Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a conversation with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
“I informed the prime minister about preparations for possible trilateral meetings at the technical level between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia. There are no obstacles on our part, but it is important that the American side prepare on its end and ensure the Russian side’s readiness,” Zelenskyy wrote on his Telegram channel.
The parties also discussed preparations for the Ukrainian power grid ahead of winter and other sensitive issues.
“Not everything can be discussed in detail over the phone—we agreed to meet in person in the near future. I am grateful to Donald and Poland for their support. Only by joining forces across Europe can we stop Russia and prevent this insane war from continuing,” the president concluded.
The Lithuanian government has approved a draft law providing for additional restrictions on the acquisition of real estate by citizens of Russia and Belarus near strategically important facilities, Open4Business reports, citing data from the Lithuanian authorities.
According to a proposal by the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the restrictions should apply to real estate located near military training grounds and other facilities of importance to national security. The draft law materials refer to areas within a radius of up to 10 km from the relevant facilities.
A significant change is that the restrictions are proposed to be extended, among others, to citizens of Russia and Belarus who have a residence permit in Lithuania.
Currently, the country already restricts the right to acquire real estate for Russian citizens who do not have a temporary or permanent residence permit, as well as for legal entities whose beneficial owners are Russian citizens. An exception is provided for receiving real estate through inheritance.
The new draft law should expand the existing restrictions. Similar rules are proposed to be established for citizens of Belarus and legal entities associated with them, while Russians and Belarusians with a residence permit would additionally be restricted from acquiring real estate near facilities important to national security.
The Lithuanian authorities explain the initiative by the risks of hybrid threats, intelligence activities and possible surveillance of strategic infrastructure and military facilities.
The problem is of a fairly significant scale. According to data from Lithuania’s Centre of Registers published in February 2026, Russian citizens owned about 8.7 thousand real estate properties in which they controlled at least 50% of the ownership. Belarusian citizens owned another approximately 4 thousand properties.
Thus, taken together, citizens of the two countries own approximately 12.7 thousand real estate properties in Lithuania.
The highest concentration of such property is in major cities and their suburbs, as well as in border municipalities, including Visaginas and Šalčininkai.
The authorities are paying particular attention to real estate near strategic infrastructure. According to data cited by Lithuanian media with reference to the Centre of Registers, after the start of the full-scale war, 1,845 Russian citizens acquired real estate near airports, as well as within 10 km of military training grounds and power plants, of whom 364 had temporary residence permits.
At the same time, this does not mean a complete closure of the Lithuanian real estate market to all citizens of Russia and Belarus. The new additional restrictions are primarily tied to territories near facilities of interest to national security.
The draft law still has to be considered by the Seimas of Lithuania. If finally approved, the new rules are planned to apply from January 1, 2027.
The Japanese government is considering a new package of sanctions against Russia, which could include restrictions on vessels belonging to the so-called “shadow fleet,” as well as further tightening of export controls.
This was reported on October 2 by the Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun, citing several government officials.
According to the publication, Tokyo is considering joining efforts to further intensify sanctions pressure on Russia amid new restrictions being imposed by European countries.
One of the main targets of the new package could be vessels of the Russian “shadow fleet,” which are used to transport oil and petroleum products in circumvention of Western sanctions.
The Japanese government is also considering expanding the list of goods whose export to Russia is prohibited or restricted, as well as further strengthening export control mechanisms.
The final composition of the new package and the date of its implementation have not yet been officially announced.
As of October 2, the new package has not yet been published in the Japanese Ministry of Finance’s official list of current sanctions. Nor has a corresponding decision been announced in the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ statements.
The last major package of additional Japanese sanctions related to the war in Ukraine was announced on September 12, 2025.
At that time, Japan imposed asset freezes on 47 Russian organizations and nine individuals. Restrictions were also imposed on five individuals and one organization that Japanese authorities link to the annexation of Crimea, the destabilization of eastern Ukraine, and the Russian occupation of Ukrainian territories.
