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US hits top Russian oil companies Rosneft and Lukoil with sanctions
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday imposed Ukraine-related sanctions on Russia for the first time in his second term, targeting oil companies Lukoil and Rosneft as his frustration grows with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the war. The U.S. Treasury Department said it was prepared to take further action as it called on Moscow to agree immediately to a ceasefire in Russia's war in Ukraine, which began in February. Trump's measure on Wednesday followed Britain's sanctioning of Rosneft and Lukoil last week. Analysts said the measures were a big step but long overdue. "This can't just be one and done," said Edward Fishman, a former U.S. official who is now a senior research scholar at Columbia University. He said the question will be whether the U.S. now threatens sanctions on anyone doing business with Rosneft and Lukoil. "Given President Putin’s refusal to end this senseless war, Treasury is sanctioning Russia’s two largest oil companies that fund the Kremlin’s war machine," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. "We encourage our allies to join us in and adhere to these sanctions." The sanctions are a major policy shift for Trump, who had not put sanctions on Russia over the war and instead relied on trade measures. Trump imposed additional 25% tariffs on goods from India in retaliation for it purchasing discounted Russian oil. The U.S. has not imposed the tariffs on China, another major buyer of Russian oil. A $60 price cap on Russian oil imposed by Western countries after Russia's invasion has shifted Russia's oil customers in recent years from Europe to Asia.
UK sanctions Russia's oil giants over Ukraine war
Britain is targeting Russia's largest oil companies and the country's "shadow fleet" of oil tankers in a bid to cut off Vladimir Putin's ability to fund the war in Ukraine. The UK government is also pursuing a major Indian oil refinery and four Chinese oil terminals in a package of 90 new sanctions. Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the move was expected to have a significant impact on Russia's economy and its ability to sustain military operations in Ukraine. "We are sending a clear signal: Russian oil is off the market," she said ahead of a meeting in Washington DC with global counterparts to discuss Russian sanctions. The announcement comes as the G7, a grouping of some of the world's most advanced economies, prepares to consider a plan to effectively seize hundreds of billions from the proceeds of Russian investments, frozen since the invasion of Ukraine. A vast bulk of Russia's assets are held as cash at the European Central Bank, after its underlying bond investments matured. The European Union (EU), where the bulk of funds are held, had been reluctant to pursue the wider plan, but appears to be developing a way round legal concerns. It will be considered at an EU summit next week. Ukraine has significant funding needs as the war continues, both in arms and reconstruction. Earlier this year, the UK joined the US in directly sanctioning energy companies Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas. At the time the then Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, had said it would "drain Russia's war chest – and every ruble we take from Putin's hands helps save Ukrainian lives". The US separately has discussed putting additional tariffs on goods from China, up to 500%, tied to Beijing's purchases of Russian oil. But Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday that the US would not take that step unless Europe agreed to do something similar. "We will respond if our European partners will join us," he said.
Russia has been ordered to pay more than 253 million euros in compensation to Georgia relating to the case of the continued occupation
On October 14, 2025, the Strasbourg Court announced its decision on compensation in the case of Georgia v. Russia (IV) for the so-called continued occupation, the Ministry of Justice report. According to the agency, the court shared the complex legal position and evidence presented by the Georgian government and, as a result, imposed an obligation on the Russian Federation to pay 253,018,000 euros in favor of more than 29,000 affected citizens of Georgia. “As is known to the public, a decision was made on this case on April 9, 2024, which held Russia fully responsible for the mass harassment, detention, attacks, murders of the Georgian population in the occupied territories and along the occupation line, which is taking place against the background of the occupation of the territories of Georgia and the so-called borderization. Today’s decision is a logical continuation of the historical cases won against Russia. In the so-called deportation case “Georgia v. Russia (I)”, which was related to the mass expulsion of Georgians from Russia, the Strasbourg Court imposed an obligation on the Russian Federation to pay up to 10 million euros for the mass deportation of ethnic Georgians and gross violations of their human rights. The public is also aware of the decision “Georgia v. Russia (II)” in the case of the August War of 2008, the Russian Federation was ordered to pay up to 130 million euros for mass violations committed against Georgian citizens during the August War and the subsequent period. Although the Russian Federation is no longer a member of the Council of Europe, it remains legally obligated to enforce the decisions and is subject to appropriate fines for every day that passes. Work on the enforcement of the aforementioned decisions is underway within the framework of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe with the active involvement of Georgia. The Ministry of Justice of Georgia expresses its gratitude to the state agencies involved in collecting evidence and congratulates all of Georgia on this historic victory,” reads the information released by the Ministry of Justice.
