ukraine war, and that it had developed a “strong immunity” to them.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced new sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies on Wednesday, complaining that his peace talks with Russia’s Vladimir Putin were not going “anywhere.”

Trump held off introducing new restrictions against Russia for months, but his patience snapped after plans for a fresh summit with Putin in Budapest collapsed.

Ukraine’s superweapon missile even more powerful than a Tomahawk | World | News– www.express.co.uk

pgnewser October 23, 2025 0

Blurb:

Russia has been subjected to a blistering assault from a new type of Ukrainian missile, affectionately named the Flamingo.

This formidable cruise missile can carry a payload of 1,150kg, making it one of the largest missiles of its kind globally, and boasts a range of 3,000km, nearly double that of the fearsome Tomahawk missiles. This development comes as Trump seems hesitant to supply any US missiles.

Ukrainian weapons manufacturer Fire Point, the brains behind this creation, claim it can land within a mere 14 metres of its intended target.

Nato chief says Trump is ‘only one who can get this done’ on Ukraine war as Bessent says ‘substantial’ Russia sanctions to come – live | US news– www.theguardian.com

pgnewser October 22, 2025 0

Blurb:

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with a bipartisan group of senators on Capitol Hill, the Nato secretary general Mark Rutte said that he had “complete confidence” in Donald Trump’s ability to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia. He evaded a question about whether he was concerned that the president has persuaded Volodymyr Zelenskyy to “go softer” on Russia.

“He is the only one that can get this done,” Rutte said. “You have a president with a lot of experience because of his first term in office, and who has a clear vision on bringing this war to a durable and lasting end.”

Rutte will meet with Trump in a few hours. “We will discuss further how we from Nato can be helpful in delivering his vision of getting a full-scale peace in Ukraine, which, of course, we all pray for after his enormous success in Gaza,” Rutte said earlier.

Trump’s call to freeze Ukraine conflict at current frontlines is ‘good compromise’, says Zelenskyy – Europe live | Europe– www.theguardian.com

pgnewser October 22, 2025 0

Blurb:

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday that US president Donald Trump’s call for Ukraine and Russia to stop at the current frontlines was “a good compromise”, reports Reuters.

But Zelenskyy, who is visiting Nordic countries, said he doubted that Russian president Vladimir Putin would support it. According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), Zelenskyy told reporters:

[Trump] proposed ‘Stay where we stay and begin conversation’. I think that was a good compromise, but I’m not sure that Putin will support it, and I said it to the [US] president.

‘No plans’ for immediate Trump-Putin meeting on Ukraine, U.S. official says – National– globalnews.ca

pgnewser October 22, 2025 0

Blurb:

Plans are on hold for U.S. President Donald Trump to sit down with Russian leader Vladimir Putin to talk about resolving the war in Ukraine, a U.S. official said Tuesday.

The meeting had been announced last week. It was supposed to take place in Budapest, although a date had not been set.

The decision was made following a call between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

“Secretary Rubio and Foreign Minister Lavrov had a productive call,” the official said in a statement to Global News.

 

Grooming gang victims tell Jess Phillips to step down over chaotic inquiry – The Telegraph

pgnewser October 22, 2025 0

Blurb:

Grooming gang survivors have attacked Jess Phillips as Labour’s national inquiry into the scandal plunged into further turmoil.

Abuse victims hit back at the Home Office minister after she rejected their claims that the inquiry could be watered down and expanded to cover other forms of child sexual abuse.

Fiona Goddard, one of four survivors who quit the inquiry’s victims’ panel over their concerns, produced a consultation document in which they were asked whether the inquiry could “take a broader approach”.

“I didn’t make this up. The documents are right there. Being dismissed and contradicted by a minister when you’re telling the truth takes you right back to that feeling of not being believed all over again,” said Ms Goddard.

“I think she needs to step down because she’s publicly accused a grooming gang survivor who, throughout my whole life has been accused, of lying over and over again – that is part of the whole scandal.”