In addition, three organizations from third countries were subject to the restrictions.
The package included not only asset freezes but also expanded export restrictions. Japan has banned supplies to certain Russian organizations and companies from third countries that, according to the Japanese authorities, are linked to the Russian military-industrial complex or help circumvent the restrictions.
Thus, if the new package is adopted, it will mark the first significant expansion of Japanese sanctions against Russia in over a year.
A focus on the “shadow fleet” will mean a further alignment of Japan’s sanctions regime with the approach taken by the EU, the United Kingdom, and other G7 countries, which in recent years have been actively imposing restrictions on vessels involved in the transport of Russian energy resources.
At the same time, Japan maintains a unique position regarding Russian energy resources. The country continues to import LNG from the “Sakhalin-2” project, viewing these supplies as a crucial element of its own energy security.
The official list of Japan’s current sanctions has been published by the country’s Ministry of Finance. The new restrictions will take effect after the government adopts a corresponding decision and publishes the documents required by Japanese law.
According to an analysis by the Serbian business portal Parametar, starting November 1, 2026, Montenegro will introduce a visa requirement for citizens of Russia, Belarus, and Turkey, which could significantly impact the country’s tourism, labor market, rental sector, and real estate market.
On September 24, the Montenegrin government confirmed the initiation of the procedure to terminate the existing visa-free travel agreements with these three countries. The decision was made as part of efforts to bring the country’s visa policy into line with European Union regulations. As early as July 23, the government approved changes to the visa regime, which are set to take effect on November 1.
Until October 31, citizens of Russia and Belarus may enter Montenegro without a visa and stay there for up to 30 days. A similar visa-free regime applies to Turkish citizens. Once the new rules take effect, holders of ordinary passports will need a Montenegrin visa. Regarding Turkey, Podgorica plans to conclude a separate agreement, maintaining visa-free entry for holders of diplomatic, service, and special passports.
However, there are significant exceptions. Citizens of these countries who hold a valid Schengen, U.S., British, or Irish visa or a corresponding residence permit will, as before, be able to enter Montenegro without a separate Montenegrin visa for up to 30 days.
The new regime also does not require a tourist visa for foreigners who already hold a valid temporary or permanent residence permit in Montenegro or a permit for temporary residence and work.
According to data from the Montenegrin Ministry of the Interior cited by Parametar, as of the end of 2025, 20,793 Russian citizens and 13,506 Turkish citizens held temporary or permanent residence permits. Together, these two communities account for approximately 5.5% of the country’s population, which totals about 624,000 people.
The Belarusian community is significantly smaller. According to the latest census, as of late October 2023, 738 Belarusian citizens had permanent residence in Montenegro; more recent data on Belarusians is not currently available.
Tourism could become one of the most vulnerable sectors. In 2025, Russian tourists accounted for 16.4% of all overnight stays by foreign visitors in Montenegro, while tourists from Turkey accounted for another 4.3%. In the private accommodation segment, the Russian market’s share reached 22.1%, while the Turkish market’s share was 4.9%. Thus, these two countries accounted for more than a quarter of all foreign overnight stays in apartments, villas, and other private accommodations.
According to Parametar’s assessment, the most noticeable impact may not be among Russians and Turks who already legally reside in Montenegro, but rather among new tourists, real estate buyers, renters, and those considering the country as a place to relocate. This is particularly important for Budva, Bar, Tivat, Kotor, and Herceg Novi, where foreign demand plays a significant role in the rental, real estate, hospitality, and service markets.
The changes may also affect the labor market. In 2025, 10,346 temporary residence and work permits were issued to Turkish citizens, and 7,429 to Russian citizens. Turkey has become the largest source of foreign labor in Montenegro. The introduction of an additional visa procedure for new workers could potentially delay their recruitment in the construction, hospitality, and other sectors.