Mediators Egypt, Qatar and Turkey sign with Trump document on Gaza ceasefire deal
Mediators Egypt, Qatar and Turkey signed on Monday with U.S. President Donald Trump a document on the Gaza ceasefire deal. The document was signed during the international summit hosted by Egypt in the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh on the deal. "This took 3,000 years to get to this point. Can you believe it? And it's going to hold up too. It's going to hold up,” Trump said in the middle of signing the document. Trump also delivered remarks in which touted the breakthrough as a turning point for the region. "This is the day that people across this region and around the world have been working, striving, hoping, and praying for. They have done things over the last month that I think were really unthinkable. Nobody thought this could happen. With the historic agreement we have just signed, those prayers of millions have finally been answered," Trump said.
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Valtonen to visit South-Caucasus
The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Elina Valtonen, will visit Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia from 13 to 15 October for meetings with high-level government officials, as well as representatives of civil society and think tanks. The agenda includes, among other items, the progress in the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process, with particular attention to the conclusion of the OSCE Minsk Process and its related structures. In Georgia, meetings will focus on Georgia’s internal and external challenges, with a focus on the continued support of the OSCE to the Geneva International Discussions to address the consequences of the 2008 war. Finland, as Chair of the OSCE in 2025, places strong importance on safeguarding civic space and ensuring an enabling environment for civil society. This priority will be underlined throughout the visit.
Türkiye, US sign deal to deepen partnership in nuclear energy
Türkiye and the US signed a memorandum of understanding on Thursday to deepen their partnership in the nuclear energy field. As part of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to the White House, the two countries initiated a process that will further deepen the two countries' deep-rooted and multidimensional partnership in the field of nuclear energy, the Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal. "We signed the memorandum of understanding on Strategic Civilian Nuclear Cooperation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the presence of the leaders," the minister stated. He added: "I hope that the work to be carried out within the scope of the agreement will produce mutual benefits for both countries in the coming period."
Russia has been ordered to pay more than 253 million euros in compensation to Georgia relating to the case of the continued occupation
On October 14, 2025, the Strasbourg Court announced its decision on compensation in the case of Georgia v. Russia (IV) for the so-called continued occupation, the Ministry of Justice report. According to the agency, the court shared the complex legal position and evidence presented by the Georgian government and, as a result, imposed an obligation on the Russian Federation to pay 253,018,000 euros in favor of more than 29,000 affected citizens of Georgia. “As is known to the public, a decision was made on this case on April 9, 2024, which held Russia fully responsible for the mass harassment, detention, attacks, murders of the Georgian population in the occupied territories and along the occupation line, which is taking place against the background of the occupation of the territories of Georgia and the so-called borderization. Today’s decision is a logical continuation of the historical cases won against Russia. In the so-called deportation case “Georgia v. Russia (I)”, which was related to the mass expulsion of Georgians from Russia, the Strasbourg Court imposed an obligation on the Russian Federation to pay up to 10 million euros for the mass deportation of ethnic Georgians and gross violations of their human rights. The public is also aware of the decision “Georgia v. Russia (II)” in the case of the August War of 2008, the Russian Federation was ordered to pay up to 130 million euros for mass violations committed against Georgian citizens during the August War and the subsequent period. Although the Russian Federation is no longer a member of the Council of Europe, it remains legally obligated to enforce the decisions and is subject to appropriate fines for every day that passes. Work on the enforcement of the aforementioned decisions is underway within the framework of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe with the active involvement of Georgia. The Ministry of Justice of Georgia expresses its gratitude to the state agencies involved in collecting evidence and congratulates all of Georgia on this historic victory,” reads the information released by the Ministry of Justice.
