Russia and the US are planning new joint initiatives in the wake of last week's agreement on diesel despite backlash from Volodymyr Zelensky.
Vladimir Putin's investment envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, has said that the two countries were discussing projects including nuclear-powered data centres.
It comes a week after Donald Trump and Putin struck a deal for Russia to supply diesel to the US and global markets in order to lower the price of the fuel.
The Ukrainian leader, who fiercely criticised the deal, took another swipe at the US president on Friday after he thanked the “real leaders” in Europe for their backing of Ukraine, adding it was crucial to count on support from allies who had stood by his country since the beginning of the conflict.
It also came after US Starlink intelligence feeds were restricted in Ukraine and President Trump claimed it was easier to deal with the Russian president than Mr Zelensky, who he wasn’t “a big fan of”.
Speaking from the Russian Energy Week conference in Moscow on Friday, Mr Dmitriev said: “We are also discussing joint projects in the field of Russian and US data centres, including with the use of small-scale nuclear power plants.”
Trump puts new Russia sanctions that he recently signed into law on hold, citing national interest
President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order that puts on hold a sweeping new sanctions package targeting the Russian economy, telling Congress the pause was in the national interest.
Trump personally signed the legislation just last month and his move came just two days before a deadline set in the law itself for its implementation. Named after late South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham, it had sought to clamp down more quickly on the flow of financial resources fueling the war against Ukraine.
Trump's unexpected decision comes a week after he stunningly said the US had agreed to purchase diesel from Russia to try to bring down global energy prices, despite that potentially hurting Ukraine in its war with Russia.
An AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll published on 1 October found that Americans disapprove of the president's handling of the Iran war and blame him for higher prices. Trump's approval ratings have sunk to near-historic lows and pressure is mounting as Republicans try to hold control of both chambers of Congress after midterm elections on 3 November
Trump says Zelensky ‘not a good guy’ as Ukraine resumes strikes on Russian oil refineries
Macron hits out at Trump for sending 'negative signal' over diesel deal
Emmanuel Macron has said that a diesel deal struck by Donald Trump with Russia was not useful and created doubts and defiance.
Following an EU summit in Brussels on Friday, the French president said: “This decision is not good for anyone. It sends a negative signal. It a an element of division and doubt.”
Several EU leaders have hit out at the US president’s decision to relax sanctions on Russian diesel, as they also grapple with how to tackle energy prices that have soared since the Iran war.
Volodymyr Zelensky told a press conference on the sidelines of the summit: “And now we can see how cash will start flowing back into Russia through the diesel deal.
“This diesel deal will never be enough to offset the impact of the Strait of Hormuz on global markets. But it will put more money straight into Putin’s pocket to fund this war.”
Starlink dispute spotlights Ukraine’s reliance on US in intensifying battle for the skies against Putin
If Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy needed a reminder that Ukraine’s war with Russia may well be decided in the skies by the nation with the most advanced weaponry, then it was delivered this week – seemingly by the United States.
On the night of Oct. 13-14, 2026, the guidance system Ukraine’s military uses to blunt Russia’s aerial attacks suddenly stopped working normally. The system, called Starshield, is funded by the U.S. government and run by Elon Musk’s low Earth orbit telecommunications company Starlink, part of SpaceX. Ukraine uses the system to counter strikes and to target Russian military forces and logistics in occupied Ukrainian territory. But new speed restrictions, imposed without notice remotely by code, contributed to multiple mission failures.
Zelenskyy described the move as a “big mistake.” Others, including Musk, pointed the finger at the U.S. government. Amid the blame game, the restrictions were just as suddenly removed: By Oct. 15, Starlink services had apparently been restored to full capacity.
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Watch: Moment British-made sea drones strike Russian Olympic sea port in Ukraine's Black Sea blockade
Moldova condemns Russia after five drones crash on its territory
Moldova condemned Russia on Friday after five drones identified by its authorities as Russian crashed in the country in less than 24 hours.
Moldova's pro-European government, which hopes to join the European Union by 2030, has denounced Russia's invasion of Ukraine and repeatedly criticised the incursions into its airspace. Moldova shares a border with Ukraine.
