Press review: Trump’s Gaza plan gets support as India eyes more S-400s despite US pressure
Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, September 30th
US President Donald Trump
MOSCOW, September 30. /TASS/. Ukraine urged European countries to create a joint "air shield" against Russian threats; the United States and Israel reached agreement on Trump’s Gaza peace plan, while Hamas insists on full Israeli troop withdrawal; and India is weighing the acquisition of additional Russian S-400 or next-generation S-500 missile systems despite US and NATO pressure. These stories topped Tuesday’s newspaper headlines across Russia.
Izvestia: Moscow condemns Zelensky’s call for European 'air shield', warns of escalation
Europe continues to be pulled further into the conflict in Ukraine. Against the backdrop of a series of drone incidents in Poland, the Warsaw Security Forum opened with a proposal from Vladimir Zelensky: he urged European countries to set up a joint "air shield" against supposed Russian threats. In Moscow, the idea was faced with sharp criticism. This initiative only serves to entangle Europe as a party to the conflict, Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs Grigory Karasin told Izvestia.
Western media suppresses reputable reports about planned Kiev provocations — Russian MFA
Zelensky is seeking to enlist as many European countries as possible into the confrontation with Russia because he can no longer depend on his own resources, Karasin told Izvestia. "Zelensky repeatedly attempts to draw as many [political — Izvestia] forces as possible into the confrontation with us, with Russia, because he understands that it is already too late to depend on his own strength and on common sense. All the laws, all the provisions of the UN Charter, all the principles of common sense have already been violated by him and his team. Therefore, this [proposal for an ‘air shield’ — Izvestia] is nothing but a series of provocative schemes," the senator emphasized.
Zelensky’s words about creating an "air shield" suggest that Europe intends to address the Ukrainian crisis by creating a no-fly zone, Vladimir Vinokurov, editor-in-chief of the Diplomatic Service journal and professor at the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told Izvestia.
"Any deployment and efforts to resolve the issue of security guarantees through such means with the involvement of NATO armed forces will be sternly suppressed, as they will be seen by Russia as targets to be neutralized by our armed forces," Vinokurov stressed.
If European countries implement this idea and begin shooting everything down indiscriminately, this will escalate the conflict from a regional one to a continental level, said military expert Alexey Leonkov, editor of the journal Arsenal of the Fatherland, told Izvestia.
European countries are trying to draw US President Donald Trump into the conflict, Vinokurov believes. According to him, while earlier EU countries spoke of the need for a military victory over Russia, now they are attempting to secure for Kiev the current line of contact.
"Now they are carefully talking about finding a solution that would, as the saying goes, leave both the wolves fed and the sheep intact. But such an outcome is impossible, because events on the battlefield are unfolding in such a way that everything is moving toward capitulation. And that is the only path that ensures the elimination of the root causes of this conflict," the expert underscored.
Izvestia: Trump’s Gaza peace plan receives Israeli support, while Hamas insists on guarantees of IDF withdrawal
The United States and Israel have agreed on a plan for settling the situation in the Gaza Strip proposed by Donald Trump. At the same time, the Hamas movement is calling for assurances of a full withdrawal of Israeli forces, a halt to hostilities, and the handover of control of the enclave to the Palestinian side. Trump’s talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, held at the White House on September 29, were described by experts as a meaningful step toward ending the conflict, Izvestia writes. Washington has released a 20-point plan aimed at resolving the crisis. However, Hamas has made clear it is ready to discuss disarmament only in the context of the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Implementation of Trump’s plan for Gaza could affect Ukrainian conflict — envoy
Trump’s plan sets out specific phases and mechanisms for a settlement, to be agreed upon by all parties under US mediation. One clause covers the exchange of hostages. Among the central points are Hamas’s pledge to disarm, the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, and the start of a process of "deradicalization" of the population. These conditions, however, could prove a serious barrier to Hamas’s acceptance of the plan.
The matter of Hamas disarmament can only be settled within the framework of a consensus-based plan and dialogue among the stakeholders and the movement itself, Palestinian security expert Mohammed al-Masri told Izvestia.
"Hamas is prepared to discuss this issue solely in the context of the creation of a Palestinian state or the beginning of a political process leading to its formation. Who would oversee disarmament? Naturally, the Arab countries, the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), or possibly the Americans," the specialist stressed.
Palestinian expert Ayman al-Raqab noted that the White House talks open a real chance to reach an agreement on Gaza. According to him, Hamas’s military capacity is now restricted, and the organization understands the need for compromise to safeguard its positions and influence. "Hamas’s weaponry today is limited and consists mostly of a few automatic rifles, while the movement no longer has heavy arms, including missiles," the expert told Izvestia.
Sources from the Saudi television channel Asharq reported that the document contains numerous general formulations, leaving room for differing interpretations. Palestinians believe that the Israeli leadership could exploit this vagueness to maintain control over part of the territory and continue military actions under other pretexts.
Meanwhile, in an interview with Reuters on the eve of the meeting, Trump voiced confidence that all sides want to strike a deal. The American leader said that he had received a "very good response" from Israel and several Arab states regarding the possible agreements.
Kommersant: India considers purchase of additional Russian S-400s despite US pressure
India is exploring the possibility of acquiring additional Russian S-400 Triumf systems or next-generation S-500 Prometheus systems, The Print reported citing Indian government sources. The development of military-technical and trade-economic ties between the two countries is unfolding against the backdrop of preparations for the 23rd Russia-India summit, scheduled for December in Delhi. Both sides have made it clear that their cooperation will not be hindered by Washington’s negative reaction, as the United States seeks to push India into a "friendship against" Russia, Kommersant writes. Following the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Moscow sees no risk to its relations with India. The Indian side likewise dismisses pressure from the United States and NATO.
