MOSCOW, September 25. /TASS/. The EU is having difficulty finalizing its 20th sanctions package against Russia; Donald Trump’s recent remarks on Ukraine reflect a tactic to distance the US from the conflict; and the US and Russia continue to keep lines open for dialogue on New START and strategic stability. These stories topped Thursday’s newspaper headlines across Russia.
Izvestia: EU faces deadlock on Russia sanctions as disputes over China, India, frozen assets hinder progress
The European Union plans to adopt its 20th package of anti-Russian sanctions by the end of this year, Izvestia writes. Despite pressure from the United States, the package will not contain sweeping secondary restrictions against India and China, as the EU remains split on the issue of targeting Russia’s trading partners. Analysts also deem confiscation of frozen Russian assets unlikely, citing the potentially severe negative impact of such a move. However, so far the 19th package, already coordinated with Washington, has yet to be formally approved. Meanwhile, the US itself has been sluggish to introduce new restrictions, despite sharpening its rhetoric toward Moscow.
"Discussions on the possible 20th package have not yet reached a concrete stage. Its adoption before the end of this year is possible. At present, however, the EU is focused on finalizing the 19th sanctions package against Russia in close coordination with the United States," Czech MEP Tomas Zdechovsky, a member of the European People’s Party, told Izvestia.
The likelihood of new sanctions being adopted before the end of 2025 was also confirmed to Izvestia by Luxembourg MEP Fernand Kartheiser, who noted that they are becoming increasingly unimpressive.
"The EU’s economic war against Russia has reached an impasse. This is a catastrophic outcome for a policy that, three and a half years ago, was aimed at securing a swift victory over Russia," the politician stressed.
Brussels is expected to move toward disconnecting more Russian banks from SWIFT, tightening compliance requirements for counterparties, and banning the supply of technological products, especially those related to artificial intelligence, Head of the research program at the Institute of International Studies and Deputy Dean of the School of International Relations at MGIMO University Ekaterina Arapova told the newspaper.
At the same time, Russia has already taken steps to offset restrictions in the technology sector through domestic development. As Arapova noted, the country has advanced in terms of supercomputer efficiency and is working to replace production of other critical components.
Kartheiser also suggested that the EU could confiscate frozen Russian assets totaling 200 bln euro. However, no consensus has been reached on this issue.
The probability of confiscating frozen assets is close to zero, Arapova believes. The EU does not want to be the first to take such a step, as it would cause irreparable damage to its reputation. Nor can concerns about Russia’s response be dismissed, given that European companies also still hold assets inside the country.
Vedomosti: Trump’s remarks on Ukraine seen as tactic to distance himself from conflict
US President Donald Trump’s statements about Ukraine’s ability to succeed on the battlefield, Russia’s weakness, and Washington’s readiness to continue supplying arms to Kiev through NATO were made under the influence of Vladimir Zelensky’s perspective, as Trump posted the remarks on his social media platform Truth Social after speaking with him, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Experts interviewed by Vedomosti argue that Trump’s recent remarks on Ukraine reflect not a genuine policy shift but a tactical move to distance the US from the conflict, preserve room for maneuver, and avoid responsibility for outcomes.
A day earlier, on September 23, Trump had held a bilateral meeting with Zelensky on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, after which he published the Truth Social post. In it, he allowed for the possibility of Ukraine’s military success with the support of the European Union and NATO, urged Kiev to show its achievements on the battlefield, and wished success to all parties involved.
American media outlets described Trump’s post as a "surprising turn" (Axios), a "shift in rhetoric" (CNN), and a "sudden change" (The New York Times). At the same time, US and international media did not interpret the statement as unequivocally positive for Kiev or European partners in the long term. Journalists noted that the remarks highlighted Trump’s desire to distance himself from the settlement process, the progress of which appears unlikely to Washington at this stage.