One drone last week crashed about 35 km (21 miles) from the capital Chisinau.
The five drones entered Moldovan airspace over a little more than 17 hours on Thursday and Friday. All of them crashed, mainly in the northern and eastern districts, lightly injuring one person and causing minor damage.
"These incidents pose a threat to citizens' safety and show the direct consequences for regional stability of Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
The incidents have repeatedly prompted the ministry to summon Russian ambassador Oleg Ozerov to demand explanations.
President Maia Sandu regularly criticises Russian foreign policy as running counter to Moldova's interests and has declined to allow Ozerov to present his credentials although he has been stationed in Moldova for more than two years.
Russia accuses Sandu of pursuing policies hostile to Russia.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that any improvement of ties with Moldova was possible only if Sandu's government "abandoned its policies based on Russophobia."
Streeting ‘reassured’ by US that Ukraine’s access to Starlink restored
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has received assurances from US counterpart Pete Hegseth that satellite access to Starlink for Ukraine has been fully restored, as the UK minister quoted St Francis of Assisi in an attempt to "bring harmony" between Kyiv and Washington.
Speaking during his inaugural trip to Washington DC as Defence Secretary, Mr Streeting said Mr Hegseth confirmed the critical satellite communications network was functioning again. The root cause of the blackout remains unknown, coming during a period of heightened friction between the United States and Ukraine.
Putin envoy says Russia and US are discussing more joint deals
Russia and the US are discussing a range of new joint projects including nuclear-powered data centres in the wake of last week's agreement on diesel.
Vladimir Putin's investment envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, said on Friday that the two countries were considering other forms of economic cooperation.
“We are also discussing joint projects in the field of Russian and US data centres, including with the use of small-scale nuclear power plants,” he added, without giving details.
“Naturally, progress is quite difficult; there is resistance - widespread resistance, in fact - from various quarters. Yet, as the example regarding diesel demonstrates, I believe we will soon be announcing several other significant initiatives. The ice has, in fact, begun to break,” he told the Russian Energy Week conference in Moscow.
“We are effectively implementing projects with the United States of America at this very moment, and we will continue to do so until the special military operation comes to an end.”
In full: Zelensky’s despair as Trump turns towards Russia
Volodymyr Zelensky’s relationship with Donald Trump reached a new low on Friday after the US president repeatedly criticised the Ukrainian president and agreed new trading deals with Russia.
In a thinly veiled swipe at Trump, Zelensky thanked the “real leaders” in Europe for their backing of Ukraine, adding it was crucial to count on support from allies who had stood by his country since the beginning of the conflict.
It came after the US president announced a new diesel deal with Vladimir Putin, US Starlink intelligence feeds were restricted in Ukraine and Trump claimed it was easier to deal with the Russian president than Zelensky.
Trump also described the Ukrainian bombing of Russia oil refineries as a “disgrace”, despite the fact that Russia has been targeting Kyiv and other cities all week after the US president’s so-called “energy ceasefire”.
Speaking a European Union summit in Brussels, Zelensky said he had heard “support and only support” from his partners in Europe after relations with the US president deteriorated. He added that Putin was only playing games and his attempts to end the war were nothing more than “parody”.
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Trump is 'exacerbating and prolonging' the Ukraine war, former adviser says
Donald Trump is “exacerbating and prolonging” the war in Ukraine, his former Russia adviser has claimed.
Fiona Hill, who worked under the president during his first term, has accused him of blaming Ukraine for domestic issues he has caused in the US, and also described him as being “unbelievably vulnerable” to Vladimir Putin.
Asked what his strategy on Ukraine was, she told Sky News: “His strategy is just about himself. Trump is worrying about the midterms, which are coming up very quickly.
“The expectation is that the Republican Party will get a trouncing because of Trump’s own failure to handle so many of the domestic issues as well as the foreign policy portfolio because he’s dragged the United States into a war with Iran, which is the main reason for skyrocketing prices of petrol and diesel.
“Trump is trying to blame Ukraine for this and say that the majority of the pricing increases is because of Ukraine’s attacks on Russian refineries.”