Episode October 19, 2026 48 min 50s

Zelensky defies Trump with ‘massive’ raid on sites across St Petersburg

Day 1,695.

Today, following the temporary Starlink-Starshield shutdown last week, we reveal how Musk approached President Trump to slow down Starlink in Ukraine. Meanwhile, the U.S. Ambassador to the EU – following Trump’s last minute executive order to block the bipartisan, Russian sanctions act – warns European companies face "devastating" retaliation from Washington if Brussels moves forward with plans to restrict American tech rivals. Meanwhile, with the so-called “energy ceasefire” a distant memory, we report on the continued attacks by both Russia and Ukraine, including a major strike on an oil terminal in St Petersburg. Finally, we turn to the fundamental questions facing Europe: who will be leading it in a few months' time, and how can pro-Ukraine politicians prepare for the worst case scenarios?

Contributors:

Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.

Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.

James Crisp (Europe Editor). @JamesCrisp6 on X.

Producer: Rachel Porter

Senior Producer: Lilian Fawcett

Video Producer: Tom Steed

Social Producer: Natalia Makohon

Studio Director: Meghan Searle

Executive Editor: Francis Dearnley

Created by David Knowles

NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE:

Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest

CONTENT REFERENCED:

Buy tickets to War Room, a new interactive event in London:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph-events/the-war-room/

Exclusive: Musk approached Trump to slow down Starlink in Ukraine (Joe Barnes for The Telegraph)

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/16/musk-approached-trump-slow-down-starlink-help-ukraine/

US threatens European companies over Starlink restrictions (Financial Times)

https://www.ft.com/content/d1e28d93-8574-4a46-946a-b261c401d6fa?syn-25a6b1a6=1

Zelenskyy says Ukraine 'will not prevail’ if U.S. takes Russia's side: Full interview (NBC)

https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/zelenskyy-says-ukraine-will-not-prevail-if-u-s-takes-russia-s-side-full-interview-271776837876

Europe’s populist Right has a Russia problem (James Crisp, Joe Barnes, James Rothwell, Henry Samuel and Meike Eijsberg for The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/19/putin-ukraine-dividing-europe-populist-right-le-pen-afd/

EU rushes to sanction Russia in case Le Pen takes power (The Telegraph)