What Others Are Writing About Russia – October 26, 2026

In Brief

• Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that Russia is not ready for serious peace negotiations, and it is crucial to maintain pressure on Moscow.
• Russian troops have gained new territories in the Kostiantynivka and Vozdvyzhivka areas, which may affect the situation on the front.
• An expert warns that a possible withdrawal of the USA from NATO increases the risk of Russia using nuclear weapons in the Baltic countries.
• Tensions are rising regarding the planned meeting between Trump, Putin, and Xi Jinping, which may harm the interests of Ukraine and its allies.
• In Russia, drone attacks have caused fires in Belgorod and Omsk, and details regarding the damages are still unknown.

Ukrainian Press

According to the Ukrainian Українська правда, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that Russia is not ready for serious peace negotiations as long as it hopes to achieve its goals through pressure on Ukraine. Sybiha emphasized that it is crucial to maintain and strengthen pressure on Russia to end the war, and the only effective strategy is "peace through strength". (Сибіга: РФ не готова до серйозних переговорів – Українська правда) TSN also reports that Minister Sybiha highlighted the importance of international unity in pursuing a just peace and that Russia has not received the expected support from the USA in exerting pressure on Ukraine («Не сяде за серйозні переговори»: Сибіга назвав умову, за якої Росія не піде на mir – TSN).

According to Ukrainian press, the analytical project DeepState reports on the progress of Russian troops in the Kostiantynivka area in the Donetsk region and near the village of Vozdvyzhivka in the Zaporizhzhia region. The Russians have managed to gain new territories in these locations, which may affect the situation on the front (DeepState: Росіяни просунулись на Донеччині та Запоріжжі – Українська правда).

Ukrainian TSN reports that a possible withdrawal of the USA from NATO could increase the risk of Russia using nuclear weapons, particularly concerning the Baltic countries. Expert Spencer Warren points out that after Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia could become potential targets for Moscow, and their armed forces are significantly weaker than Russia's. In the absence of NATO support, these countries may struggle to defend against Russian aggression, and forecasts indicate that Russia could be ready for a local conflict within six months and a regional war within two years (Вихід США з NATO може спровокувати застосування Росією ядерної зброї — Forbes – TSN).

Ukrainian press highlights the rising tensions regarding a possible meeting between US President Donald Trump, Russian leader Vladimir Putin, and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. According to Espreso, such talks could strengthen Putin's position and harm the interests of Ukraine and its allies, including Poland and the Baltic countries. The authors emphasize that the United States should act in close cooperation with Ukraine and Europe to avoid undermining its authority on the international stage and not repeat past mistakes, such as those from the Yalta Conference. (Путін прагне залякати НАТО, а Трамп може озлобитися на Україну, - Ян Бжезінський – Espreso)

The Ukrainian portal Telegraf reports that on the night of October 24-25, drone attacks occurred in Russia, causing fires in several regions, including Belgorod and Omsk. In Belgorod, there was an explosion in a shopping center, and in Omsk, an industrial area was attacked, where a chemical company may have been affected. Explosions were also reported in the Perm Krai, but details regarding damages and casualties are still unknown (Бєлгород, Омськ, Перм, Орел вибухи 25 жовтня — що відомо про нічну атаку, де пожежі, карти - Телеграф – com.ua).

According to the Ukrainian Українська правда, US House Speaker Mike Johnson announced that the United States is close to starting trilateral negotiations to end Russia's war against Ukraine. Johnson emphasized that the US administration is working intensively to end the conflict while noting that one cannot trust Russian President Vladimir Putin. In the context of negotiations, Putin previously expressed readiness for talks, but on terms favorable to Russia, which raises doubts about his intentions. (Спікер Конгресу заявив, що США на порозі тристоронніх переговорів щодо України – Українська правда)

Read also

• What Others Are Saying About Russia – October 25, 2026
• What Others Are Saying About Russia – October 24, 2026
• What Others Are Saying About Ukraine – October 24, 2026