According to The Print’s sources, India’s growing interest in obtaining more Russian S-400 systems stems from their demonstrated high effectiveness during Operation Sindoor in May of this year against the Pakistani army. In addition to the S-400, the outlet reported, the Indian military is also considering the S-500 air defense system and evaluating the possibility of adding it to their arsenal.
On September 2, Director of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Dmitry Shugaev stated that cooperation between Russia and India could be expanded through extra deliveries of S-400 systems to Delhi, and that negotiations on this issue are currently underway.
Military-technical cooperation is progressing in parallel with preparations for President Vladimir Putin’s planned December visit to India.
Given that the Russia-India strategic partnership has become a serious irritant for the Trump administration, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov devoted particular attention to the topic during his press conference following the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York. Responding to a question from an Indian media outlet about what steps Moscow is taking to preserve its partnership with India in the face of US threats, Lavrov stated that the partnership between the two countries is not under threat.
Recent statements from the Indian side also show that Delhi is rejecting pressure from the United States and NATO to scale back cooperation with Russia, Kommersant writes. As Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said last week, the United States, as well as EU and NATO countries criticizing India for purchasing Russian oil, should refrain from double standards.
Vedomosti: CIS prime ministers sign 25 agreements to deepen industrial, economic, digital cooperation
Russia is actively broadening industrial cooperation with CIS countries on a bilateral basis, while at the same time reinforcing its own strong industrial base, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said during a plenary session of the international industrial exhibition Innoprom. Belarus. At the same time, CIS heads of government signed 25 documents governing cooperation among member states across a wide range of spheres. One of them outlines an action plan for the second stage of the CIS Economic Development Strategy through 2030. Delegations paid particular attention to the digitalization of their economies and core industries. Experts interviewed by Vedomosti believe the CIS is regaining importance as a coordination platform, while Russia seeks to deepen integration to counter external pressures.
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The CIS is gradually resuming its role as a significant platform for coordination on key areas — from trade and transport to science, digitalization, and defense, Active State Councillor of the Russian Federation, Candidate of Political Sciences, and Associate Professor at the Department of Political Analysis and Socio-Psychological Processes at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics Pavel Sevostyanov told the newspaper. Notable progress is visible in energy cooperation and mutual trade: in 2023 alone, trade turnover between the member states rose by more than 6%, which demonstrates the demand for integration mechanisms, he noted.
The direction of cooperation within the CIS is largely shaped by external conditions, and considering global trends, the key points of alignment are becoming energy, communications, logistics, ecology, product labeling, military-technical cooperation, and scientific research, Professor at the Institute of Public Administration and Civil Service of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration Vadim Evseev said. These fields, he added, are equally important both for intra-CIS cooperation and for collaboration with external partners.
Russia’s task is to take the initiative and make cooperation within the CIS more appealing in order to lessen the impact of external pressure and strengthen internal unity, the expert stressed. In his view, for CIS countries, the priority issues are financing, transport logistics, digitalization, scientific and industrial cooperation, as well as investment.
Vedomosti: Russia raises coal exports in January-August as Turkey, South Korea, China boost purchases
Russia’s coal exports in January-August 2025 increased by 2% year-on-year, reaching 135 mln tons, according to data from the Center for Price Indices reviewed by Vedomosti. In August alone, Russian coal shipments abroad jumped 7% year-on-year to 18 mln tons, the agency’s statistics show. Experts link the growth in Russian coal exports to heatwaves in Asia, floods in Australia, competitive pricing, and lower transportation costs, but caution that global price drops, high logistics costs, and production challenges may restrain annual export growth.
The rise in exports over the eight-month period was largely supported by a sharp increase in deliveries to Turkey (up 43% to 12.7 mln tons) and South Korea (up 36% to 13.8 mln tons). Exports to China (excluding Taiwan) also rose by 5% to 66.95 mln tons. In absolute terms, Turkey added 3.8 mln tons of Russian coal imports, South Korea 3.6 mln tons, and China 3.4 mln tons.
For South Korea, Russian coal proved the most affordable and accessible option amid supply disruptions from Australia caused by adverse weather conditions, analyst at the Center for Price Indices Danil Udachin told Vedomosti.
Growth in exports to China, Udachin added, was driven by the government’s campaign to curb coal overproduction, which reduced domestic output and raised demand for imports. High volumes of shipments to East Asia overall were also linked to the region’s heatwave in August, according to the Center for Price Indices data.
At the same time, Russian coal exports to India dropped by 29% in January-August, to 13.4 mln tons. As a result, India fell to third place behind South Korea among the largest importers of Russian coal, the Center for Price Indices data show. India is actively expanding domestic production to lessen dependence on imports, Udachin explained.
The decline in global coal prices in 2025 has increased the appeal of coal-fired generation, head of securities market analysis at Alfa-Bank Boris Krasnozhenov noted.
Floods in Australia, which reduced that country’s coal supplies and led to a partial rebound in market prices, also had a positive effect on Russia’s export dynamics, independent industry expert Maxim Khudalov told the newspaper. According to Nikolay Dudchenko, analyst at the investment company Finam, the key factor behind the rise in coal exports was the decline in hydroelectric power generation due to heatwaves, including in China.
Experts remain cautious in their projections of Russia’s coal exports for the full year. Krasnozhenov believes shipments abroad in 2025 will be broadly comparable with the 2024 figure. Dudchenko forecasts exports at 190-195 mln tons, a decline of 0.5-3%. Khudalov expects exports to decrease by 5-7% to 182.2-186.1 mln tons. Coal production, he added, may fall to 410-415 mln tons, down 6-7.5%.
