Last updated October 27, 2026. Reporting runs through about October 24, and we’ll update this page as confirmed reporting arrives.
Overview
The war in Ukraine continues alongside the US-Iran war, which has strained air-defence supplies and US attention. Russia has stepped up drone and missile attacks on Kyiv, European governments have blamed Moscow for sabotage, and US-mediated peace talks have stalled. This page collects the key events, with sources, and links to PK Times coverage.
Timeline
- February: The last US-mediated peace talks take place, before the US and Israel launch their war on Iran. (Reuters via bdnews24)
- July (NATO summit, Ankara): Trump says Ukraine will be licensed to build Patriot interceptors. The licence reportedly covers only the missiles, not radars or launchers, and Raytheon executives call talks “early days.” Reuters-sourced reporting says producing them in quantity could take one to five years. (Aaj News, Euromaidan Press)
- July 25: Ukraine’s Security Service says its drones hit a Russian missile boat and targeted cargo ships it says carried military supplies between Iran and Russia. Iran says one sailor was killed and vows an answer. (JNS)
- August 4–5: A drone carrying explosives is found near a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig/Halle airport in Germany, and a second flying object hits a cargo plane. On September 1 Germany blames Russia, closes the Russian consulate in Bonn and the Russian House in Berlin, and raises its threat level to “high.” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas says it has “all the hallmarks of state-sponsored terrorism,” and ministers work on a package sanctioning 1,600 individuals and entities tied to Russia’s military industry. Russia calls the accusation absurd. (AP via News4Jax, The Star)
- Around August 17: CNN reports Ukraine has all but run out of Patriot interceptors, with the one launcher it was shown idle for six weeks. (CNN via KEYT)
- Late August: Ukraine says four interceptor systems for Russia’s faster jet-powered Geran drones have completed field trials. CIA Director John Ratcliffe visits Moscow and reportedly warns Russia against attacking NATO. (Euromaidan Press, SAN)
- September 13 and 21: Trump urges Zelensky to stop targeting Russian diesel infrastructure, according to the Financial Times as cited by Reuters. (Reuters via Internazionale)
- October 1–4: Russian drones hit Kyiv’s Southern Bridge and then its Northern Bridge, forcing full or partial closure of three of the city’s six road bridges over the Dnipro. Russia’s defence ministry says the bridges facilitate Ukrainian troop movements. AP reported two people wounded in the October 3 attack, while Reuters reported no casualties. (Boston Globe, Euromaidan Press)
- October 3: Zelensky appears to defy Trump, saying Ukraine will double down on attacking Russian refineries. (Reuters via Internazionale)
- October 19–22: Trump says Russia “has been fine on Ukraine,” and has waived some sanctions on Russia, which he says is to lower US fuel prices. US envoy Steve Witkoff holds what a US official calls “constructive” talks with Zelensky in Norway. On October 22 Russia fires 21 ballistic missiles at Kyiv, and Zelensky says the attack shows Witkoff’s talks with Putin had no effect. (Reuters via Internazionale)
- Around October 21: Putin agrees in principle to resume US-mediated talks with Ukraine, probably after November 10 and possibly in Abu Dhabi, with no date set. Zelensky says he expects trilateral talks by early November. (bdnews24, News of Bahrain)
Why it matters
- Air defence is stretched. Patriot interceptors used heavily in the Gulf during the Iran war contributed to Ukraine’s shortage, according to CNN. See our US–Iran timeline.
- Europe is treating the Leipzig plot as state-sponsored. NATO’s Mark Rutte said more drones and missiles had entered NATO airspace on the eastern flank.
- US-Ukraine relations have soured. Kyiv complains Washington has failed to deliver air defences European allies paid for. Washington denies deliberately hindering Ukraine’s war effort.
Open questions
- Will the trilateral talks go ahead after November 10?
- Will the EU adopt the 1,600-entity sanctions package? We didn’t find reporting on its adoption.
- Will Ukraine’s Patriot licence turn into a signed contract, and how fast could production start?
- Will Washington restore sanctions it waived?
- US midterm elections are scheduled for November 3, 2026.