Germany is at “danger of becoming embroiled in a violent conflict with Russia” as Moscow intensifies an increasingly aggressive “shadow war” against European democracies, the head of the country’s foreign intelligence service has warned.
Martin Jaeger, head of Germany’s Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND), said the confrontation with Russia had entered a “new, more dangerous dimension”, as he addressed lawmakers at the annual public hearing of Germany’s intelligence chiefs on Monday.
“No other country currently poses such a direct, comprehensive and concrete threat to Germany,” Jaeger said.
“We did not seek this confrontation. Russia is forcing it upon us and sees us as a main adversary, because we refuse to accept its revisionist, expansionist policies and its war of aggression against Ukraine.”
Meanwhile, the Kremlin has threatened that Ukraine will “pay the price” after Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv would continue striking Russian oil refineries.
It came as German chancellor Friedrich Merz announced a further €1bn in military aid to Ukraine during a visit to Kyiv in a show of support for president Volodymyr Zelensky.
The military package includes long-range strike weapons, combat drones and satellite technology, "so that Ukraine can also target Russian launch pads," Merz said at a news conference.
The devastating effect we’re all feeling from the deadlock in Ukraine’s war with Russia
Two of the world’s largest exporters of grain, locked in war for more than four years, have seen exports plunge even further over the last year.
Prolonged conflict around the Black Sea threatens both economies - and those most in need, writes James C. Reynolds.
Read our full story below.
Estonia moves troops closer to border with Russia
Estonia is permanently relocating its troops closer to its border with Russia, according to a report, amid growing fears of a possible attack.
Officials told the Financial Times that Moscow is preparing for a potential conflict with the Baltic country - despite not wanting a wider war with Nato.
Colonel Tarmo Kundla, commander of the Estonian First Brigade, the country’s main fighting force, told the newspaper: “We have to start from the border and win from the first battles.”
Last week, the Atlantic reported that Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are intensifying preparations for a potential Russian attack.
Watch: Moment Russian drone hits bridge in Kyiv
Zelensky says Ukraine responded 'positively to negotiations'
Ukraine has responded positively to a US proposal to hold trilateral talks with Russia at a technical level by the end of October, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Kyiv said the American negotiating team was currently in contact with both Ukraine and Russia over the proposed meeting.
“I spoke with the American negotiating team. Today, the American side is in contact with both Ukraine and Russia and is proposing a trilateral meeting at the technical level by the end of October,” Zelensky said.
“Yesterday, I confirmed to them that our side is ready to support holding such a meeting by the end of October. There is no new information here.”
Zelensky also signalled flexibility over where the talks could take place, saying it would be open to the United Arab Emirates or another country proposed by Washington.
“I know they will propose this to the Russian side as well, or may have already done so. We will wait for the response,” he said.
“We respond positively to negotiations.”
Russia puts lives at risk across Europe with hybrid attacks, Kallas says
Russia is putting lives at risk across Europe with hybrid attacks, the EU’s foreign policy chief has said.
Speaking at a news briefing alongside Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tofan, Kaja Kallas said: “Europe has seen a spike in the Russian hybrid attacks and sabotage attempts and airspace violations in recent weeks.
“Russian missiles and drones violated Moldovan airspace again over the weekend. And this is completely unacceptable.”
Germany has recently raised the alarm over an increasing number of hybrid attacks from Russia.
Authorities have accused Moscow of being behind an attempted drone attack at Leipzig airport in August.
India steps up Ukraine peace efforts as Ukraine calls proposal 'most comprehensive'
India has stepped up its involvement in efforts to end the war in Ukraine, holding talks with both Moscow and Kyiv on proposals ranging from protecting Black Sea shipping to halting attacks on energy infrastructure.
Foreign minister S Jaishankar said India had moved “beyond advocacy” in recent months and was now engaged in conversations with both Russia and Ukraine about practical steps towards reducing hostilities.
“We got a little bit more involved beyond advocacy in the last few months,” Jaishankar said on Sunday.
He said discussions had begun with the safety of shipping in the Black Sea before expanding to grain and energy exports and possible “non-attack” arrangements.
His comments come after Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha revealed that Kyiv was considering four separate ceasefire proposals, describing India’s as the “most comprehensive”.
“We have four proposals. The most comprehensive is India’s proposal,” Sybiha told reporters in Kyiv, adding that India had for the first time signalled a willingness to play a more active role.
The other initiatives have come from Turkey, Egypt and the US. Türkiye and Egypt have proposed a Black Sea truce aimed at facilitating Ukrainian grain exports, while Washington has pushed for an agreement to halt attacks on energy infrastructure.
Kyiv has said it is prepared to consider an energy and Black Sea truce, but insists the two must be combined.
“We are ready for an energy and Black Sea truce, but only in this combination,” Sybiha said. He said such an agreement would require a complete halt to attacks on energy facilities, including port infrastructure.
Kremlin declines comment on report that Ukraine talks are linked to multi-billion dollar oil deal
The Kremlin on Monday declined to comment on a New York Times report that US-Russia talks on ending the war in Ukraine have expanded to include a multibillion-dollar oil deal.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, however, that energy cooperation was a topic of discussion between Russian and US negotiators.
The proposed deal, the New York Times reported on the weekend, would benefit Middle Eastern business executives with ties to US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who have travelled multiple times to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russian air strikes targeted port infrastructure in Ukraine's Odesa region, governor says
Massive Russian air strikes targeted industrial and port infrastructure in Ukraine's Odesa region, governor Oleh Kiper said on the Telegram messaging app on Monday.
All of the fires caused have been extinguished so far, he added.
A Russian air strike on Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-biggest city, killed one person and injured six others, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said on Telegram late on Sunday.
The Russian defence ministry said on Telegram it hit Vylkove port, fuel depot facilities in Chornomorsk and cargo vessels, all in the Odesa region, as well as a power station in the Kharkiv region, which it said were used for military purposes.
Zelensky vows Ukraine will strike Russian oil refineries after city bombardments
President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that Ukraine intends to intensify strikes against Russian oil refineries following a fresh campaign of bombardment by Moscow aimed at driving citizens out of Kyiv and major urban centres, while avoiding non-military targets.
According to Zelensky, Ukrainian intelligence gathered documentation revealing that Russian leader Vladimir Putin has authorised a "new doctrine" expanding military strikes to encompass a significantly wider selection of non-military sites before winter sets in.
"We saw documents and we know that they allow them to attack infrastructure, logistics, and especially to attack in the cities, in the villages, everywhere, roads, schools, hospitals," Zelenskiy told Reuters in an interview. "To pressure people to leave the capital, leave different cities: this is the goal of the operation."
Kremlin warns Ukraine 'will pay the price' for strikes on Russian energy
Kremlin on Monday threatened that Ukraine will “pay the price” after Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv would continue striking Russian oil refineries.
It came as President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukraine intends to intensify strikes against Russian oil refineries following a fresh campaign of bombardment by Moscow aimed at driving citizens out of Kyiv and major urban centres, while avoiding non-military targets.
According to Zelensky, Ukrainian intelligence gathered documentation revealing that Russian leader Vladimir Putin has authorised a "new doctrine" expanding military strikes to encompass a significantly wider selection of non-military sites before winter sets in.
"We saw documents and we know that they allow them to attack infrastructure, logistics, and especially to attack in the cities, in the villages, everywhere, roads, schools, hospitals," Zelensky told Reuters in an interview.
"To pressure people to leave the capital, leave different cities: this is the goal of the operation."