Apple to integrate Siri with WhatsApp, Uber, and other apps: What users can expect
Apple is testing an updated version of its Siri voice assistant with deep integration into popular third-party apps such as WhatsApp, Uber, AllTrails, Threads, Temu, Amazon, YouTube, and Facebook. This was reported by Bloomberg insider Mark Gurman in an article for MacRumors. The new Siri, powered by Apple Intelligence and an improved App Intents system, promises revolutionary voice control — but its launch is planned only for spring 2026. Here’s what users can expect, what limitations may arise, and how this will affect the Apple ecosystem.
economic
US hits top Russian oil companies Rosneft and Lukoil with sanctions
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday imposed Ukraine-related sanctions on Russia for the first time in his second term, targeting oil companies Lukoil and Rosneft as his frustration grows with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the war. The U.S. Treasury Department said it was prepared to take further action as it called on Moscow to agree immediately to a ceasefire in Russia's war in Ukraine, which began in February. Trump's measure on Wednesday followed Britain's sanctioning of Rosneft and Lukoil last week. Analysts said the measures were a big step but long overdue. "This can't just be one and done," said Edward Fishman, a former U.S. official who is now a senior research scholar at Columbia University. He said the question will be whether the U.S. now threatens sanctions on anyone doing business with Rosneft and Lukoil. "Given President Putin’s refusal to end this senseless war, Treasury is sanctioning Russia’s two largest oil companies that fund the Kremlin’s war machine," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. "We encourage our allies to join us in and adhere to these sanctions." The sanctions are a major policy shift for Trump, who had not put sanctions on Russia over the war and instead relied on trade measures. Trump imposed additional 25% tariffs on goods from India in retaliation for it purchasing discounted Russian oil. The U.S. has not imposed the tariffs on China, another major buyer of Russian oil. A $60 price cap on Russian oil imposed by Western countries after Russia's invasion has shifted Russia's oil customers in recent years from Europe to Asia.
Interview
Analytics
Georgia will become a NATO member, when allies assess that it is prepared to fulfill the obligations that come with membership, John Bass says
Ambassador John Bass, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, answered the question by Europetime. Q - „At the NATO summit held in Bucharest in 2008, allies decided that Georgia would join NATO. The decision was reaffirmed at the subsequent summits. During your tenure as U.S. ambassador to Georgia, we have repeatedly heard your comments regarding the integration of Georgia into NATO. How do your earlier assumptions and expectations align with the present dynamics and process of the country’s integration into the Alliance?” A - „I would first say that for many of us who spent time in Georgia or working with Georgians, particularly in the aftermath of the conflict in 2008 in which, yet again, Russia was attempting to determine how a neighboring country should live, dictate whether or not that country should be free to choose its own security relationships with, in this case, NATO – having been there in that period, it’s been very disturbing to see the evolution in recent years and particularly in recent months of the Georgian Dream government. And if someone were to ask straight up, as I think is implicit in the question, when will Georgia become a member of NATO, the answer is that Georgia will become a member, I think, when allies assess that it is prepared to fulfill the obligations that come with membership, including upholding principles – core principles of democratic governance, including the fundamental principle that people are free to choose their own leaders. And unfortunately, since I was ambassador in Georgia, we have not seen Georgia progress to meeting those objectives. And unfortunately, we’ve seen quite a bit of work, quite a bit of retrograde, if you will. And as the U.S. ambassador who worked quite hard to ensure that there were the conditions in place to allow Georgian Dream to compete fairly in the parliamentary elections of 2012, it is deeply disturbing to see that same group now eroding the foundations of democratic governance and society. And as a final observation, I would say it is both deeply disturbing and saddening to see the aspirations and dreams of an entire society being held hostage to the grievances of one individual: Bidzina Ivanishvili.“ John Bass was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on December 17, 2021, as the Under Secretary for Management. The Secretary of State designated John Bass as Acting Under Secretary for Political Affairs on March 23, 2024. A career Senior Foreign Service officer, he served as Senior Advisor at the Foreign Service Institute from 2020-2021, U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan 2017-2020, U.S. Ambassador to Turkey from 2014 to 2017, Executive Secretary of the State Department from 2012 to 2014, and U.S. Ambassador to Georgia from 2009 to 2012. He began his diplomatic career in 1988 and has also served in positions in U.S. missions in Iraq, Italy, Belgium, and Chad.
