Russia

President Trump on October 16 signed an executive order implementing the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, imposing a 500 percent ad valorem duty on goods from the Russian Federation and additional duties on countries that import Russian crude oil or facilitate sanctions evasion. However, the same order immediately waived the application of all duties and numerous sanctions provisions, with the President certifying to Congress that the waiver is in the national interests of the United States.

President Donald Trump has suspended new sanctions targeting Russia and countries that buy its oil and gas, days before the restrictions were due to take effect under a law he signed last month, drawing sharp criticism from lawmakers in both parties who accused him of disregarding Congress and capitulating to President Vladimir Putin.

The governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey, walked out of an International Monetary Fund meeting in Bangkok on Saturday in protest against the presence of Russia, joining finance leaders from France, Germany and several Scandinavian and Baltic countries. The walkout occurred when Russia's finance minister, Anton Siluanov, began addressing the session in Russian.

A former UK national security adviser has urged ministers to be honest with the British public about the growing risk of Russian "hybrid attacks", warning that they are becoming more reckless and that people could eventually be killed. Lord Ricketts also said Britain should stop trying to act as a bridge between Kyiv and Washington, saying there was no influence Britain could have on President Donald Trump "in the short term".

A man who plotted arson attacks targeting property connected to former British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has been deported, the Home Office confirmed. Stanislav Carpiuc, 28, was sentenced to two years in prison in June for his role in the attacks, which the BBC reported were ordered on behalf of Russia.

Ukraine is facing a deepening crisis as the Trump administration's easing of diesel sanctions on Russia is accompanied by sweeping restrictions on military Starlink access and intelligence sharing. Kyiv warns the moves are a dangerous precedent that emboldens Moscow and has already cost civilian lives, while experts argue the diesel deal delivers Moscow a significant political victory with little economic impact.

Russian air and drone strikes across nine Ukrainian regions killed at least eight people, wounded 60 others and cut power to more than one million people on Friday, Ukrainian officials said, as the United Nations reported a steep climb in civilian casualties last month.