Symbolic imageHundreds leave Oleshky under truce as Europe fears exclusion from talks
Russia and Ukraine began evacuating occupied Oleshky on Friday under a local truce. Europeans fear being shut out of the coming talks.
The evacuation began on Friday, 30 October, under a truce in force since Tuesday, 27 October, until late on 1 November, brokered with help from Pope Leo XIV and US first lady Melania Trump. Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi said 527 residents wanted to move to Ukraine, travelling via Russia and Belarus, the FT reports. Russian ombudsperson Yana Lantratova said the mission ran without incidents, but also that a Russian soldier and a civilian died during demining. Both sides report no truce violations.
Europe seeks a seat
The US, Russia and Ukraine are due to meet in Abu Dhabi in early November, the FT reports. Finland's president Alexander Stubb and Norway's prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre phoned Putin on 27 October without EU backing and were criticised by allies. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said three-party talks do not envision EU participation.
Pentagon urges restraint
Pentagon officials, including policy chief Elbridge Colby, asked Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and possibly others to tone down rhetoric on Russia, Reuters sources said. Colby cited descriptions of Russia as "cornered like a rat" as an example.