The visa reform is linked to Montenegro’s EU accession process. The country’s government notes that full alignment of visa policy is one of the conditions for closing Negotiation Chapter 24, “Justice, Freedom, and Security.” Fulfilling this condition also paved the way for receiving approximately 4 million euros under the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.
As part of a broader reform of Montenegro’s visa regime, visa requirements will also apply to citizens of China and Saudi Arabia starting November 1, since Podgorica’s previous policy toward these countries was also not in line with EU regulations. However, the government’s September 24 decision to suspend international agreements directly concerns Russia, Belarus, and Turkey.
Hungary plans to meet the country’s natural gas needs without supplies from Russia by October 2027, said István Kapitány, the country’s Minister of Economy and Energy.
“If everything goes as we expect, Hungary’s gas supply will be secured from other, non-Russian sources by the deadline set by the European Union in October of next year,” the minister said in an interview with Telex published on September 18.
According to Kapitány, Hungary’s high dependence on Russian gas did not arise from a lack of technical capacity to purchase fuel from other countries. Hungary is connected by gas pipelines to several neighboring countries, and the Russian supply system was used for a long time primarily because it was considered the most cost-effective option. The minister did not specify by how much the share of Russian gas has already decreased in recent months.
The deadline is directly linked to new EU regulations. EU Regulation 2026/261 provides for the cessation of imports of Russian pipeline gas under long-term contracts after September 30, 2027. In exceptional cases, if a country is unable to ensure the required level of storage filling, the deadline may be extended to November 1, 2027.
For Hungary, the transition is particularly significant, as the state-owned MVM maintains a long-term contract with Gazprom Export for approximately 4.5 billion cubic meters of gas per year. The contract originally runs through 2036; however, MVM’s own documents note that the European ban will effectively prevent the use of Russian long-term supplies after the fall of 2027. The company is already expanding its portfolio of alternative gas sources.
LNG is becoming one of the key areas of focus. MVM ONEnergy has signed a five-year contract with the U.S.-based Chevron for approximately 2 billion cubic meters of liquefied natural gas. Deliveries under this contract are scheduled to begin on October 1, 2027, immediately after EU restrictions on Russian pipeline gas take effect.
In addition, MVM has reached an agreement with Azerbaijan’s SOCAR for the supply of 800 million cubic meters of gas over a two-year period starting in 2026.
Romania is emerging as another potential source. The development of the Neptun Deep field in Romania’s sector of the Black Sea is expected to begin production in 2027. Once it reaches full capacity, it is projected to supply approximately 8 billion cubic meters of gas per year, which will create additional opportunities for deliveries to Central Europe, including Hungary.
Thus, Captain’s statement signals a significant shift in Hungarian energy policy: Budapest, which in previous years had opposed an accelerated phase-out of Russian fuel, is now preparing its gas supply balance to meet EU requirements by the fall of 2027. At the same time, the minister emphasized that the country has sufficient gas supplies for the current heating season and that the authorities do not anticipate any problems with the physical availability of fuel.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent cited Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil infrastructure as one of the causes of the global energy crisis and rising energy prices, according to The New York Times.
“We are currently experiencing an energy shock due to the war in Ukraine, as Ukraine has decided to target Russian energy assets and oil refineries, which is driving up prices globally,” Bessent said.
According to The New York Times, Bessent made this statement after two days of meetings in North Carolina with finance ministers from around the world. He cited Ukraine’s strikes on Russian oil infrastructure as one of the causes of the global energy crisis, which he said was primarily caused by the U.S. war with Iran.
The publication notes that Bessent’s remarks came after the U.S. invited Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov to the G20 meeting, a move that drew criticism from some of Ukraine’s allies.
Bessent also defended his bilateral meeting with Siluanov, citing the need for cooperation to resolve Russia’s war against Ukraine.
At the same time, as the American publication notes, Bessent’s criticism of Ukraine’s military tactics sparked a negative reaction among Ukrainians.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/03/business/bessent-energy-prices-ukraine.html