Having reached an impasse and exhausted the tools available to break the deadlock in the settlement process, Trump has shifted into a waiting mode while preserving the established framework of US policy: distancing from the conflict, presenting himself as an "honest broker," and refraining from any serious escalatory steps against Russia, associate professor at the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at the Higher School of Economics Dmitry Novikov told Vedomosti. The expert argued that Trump’s statement about Ukraine potentially recovering all its pre-conflict territories should not be taken as a serious position.
"The logic here is simpler - the dynamics of the coming months may alter the parties’ stances, which so far have remained unyielding: either Moscow realizes it cannot achieve more, or the Ukrainians and Europeans will face a worsening military situation and become more pliable. The latter is expressed directly in Trump’s remarks, while the former is implied between the lines," Novikov explained.
At the same time, the expert did not rule out Trump further withdrawing from mediation efforts. "The strength of his position, however, lies in the fact that in recent months he has constructed a comfortable framework around the conflict in which the United States does not bear the burden of the fighting and, crucially, does not carry responsibility for its outcome, while still remaining almost inevitably engaged in its resolution through diplomatic means. Under such circumstances, you can simply wait for it to resolve naturally and then reap the benefits," Novikov concluded.
Izvestia: US, Russia keep channels open on New START, arms control amid harsh rhetoric
Sharp statements by US President Donald Trump at the UN General Assembly strained the atmosphere for dialogue between Russia and the United States, but will not derail contacts on strategic stability, experts told Izvestia. In his address, Trump once again emphasized the problem of nuclear weapons. Russia, for its part, remains ready to assume voluntary commitments, provided the US does the same, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs Leonid Slutsky told Izvestia. The US response will indicate whether the Trump administration is genuinely seeking normalization of relations with Moscow, analysts believe.
Moscow believes that Trump’s vague remarks are not interpreted as a refusal of dialogue, including on New START. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the treaty had already been on the agenda of presidential discussions. Moreover, Washington’s shifting rhetoric, he stressed, should not affect Moscow’s decision-making on such a critical issue.
"Trump has repeatedly reversed himself, sometimes turning 180 degrees from his initial positions. President Putin’s initiative to effectively extend New START by one year is a concrete proposal requiring a clear response from the American side. Russia is ready to take on voluntary obligations if the US does the same, and Vladimir Putin made that point explicitly. This is a matter of utmost importance for strategic stability and global security," Slutsky said.
There is no direct link between Trump’s belligerent rhetoric and the dialogue on strategic stability, researcher at the Center for International Security at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations Dmitry Stefanovich noted. "First, there has been no specific reply to Russia’s initiative. At the same time, despite several peculiar remarks, Trump called the problem of nuclear weapons a serious one," the expert said.
If progress is achieved on strategic stability, this could open the way for discussions on regional stability and gradually broaden the agenda, expert with the Russian International Affairs Council Andrey Kortunov said.
For the United States, it would be prudent to accept Russia’s proposal, analyst at the Higher School of Economics Tigran Meloyan argued, since such a decision would allow all sides to avoid an expensive arms race and keep the window open for negotiations on a new agreement. "If Moscow and Washington lose New START, the overall balance of nuclear and non-nuclear forces could eventually be altered. This involves not only the US and Russia. Other nuclear powers, such as France and the United Kingdom, would also be forced to join the arms race," he noted.
Vedomosti: Iran taps Rosatom for small nuclear reactors amid cost, security concerns
The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) and Rosatom have signed a memorandum of cooperation on the construction of small modular nuclear power plants (SMRs) in Iran. The agreement was announced on September 24 by the press service of the Russian state corporation following a meeting in Moscow between Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev and AEOI head Mohammad Eslami. Russia has already inked several SMR cooperation agreements in 2024-2025 with Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Myanmar.
Experts interviewed by Vedomosti noted that Iran’s shift to small modular reactors reflects both strategic and practical considerations, though success will depend on sensitive financial issues and Tehran’s tense relations with the IAEA. Alexander Uvarov, editor-in-chief of the industry portal AtomInfo, believes Iran is most likely to be offered RITM-200 reactors with a capacity of 50-60 MW. "This is a modern small reactor technology, already tested in practice - for example, aboard the icebreakers Arktika, Ural, and Yakutia. In total, ten such reactors have been produced in their marine configuration," he noted.