The United States is already implementing the Black Sea Strategy, the state department says
Europetime receives confirmation from the US State Department that the Biden administration has already begun implementing a comprehensive strategy for the Black Sea region. According to Europetime, the strategy is centered on the goal of the US administration and calls for more political and diplomatic engagement as well as other significant actions. “The United States is already implementing this strategy, and we will continue to coordinate closely with allies, partners, and civil society to advance this strategy in pursuit of shared objectives. The timeline for implementation will depend on the goal or activity. Some of our objectives, such as increased political engagement and messaging are ongoing; likewise, support for defense modernization of our Allies and partners has already begun. Our strategy provides a whole-of-government vision and framework through which we can continue current efforts, develop future initiatives and make funding requests to support implementation. What is the Black Sea Strategy? In the FY2023 National Defense Authorization Act, the NSC was required by the U.S. Congress to develop and implement a strategy to support a Black Sea region that is secure, prosperous, interconnected, and free from malign influence, economic coercion, and threats to territorial integrity. The NSC delegated the drafting of the report to the State Department in coordination with interagency. The Black Sea Strategy encourages agencies across the United States government to work with allies and partners bilaterally and multilaterally to increase political and diplomatic engagement, ensure regional security, boost economic cooperation, provide clean and secure energy, strengthen rule of law, promote respect for human rights, combat corruption, and counter disinformation. Through this Strategy, the United States is strengthening our partnerships to promote peace and prosperity for all. The Strategy also outlines our approach to addressing the immediate and long-term repercussions brought upon the region by Russia’s brutal full-scale invasion of Ukraine,“ a State Department spokesperson told Europetime.
The US is exploring potential investment opportunities in infrastructure to advance strategic projects in the Trans-Caspian Corridor
The US is exploring potential investment opportunities in infrastructure to advance strategic projects in the Trans-Caspian Corridor. In response to a question from Europetime, the State Department states that in order to actually advance important projects in the Trans-Caspian Corridor, the „US is currently evaluating potential areas for infrastructure investment.“ „Generally speaking, we welcome and encourage multilateral efforts in support of regional connectivity in Central Asia and South Caucasus westward to Europe. Such efforts contribute to the creation of a more secure, resilient, and prosperous region. In close coordination with our European counterparts, the United States continues to support initiatives that enhance connectivity and diversify the economies of our Central Asian partners, including the EU Global Gateway Investors Forum, the Commercial Law Development Program’s Trans-Caspian Trade Route Coordination Platform, and USAID’s Trade Central Asia. Through the C5+1 diplomatic platform, we continue to promote regional cooperation and dialogue that helps the region address shared security and economic challenges while reaffirming the autonomy and sovereignty of our Central Asian partners. During the inaugural C5+1 Presidential Summit in September 2023, President Biden affirmed continued U.S. support through PGI to scale infrastructure investment and accelerate the economic development, energy security, and connectivity of the Trans-Caspian Corridor. Through PGI, the United States is currently evaluating potential areas for infrastructure investment where the U.S. Government could contribute project advisory technical assistance, project preparation, and/or financing to tangibly move forward strategic projects in the Trans-Caspian Corridor,“ a State Department spokesperson told Europetime. Bulgarian Ambassador: After an agreement on the resumption of ferry traffic is signed, more concrete and cooperative action is needed
EEAS Spokesperson: Together with our US colleagues, we have been working on how to address the impact of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine across the Black Sea region
Peter Stano, lead spokesperson for the foreign affairs and security policy of the European Union, said that the EU and US share common interests in the Black Sea region. According to him, they cooperate to support partners in the region to bolster their resilience to increasing hybrid and cyber challenges as well. „Together with our US colleagues, we have been working on how to address the impact of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine across the Black Sea region - both in the short and the long run. We have focused on supporting Ukraine, but also helping the region address the wider fallout of Russia’s war. We have done this in many fora, including the EU-US Security and Defence Dialogue, the UN, the G7, etc. The EU and US share common interests in the region to: (1) increase coordination with partners; (2) deepen economic ties; (3) strengthen energy security; (4) support efforts to bolster democratic resilience, including fighting false narratives and Russian state-controlled propaganda, in accordance with our shared values; (5) support partners in the region to bolster their resilience to increasing hybrid and cyber challenges. We cooperate to help accelerating Ukrainian grain exports, notably after Russia’s unilateral withdrawal from the UN-Türkiye-brokered Black