Russia holds nuclear drills after delay to Putin-Trump summit– www.channelnewsasia.com

pgnewser October 22, 2025 0

Blurb:

“Preparations for the summit are continuing,” Ryabkov was quoted as saying. “I don’t see any major obstacles.”

He added: “It’s a difficult process, I admit – but that’s precisely what diplomats are for.”

Russia and Ukraine pounded each other with heavy overnight missile attacks as renewed uncertainty surrounded the US-led peace effort.

Ukrainian officials said on Wednesday that Russian attacks had killed six people, including two children, in Kyiv and the nearby region, and forced power outages nationwide.

Western media twisting truth about Putin-Trump summit – Kremlin aide — RT World News– www.rt.com

pgnewser October 22, 2025 0

Blurb:

Russian presidential investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev has denied that the planned meeting in Budapest has been scrapped

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special economic envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, has denied reports that plans for a summit between Putin and US President Donald Trump in Budapest have been scrapped.

Dmitriev commented after multiple US media outlets cited an unnamed White House official who claimed there were no plans for a Putin-Trump summit “in the immediate future.” Some outlets interpreted the remark as meaning that the meeting had been canceled or postponed indefinitely.

Trump suggests Ukraine may have to trade land for peace with Russia – National– globalnews.ca

pgnewser October 22, 2025 0

Blurb:

Ukrainian drones struck a major gas processing plant in southern Russia, sparking a fire and forcing it to suspend its intake of gas from Kazakhstan, Russian and Kazakh authorities said Sunday.

U.S. President Donald Trump meanwhile suggested that Kyiv may have to give up territory in exchange for an end to Moscow’s more than three-and-a-half-year invasion, in the latest of apparent reversals on how to pursue peace.

The Orenburg plant, run by state-owned gas giant Gazprom and located in a region of the same name near the Kazakh border, is part of a production and processing complex that is one of the world’s largest facilities of its kind, with an annual capacity of 45 billion cubic meters. It handles gas condensate from Kazakhstan’s Karachaganak field, alongside Orenburg’s own oil and gas fields.

Trump gives Zelenskyy reality check in alleged ‘shouting match’ before sending him on his way– www.theblaze.com

pgnewser October 21, 2025 0

Blurb:

President Donald Trump has worked ardently to bring an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine — a war that has resulted in millions of casualties and transformed much of Eastern Ukraine into drone-netted wasteland.

Fresh off brokering a tenuous ceasefire in Gaza and speaking with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday.

‘They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide!’

China presents a daily threat to UK security, MI5 chief says after spy case collapse– www.euronews.com

pgnewser October 21, 2025 0

Blurb:

China poses a daily threat to Britain’s security, the head of the country’s domestic intelligence agency said on Thursday, remarks that step up pressure on authorities to explain why the prosecution of two men charged with spying for Beijing collapsed just before they were due to stand trial.

The government, opposition politicians and prosecutors have traded blame over the failed criminal case as the United Kingdom tries to balance between challenging and engaging with the Asian superpower.

“Do Chinese state actors present a UK national security threat? The answer is of course yes they do, every day,” MI5 Director General Ken McCallum told reporters during a rare public appearance on Thursday.

Trump shifts weight behind Putin after tense meeting with Zelenskyy– www.cnbc.com

pgnewser October 21, 2025 0

Blurb:

U.S. President Donald Trump has signaled a shift in support toward Russia’s Vladimir Putin as he looks for a quick end to the war in Ukraine, likely striking fear into Ukrainian officials.

Trump held a tense meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday, with the potential supply of U.S. long-range cruise missiles, Tomahawks, on the agenda.

Zelenskyy walked away from the meeting not only empty-handed, but apparently upbraided by Trump, who said Ukraine should accept Russia’s terms for ending the war — by handing over the entire eastern territory of Donbas, the epicenter of ongoing fighting in Ukraine.

