Overview

• Moscow called off the Oct. 15 Russia–Arab summit, officially citing the Gaza ceasefire rollout tied to President Donald Trump’s plan, and is now tentatively targeting November.
• Bloomberg and other outlets reported that only a handful of leaders had confirmed, with Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE not on board, undercutting the Kremlin’s showcase effort.
• Conflicting signals from Moscow continued as Deputy FM Sergei Ryabkov said the Anchorage momentum with Washington was largely exhausted, while aide Yuri Ushakov and Putin insisted contacts and understandings from the Alaska meeting still stand.
• Pressed on potential Tomahawk transfers to Ukraine, Putin said Russia would strengthen its air defenses and suggested a new weapon could be announced soon following tests.
• During a visit to Tajikistan, local grievances and broader competition from China and the EU underscored strains on Russian influence, with analysts noting Tajikistan is unlikely to enforce the ICC warrant against Putin.