Germany's likely next chancellor, a conservative, Friedrich Merz warned Europe should seek "independence" from the US as it grapples with the Trump administration's lack of support for Ukraine. France's Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron made very clear he believes Putin was "the aggressor" in Ukraine.

Algerian writer Boualem Sansal delivers his speech after receiving the Peace Prize of German book seller's association "Friedenspreis des Deutschen Buchhandels" during a ceremony in Frankfurt October 16,

Vance’s shocking words — and the prospects of American disengagement — were so traumatic, they prompted French President Emmanuel Macron to cobble together an emergency summit of European leaders, where the participants promptly agreed on nothing .