Macron calls U.S. Ambassador Charles Kushner's criticism of France ...

France Destroys Opposition Party Leader Before Election

pgnewser October 16, 2025 0

Shortly after being selected, the new PM had to survive a no-confidence vote, which he was able to do. Hope of replacing the current dominant political parties were dimmed when a court ruled that Marine Le Pen, the leading opposition figure, cannot stand for election at all. The decision is sure to further destabilize France as the global oligarchs desperately hold on to power.

Blurb:

France may be teetering on the verge of national snap elections, but the poll-topping sovereigntist leader Marine Le Pen is banned from even standing, a Paris court has confirmed, over a conviction her supporters say is a case of politically targeted lawfare.

The French Council of State, the body of top lawyers which provides legal advice to the government and supreme court, has rejected an appeal by National Rally leader Marine Le Pen to have her “ineligibility” order overturned, reports Le Figaro. The order that was imposed on the politician in March by a judge is considered unusual and controversial because unlike normal criminal punishments, it is being imposed immediately, despite the appeals process to have the conviction itself overturned not having been exhausted.

Tomahawk missile - Wikipedia

Trump Considering Sending Tomahawk Missiles to Ukraine If Russia Fails to Agree to Peace Deal– slaynews.com

pgnewser October 14, 2025 0

Blurb:

President Donald Trump has suggested that the U.S. could send Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine if Russia refuses to move toward a settlement in the ongoing war.

Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump described the Tomahawk as “an incredible weapon, a very offensive weapon.”

Trump hinted he would use the prospect of deployment as leverage in upcoming discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“I may tell him [Putin] that if the war is not settled, we may very well,” Trump said.

Trump invites Zelensky to Washington, as his peacemaking efforts return to Ukraine– www.washingtonexaminer.com

pgnewser October 14, 2025 0

Blurb:

ZELENSKY HOPING ‘PEACE COMES FOR UKRAINE AS WELL’:  Still basking in the glow of his pivotal role ending the bloodshed in Gaza, President Donald Trump is reengaging in the peace negotiations he essentially gave up on last month, inviting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Washington to discuss how to put more pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to seriously consider ending the war which is well into its third year, and has claimed hundred of thousand of lives.

“I will also have the opportunity to come to Washington and meet with President Trump on Friday. I believe we will discuss a series of steps that I intend to propose. I am grateful to President Trump for our dialogue and his support,” Zelensky posted on X. “The main focus of the visit is air defense and our long-range capabilities aimed at exerting pressure on Russia for the sake of peace.”

‘Islam must adapt to Sweden’ — Swedish deputy prime minister calls for public burqa and niqab ban– rmx.news

pgnewser October 14, 2025 0

Blurb:

Sweden’s Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch has called for a nationwide ban on burqas and niqabs in all public places, saying the country must “wake up from its naivety” about Islamism and act decisively to protect Swedish values and social cohesion.

The Christian Democrats (KD) leader told Aftonbladet that she wants legislation prohibiting the full-face coverings in streets, squares, shops, healthcare facilities, and other public settings — a step beyond previous local attempts to ban them in schools and public workplaces that were struck down under current law.

“You should be able to meet for real if you are on the street, if you are shopping in the square, or taking the children to the health center. Then I don’t want to meet someone who has covered their entire face,” Busch said.

‘Could End Badly’: Medvedev Threatens Trump Over Tomahawks for Ukraine– www.themoscowtimes.com

pgnewser October 14, 2025 0

Blurb:

Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev on Monday warned U.S. President Donald Trump that the supply of Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine could “end badly” for him.

Medvedev, who served as Russia’s president from 2008 to 2012, appeared to suggest that Russia might issue a nuclear response if Ukraine receives and fires the long-range rockets at targets inside Russia.

“The supply of these missiles could end badly for everyone. First and foremost for Trump,” Medvedev wrote in a post on Telegram after the American president repeated his own threat of supplying Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine if Russia does not agree to end the war.