Sea Grain Initiative. The Leaders have been unequivocal in their Joint statement following the US-EU Summit on 20th October 2023 in Washington D.C. We continue to pursue the Solidarity Lanes objectives to increase efficiency and reduce transport costs. The US collaboration with the European partners in Constanta, Romania’s largest port city on the Black Sea coast, is a good example of that. The EU has deployed a Multipurpose Maritime Operation in the Black Sea, involving the EU Agencies with Coast Guard functions (Frontex, the European Maritime Safety Agency, European Fisheries Control Agency), riparian EU Member States, and also other EU Member States. Georgian officials were invited to observe various activities in this context. Furthermore, the EU has supported capacity building, including for Georgia, through the Black and Caspian Sea I project and its current successor Black and Caspian Seas II, implemented by the European Maritime Safety Agency. Looking ahead, the EU is working on the 4th implementation report of the EU Black Sea Synergy. This stock-tacking exercise will also help us identify key trends and findings, which could factor into future EU thinking on the Black Sea cooperation. At its core there are issues of connectivity, energy, digital transformation, blue economy, environment, fisheries and maritime security, resilience and the protection of critical infrastructure,“Stano told Europetime. The US sees Georgia as a critical security partner for the Black Sea, James O’Brien says
US Embassy: The U.S. government has and will continue to expose Russia’s efforts to undermine democratic elections around the world
EXCLUSIVE The United States has become aware of a trend in Russia’s efforts to undermine democratic processes globally, according to the US Embassy in Georgia. Europetime was told in the embassy that the U.S. government has and will continue to expose Russia’s efforts to undermine democratic elections around the world. The United States on Friday released a U.S. intelligence assessment sent to more than 100 countries that found Moscow is using spies, social media and Russian state-run media to erode public faith in the integrity of democratic elections worldwide. The assessment was sent in a State Department cable dated Wednesday to more than 100 U.S. embassies in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa for distribution to their host governments. Europetime was curious as to whether there has been communication over the aforementioned matter with the Georgian side via the embassy. “The United States has become aware of a trend in Russia’s efforts to undermine democratic processes globally. It is well-documented that Russia seeks to influence the outcomes of democratic elections globally in favor of specific candidates and political parties. In response, the U.S. State Department has briefed more than 100 democracies on these Russian efforts and steps we can take in response. We also are speaking openly about these findings. The U.S. government has and will continue to expose Russia’s efforts to undermine democratic elections around the world. We are seeking to increase public awareness of and resilience to these Russian activities. It is critical that we work together, as democracies, to counter these Russian efforts. In our cable to the governments invited to the Summit for Democracy, we notified each country, privately, on whether we assess Russia had sought to degrade public confidence in elections held in their country. We are keeping these briefings confidential, even as we act transparently by sharing our general findings with the public,“ the U.S. Embassy said.
State Department: Russia is seeking to undermine democracies from within, the IC found that this Russian activity is global in scope
Russia is seeking to undermine democracies from within. The IC found that this Russian activity is global in scope, a State Department spokesperson told Europetime. „We have long known that Russia is seeking to subvert democratic processes around the world, and we are raising awareness that, as part of these efforts, Russia is pursuing operations to degrade public confidence in the integrity of elections themselves. To better understand this threat, the U.S. Intelligence Community undertook a review of Russian operations to undermine public confidence in democratic elections that took place between January 2020 and December 2022. The IC found that this Russian activity is global in scope. Russia is seeking to undermine democracies from within. In response, the U.S. State Department has briefed more than 100 democracies on these Russian efforts and steps we can take in response. We also are speaking openly about these findings. The U.S. government has and will continue to expose Russia’s efforts to undermine democratic elections around the world. We also will continue to work with other democracies to further these efforts. We are seeking to increase public awareness of and resilience to these Russian activities. „We will continue to work with our fellow democracies to advance these actions, including through new policy initiatives – like this multi-part exposure campaign,“ - a State Department spokesperson told Europetime. The United States on Friday released a U.S. intelligence assessment sent to more than 100 countries that found Moscow is using spies, social media and Russian state-run media to erode public faith in the integrity of democratic elections worldwide. The assessment was sent in a State Department cable dated Wednesday to more than 100 U.S. embassies in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa for distribution to their host governments. US Embassy: The U.S. government has and will continue to expose Russia’s efforts to undermine democratic elections around the world