Politics news · 17 October 2026
Trump withholds intelligence and Starshield from Ukraine after Putin call
Analysis published 17 October details how Washington paused intelligence sharing and blocked Ukraine's Starshield access following a two-hour Trump-Putin phone call, leaving Kyiv exposed as Russia intensified strikes.
EU summit ends without budget deal as Belgium blocks frozen Russian assets
Two-day Brussels summit closed on 17 October with no agreement on the 2028-2034 budget and Belgium vetoing use of €185 billion in frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine's €40 billion defence gap for 2027.
EU blames Russia for Black Sea drone attacks on civilian shipping
EU leaders' summit conclusions on 17 October squarely placed blame on Russia for a wave of drone and unmanned-boat attacks that struck at least seven cargo vessels in the Black Sea in October.
OIC foreign ministers open 52nd session in Baghdad as Iraq takes presidency
Foreign ministers from 55 Organisation of Islamic Cooperation member states opened their 52nd Council in Baghdad on 17 October, with Iraq taking the rotating presidency from Türkiye and Gaza topping the agenda.
Japan's PM Takaichi sends offering to Yasukuni Shrine but skips visit
Japan's first female prime minister sent a ritual masakaki tree stand to the war-linked Yasukuni Shrine on 17 October, the start of its autumn festival, while skipping a personal visit to avoid friction with Beijing and Seoul.