Ukraine, Defence Ministry denies sending Samp/T. Zelensky missiles: 'Putin wants humanitarian disaster'

"We must all remember that issues of territorial integrity and any alleged exchange of territories must not reward the aggressor or encourage future aggression," was what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasised - according to the Guardian. Zelensky said it was important not to "give Russia any reason to think it can end this war with an unfair result against us." "Only a strong and fair solution to end the war will really work," he added.

"There is strong language in the text for the commitment to Ukraine. It is a very clear commitment of the European Council and a mandate is given to the Commission to look at options. It is a complex issue. We have decided the what, the reparation loan, we have to decide how to make it possible," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. On the use of assets "there was no veto" by Belgium but "technical remarks: a final decision will be taken at the European Council in December".

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni took part in a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing this afternoon, linked from Rome.

The meeting took place in the aftermath of the recent parallel decisions by the European Union and the United States to introduce new sanctions against Russia, following Moscow's persistent unwillingness to commit to a cessation of hostilities.

The Prime Minister, in the course of her speech, a note from Palazzo Chigi reads, 'reiterated the importance of unity between the two sides of the Atlantic in pursuing a ceasefire from which a credible path of negotiation will be set in motion, starting from the current line of contact with the aim of achieving a just and lasting peace'.

Russian President Vladimir "Putin is running out of money, troops and ideas", Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte said at a press conference in London at the end of the meeting of the Coalition of the Willing. Stressing that Russia in Ukraine is making "marginal gains", Rutte pointed out that "thousands of Russians are dying because of Putin's illusory aggression". "President Trump said it very well. They should stop where they are now," the Nato Secretary General added.

"Moscow has told us that if we touch the money we will feel the effects for eternity," Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever told a press conference about the hypothesis of the use of Russian assets. "I would prefer another solution but I believe that the Commission will come back with a proposal, it will try to bring it to life, also because the solution for the financing of Ukraine is urgent," he added. "But then we should have started negotiating earlier and maybe had a more reasoned proposal right away," he stressed. Joint debt, as with Covid, could be the answer. "But we need unanimity of the 27."

Satisfied Volodymyr Zelensky writes on X: 'The European Union has assured that financial assistance to Ukraine will be maintained not only next year, but also in 2027. This is an important and unanimous decision. We have obtained political support for frozen Russian assets and their maximum use to defend ourselves against Russian aggression. The European Commission will work out all the necessary details'.

ECB President Christine Lagarde was asked during the Eurosummit in Brussels about the use of Russian assets tied up in the EU and Lagarde reiterated the position of the ECB: things have to be in line with international law, preserve financial stability and that there has to be solidarity.

Meanwhile, the long-distance confrontation between Putin and Trump continues, who said at the White House, responding to a reporter with a sarcastic smile: 'Putin says US sanctions will not have a significant impact on the Russian economy? I will tell you in six months'.

"The allied countries should strengthen Ukraine's long-range capability," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a bilateral meeting in Downing Street with President Volodymyr Zelensky ahead of the meeting of the Coalition of the Willing where the supply of long-range missiles to Kiev to hit Russian targets will be discussed. "And of course, there is the fundamental work of the Coalition of the Willing on the necessary security guarantees," Starmer added.

"Putin wants a humanitarian disaster in Ukraine this winter," said President Volodymyr Zelensky during a bilateral meeting at Downing Street. The Ukrainian leader referred to Moscow's campaign of air strikes against Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

Zelensky also agreed with Starmer on the idea that 'Putin shows no intention of wanting to stop his war'. 'We are not alone in this situation, since the beginning of the war, but especially now,' the Ukrainian president added, referring to the support of the British and other Western allies. Zelensky then moved with Starmer to the Foreign Office headquarters to meet the other participants in attendance at the meeting of the willing, starting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

Hungary is working on a way to "circumvent" US sanctions against Russian oil companies. "There are indeed sanctions against some Russian oil companies," Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in an interview with Kossut radio, explaining that he had "started the week by consulting me several times with the executives" of the Hungarian energy company Mol. "We are working on how to circumvent these sanctions," Orbán added, stressing that "anyone who wants a reduction in the prices of public services must defend Hungary's right to buy oil and gas from Russia."