Diversifying power generation is critically important for Iran, particularly as a substitute for gas, Head of the energy analytics group at consulting firm Kept Sergey Rozhenko told Vedomosti. Given the low efficiency of Iran’s thermal power plants, the launch of a large nuclear power unit could save up to 2.5 bln cubic meters of gas annually, he estimated. "Developing nuclear energy is a strategic step for Iran. With an energy system of 95 GW in installed capacity, large-scale nuclear power plants are more suitable. But small plants will also find their role, especially for industrial facilities," the expert said.
According to a source close to the nuclear industry cited by Vedomosti, Tehran’s choice of small rather than large-scale nuclear power plants may be tied to the Israeli Air Force’s strikes on nuclear facilities in June 2025. "When deciding on new attacks, Israel is unlikely to regard a small nuclear power plant as a dual-use facility. Therefore, such construction is unlikely to be targeted directly," the source said.
In addition, the source stressed, SMRs can be built more quickly and at a lower cost than large VVER-1200 reactor-based plants currently under construction in India, Egypt, Turkey, and Bangladesh. "Financial considerations are delicate for Iran, as the experience with Bushehr has shown. If needed, capacity can be scaled up by quickly adding additional units nearby," he explained.
Iran’s relations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will be decisive for SMR construction, Senior Researcher at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences Vladimir Sazhin said. These ties remain strained following Israeli airstrikes, with Tehran accusing the agency of passing information to Tel Aviv.
"Russia’s small reactors in Iran may provoke a response from the IAEA unless Tehran restores relations with it. At the same time, nuclear cooperation between Moscow and Tehran is explicitly included in their strategic partnership treaty," Sazhin said.
Kommersant: Europe sees record 2025 ammonia prices as Russian exports rise
Ammonia prices in Northwestern Europe have reached their record high for 2025 amid restricted supplies from North Africa and the Middle East, while Russia’s share in European imports of this chemical feedstock continues to grow. Experts interviewed by Kommersant believe that the increase of port capacities in Ust-Luga and the commissioning of a new terminal in Taman will further bolster Russian exports.
As of September 18, the CFR (Cost and Freight) price of ammonia in Northwestern Europe rose by 2.5% year-on-year to $605 per ton, according to Platts, part of S&P Global Commodity Insights. This marks the highest level since the start of 2025.
Analysts attribute the surge to a suspension of supplies from North Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, as well as anticipation of the launch of a new ammonia plant on the US Gulf Coast. Production in other regions, including the Middle East and Southeast Asia, also slowed due to both scheduled and unscheduled maintenance outages.
According to Egor Kozlov, consultant at Implementa, global ammonia prices, which had been declining at the beginning of 2025, began climbing in June against the backdrop of escalating conflict in the Middle East. Exporters in Iran and Egypt were forced to halt production, while even the already scarce supplies through the Suez Canal were curtailed. Although the active phase of the conflict has subsided, the expert noted that prices continued rising as regional ammonia producers prioritized output for urea to meet fertilizer demand, thereby slowly restoring supply to the market.
Kozlov added that additional price drivers included extended scheduled maintenance at the Ma’aden ammonia plant in Saudi Arabia, an anticipated shutdown for servicing Sorfert’s facilities in Algeria, and seasonal production cuts in Trinidad.
Valdis Plyavinsh, senior analyst at Yakov & Partners, pointed out that by the end of last year, Russia had been the leading supplier of ammonia to Europe, accounting for more than 15% of total European imports. In January-July 2025, this share grew to 19%. He attributed the rise in shipments to the full-scale launch of the Port Favor terminal in Ust-Luga at the end of 2024, from which at least 400,000 tons of ammonia were shipped in January-August. According to the analyst, the growth of port capacities will enable Russia to significantly ramp up ammonia exports.
The commissioning of the Taman terminal will add 1.5 mln tons of capacity, while further development of the Ust-Luga terminal will increase shipments by more than 500,000 tons.
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