Ukraine War News Today - Top Stories and Breaking Updates from Kyiv Post

Key updates Lavrov Rules Out Ukraine War Ceasefire Macron Says Ukraine Must Have ‘All Means’ to Defend Itself, Pledges New Aviation Aid Zelensky Urges Belgium to Deliver More F-16s as Russia Pounds Ukraine’s Energy Grid Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov ruled out a ceasefire in Ukraine during a press conference in Azerbaijan on Thursday, Oct. 15, arguing that a pause would allow Kyiv to rearm. He accused President Volodymyr Zelensky of directly challenging US President Donald Trump by opposing the Washington-Moscow diesel agreement. Lavrov also dismissed reported Western peace proposals and said Moscow’s objectives in Ukraine had not changed. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov ruled out a ceasefire in Ukraine and accused President Volodymyr Zelensky of directly challenging US President Donald Trump over Washington’s controversial diesel deal with Moscow during a press conference in Baku on Thursday, Oct. 15. Speaking after the seventh summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), Lavrov said Russia would not agree to a pause in fighting that could allow Ukraine to replenish its military capabilities. French President Emmanuel Macron pledged continued military and diplomatic support for Ukraine following talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Brussels on Thursday, Oct. 15. Zelensky announced new French aviation assistance this month and progress on the FREYJA European anti-ballistic missile defense project. French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday, Oct. 15, that Ukraine must receive the military capabilities necessary to defend itself against Russian attacks, as he met President Volodymyr Zelensky in Brussels and pledged continued support for Kyiv. “It is crucial” that Ukraine receive “all the means necessary to protect itself,” Macron said following their talks on the sidelines of an EU leaders’ summit. President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed additional F-16 fighter jets and ammunition with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever as Russia continued attacking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Zelensky said F-16s were proving particularly effective against Russia’s jet-powered Shahed drones, while fresh strikes left nearly 15,000 residents without electricity in Volyn. President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Belgium to accelerate deliveries of F-16 fighter jets and provide additional ammunition during talks with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever on Thursday, Oct. 15, as Russia intensified its attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. The discussions came as fresh Russian strikes targeted energy facilities in two Ukrainian regions, leaving nearly 15,000 people without electricity in Volyn and causing partial blackouts in Kyiv and the surrounding region.