Russia says Trump-Putin peace momentum on Ukraine is exhausted

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Oct. 8 that the “strong momentum” for ending the war in Ukraine, created by the August meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, has now faded. His comments highlight growing pessimism about peace talks after Putin dismissed the possibility of direct negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky — a move Trump had personally promoted.

Ryabkov claimed that the progress achieved in Anchorage had been “largely exhausted” due to opposition, especially from European states. He also noted that Washington has not yet responded to Putin’s proposal to extend the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) by one year beyond its 2026 expiration, describing it as “an outstretched hand.” Meanwhile, Trump has toughened his rhetoric, saying in September that Ukraine could reclaim all occupied territories and mocking Russia as a “paper tiger.”

The August 15 Alaska summit ended without agreements, and reports suggest Putin left believing he could escalate strikes on Ukraine without major U.S. pushback. Since then, Washington has weighed supplying Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles capable of striking deep inside Russia — a step Putin warned would mark a “new stage of escalation.” Ryabkov echoed those warnings, calling such deliveries a “qualitative change” requiring U.S. involvement. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described current U.S.-Russia contacts as “depressed,” with no major progress achieved.

Russia hit a coal enrichment plant in today's second attack on a Ukrainian energy company

Russian forces struck a DTEK facility in Donetsk Oblast on Oct. 8, targeting a plant used to enrich coal for thermal power stations, the company reported. Staff on duty took shelter during the attack, and no casualties were reported.

DTEK said the strikes left equipment inoperable, forcing the plant to suspend operations. This marks the third large-scale attack on the facility in the past six weeks. Earlier, Russian forces also hit a DTEK thermal power plant, injuring two engineers and causing significant damage to equipment.

Ukraine and the EBRD are discussing funding additional gas imports amid rising Russian strikes on the energy sector

Ukraine’s Finance Minister Serhii Marchenko met with Matteo Patrone, vice president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), on Oct. 8 to discuss urgent financial support for Ukraine’s energy system. The talks come as Russian strikes on gas production facilities intensify, with Naftogaz calling the Oct. 3 attack in Kharkiv and Poltava oblasts the “most massive” since the start of the full-scale war. Russia launched 35 missiles and 60 drones at Naftogaz sites, forcing DTEK to halt operations at its Poltava facilities. Just days later, another wave of strikes caused severe damage to critical gas infrastructure, prompting Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk to announce plans to increase gas imports by 30% to secure winter heating.

During the meeting, Ukrainian officials and the EBRD discussed funding priorities, including gas purchases and long-term energy support, alongside Ukraine’s broader 2026 budgetary needs. Marchenko stressed the urgency of securing financing, noting the risk posed by Russia’s campaign against energy infrastructure. The parties also explored additional donor involvement and EU-backed guarantees. Since 2022, the EBRD has allocated nearly €1 billion ($1.2 billion) for emergency gas imports and over €8 billion ($9.3 billion) for rebuilding critical infrastructure. Meanwhile, Russia has stepped up its strikes on Ukraine’s energy network, with Bloomberg reporting that President Vladimir Putin intends to target the sector throughout the coming winter to pressure Kyiv into negotiations.