MULTILATERAL: EU Sanctions Russia & more – 28th Oct 2025

Saluton from BA! This is the Rorshok Multilateral Update from the 28th of October twenty twenty-five. A summary of what's going down in the world's major multilateral institutions.

First up this week, on Thursday the 23rd, the European Union signed off on a fresh round of sanctions against Russia, zeroing in on Moscow’s covert oil shipping network and future gas sales. The EU plans to phase out Russian gas imports by twenty twenty-seven and targets tankers that dodge price caps or disguise cargo origins.

It also adds more Russian banks and tech firms to the restricted list and tightens rules for crypto dealings. Even diplomatic travel got new limits, signaling the EU’s effort to squeeze Russia’s revenue streams wherever possible.

On a related note, on Thursday the 23rd, Kuwait’s oil minister said that the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is ready to boost production if the market needs it, following new U.S. sanctions that hit major Russian energy firms. He noted that the restrictions could redirect buyers toward Gulf suppliers and that oil prices had already climbed about five percent after the announcement of the new sanctions.

In some news on defense, on Wednesday the 22nd, the head of NATO publicly backed Donald Trump’s strategy for bringing the war in Ukraine to an end, saying that the U.S. leader’s pressure on Vladimir Putin helped bring us closer to peace. He pointed to Russia’s mounting losses and the weight of economic sanctions.

On Friday the 24th, the International Organization for Migration said it had delivered more than 47,000 relief supplies to Gaza following the ceasefire, including about 31,000 items for shelter and 2,500 tents. The group stressed that safe housing is now one of the most urgent needs, with winter approaching and millions still displaced.

The organization’s teams are coordinating with local and international partners to distribute materials and repair damaged structures, aiming to help families rebuild some stability after months of conflict and destruction.

Speaking of Gaza, on Monday the 27th, former German foreign minister Joschka Fischer wrote an opinion piece arguing that Donald Trump’s proposed Gaza ceasefire leaves too many questions hanging. Fischer says that even though the U.S. has the influence to push both Israel and the Palestinians toward peace, Trump’s plan feels more like a short-term truce than a real solution. He questions what political structure would follow, how Palestinian rights would be handled, and whether Israel would truly change its stance. The piece warns that without clear goals, peace could slip away again.

You can read it in English with the link in the show notes.

Hurricane Melissa, which is moving through the Caribbean, hasn’t hit yet. However, on Sunday the 26th, UNICEF warned that around 1.6 million children are now at risk of facing potentially life-altering impacts, including disrupted services, sudden flooding, and heavy winds, due to the hurricane. The agency says it is working with partners to pre-position water purification kits, hygiene items, and emergency cash to help families respond. UNICEF highlighted the region’s smaller islands as being particularly vulnerable to this sort of extreme event.

In brighter news on health, on Friday the 24th, officials from countries, regulators and partner organizations met at a global forum to talk about how to use artificial intelligence in healthcare in a way that’s fair and safe for everyone. The World Health Organization and South Korea’s health authority hosted the gathering, which emphasized the need for rules that follow an AI system’s full life-cycle, match a country’s specific health system needs, and encourage international cooperation so no one gets left behind

On Friday the 24th, the U.S. pushed for an open global competition to choose the next United Nations Secretary-General, saying the job should go to whoever is most qualified, not based on geography. That move irritated several Latin American nations, which argue it’s their region’s turn to lead under the informal rotation system. The official selection process is set to start later this year, when the Security Council and General Assembly will call for nominations and begin vetting potential candidates from around the world.

Moving East, on Sunday the 26th, Timor-Leste officially joined the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, becoming the group’s 11th member and its first new addition in decades. The move caps years of preparation and diplomacy by the small island nation, which has a population of about 1.4 million.

It gives Timor-Leste greater access to trade opportunities, regional partnerships, and political cooperation.

In the Caribbean, on Wednesday the 22nd, the UN Security Council urged Haiti’s government to move forward with national elections next year. Council members said the country’s fragile democracy can’t afford more delays. Haiti’s election authority has identified over a thousand potential polling stations and budgeted around $137 million US dollars to carry out the first round.

For context, Haiti is meant to be a semi-presidential system where people vote for a president and also elect representatives to a parliament, with power shared between the president, a prime minister, and the legislature. In practice, elections are often delayed or disrupted, and many government positions have gone unfilled for long periods. The system struggles because of political instability, corruption, and gang violence, which together make it very difficult to hold fair elections and maintain stable leadership.

On Friday the 24th, the International Labor Organization released new data showing clear links between climate-related challenges and emerging green jobs opportunities in the Arab States region. The findings point out that rising heat, water scarcity and extreme weather are already affecting job quality and quantity, especially in sectors like agriculture, construction and tourism.

The International Labor Organization typically does research to understand working conditions, labor markets, and employment trends around the world. It collects data, studies workplace issues, and analyzes how policies affect workers and employers. The research helps governments, unions, and businesses create fair labor laws and improve job standards.

Going back to the UN, on Wednesday the 23rd, the United Nations Development Program and other UN agencies praised Nigeria for taking a strong lead on solving internal displacement issues. A joint mission highlighted that the government has shifted its focus from just providing emergency aid to working on long-term recovery, resilience and self-reliance. They noted that one state is now allocating nearly a quarter of its annual budget for durable solutions.

Nigeria has a large number of people who have been forced to leave their homes because of violent conflicts with armed groups, communal clashes, and worsening insecurity in several regions. Many end up living in crowded camps or temporary settlements inside the country, often without stable access to food, healthcare, or schools.

Meanwhile, on Monday the 27th, the Inter‑American Development Bank Group and South Korea unveiled a fresh cooperation package designed to boost innovation and sustainable growth across Latin America and the Caribbean. The initiative spotlights five key areas: artificial intelligence and digital transformation, energy, critical minerals, infrastructure, and talent mobility.

On Wednesday the 22nd, officials from across the Organization of American States member states adopted recommendations aimed at overhauling prison systems to focus more on dignity, rehabilitation and reintegration. The agreements, made during a meeting in Guatemala, call for evidence-driven management, professionalized staff, modern infrastructure and reduced dependence on incarceration.

For our last story this week, on Friday the 24th, South Africa announced a major step in its fight against HIV, with plans to roll out new prevention drugs early next year. At a two-day national meeting led by the Health Ministry, officials pledged to make the medicine affordable, widely available, and locally produced.

South Africa’s HIV crisis grew rapidly in the nineteen eighties and nineteen nineties, becoming one of the largest epidemics in the world. The disease spread widely due to social and economic inequalities, limited early public health response, and later government denialism that delayed treatment efforts. Over time, activism and scientific pressure led to major treatment programs, and today South Africa has one of the largest HIV treatment and prevention programs globally, though the epidemic still affects millions.

Aaand that’s it for this week! Thank you for joining us!

Did you know that we talk about many things besides multilateral organizations? We’ve got nine country updates! We also have two more non-sovereign shows, about the Ocean and the Arctic. Interested? Check out the link in the show notes. Got any feedback? You know how to contact us.

See you next week!