⚡️New EU steel quotas set to eliminate over half of Ukraine's exports. The EU's new steel allocation, set to enter into force on July 1, was introduced in response to global steel overcapacity, which has been hurting EU producers.

The Last Frontier: European Manufacturers Move Ahead on Ballistic Missile Defense open.substack.com/pub/missilem...

Surprised to come across a guy needing two hands to watch a video on his phone while using zero hands to pee. The European Parliament contains all sorts.

Today it's ten-years since the UK held the Brexit referendum. Thankfully I don't need to say much about it because @katiewestwood.bsky.social did so better than I ever could over at @brusselstimes.com us8.campaign-archive.com?e=349ef79e27...

⚡️ In joint appeal, Ukrainian and Polish media sound alarm over crisis in relations. Six Polish and Ukrainian media outlets issued a rare joint appeal on June 23, warning that escalating tensions between the two countries risk playing into Russia's hands.

Watch out Western Balkans, where the EU Council conclusions talk about Ukraine and Moldova needing to follow the "merit-based process", the conclusions for the Balkans describe the process as "reversible".. 🥶 www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/pre...

What this means for the opening of the 5 remaining clusters is anyone’s guess, but there have been a whole range of political objections and issues raised. Ukraine isn’t going to have it easy. kyivindependent.com/hungarys-mag...

🤡 🫠 kyivindependent.com/trump-thanks...

Horrible news to start the day :-(

It's important when big declarations come out to keep an eye open not only for what is mentioned, but also for what is not mentioned that perhaps should have been. kyivindependent.com/g7-set-to-le... Ukraine has a budgetary black hole which I hear will remain unplugged. Let's see..

I may be sitting in a bus next to Lake Geneva but that doesn’t mean I can’t still find out what’s going on in the European Parliament. Check out this one: kyivindependent.com/exclusive-eu...

EU Enlargement Commissioner @martakos.ec.europa.eu right now celebrating "Mega Monday" where Ukraine, Moldova, and Montenegro all make significant progress on their EU membership bids. She wants all six clusters open by summer. Holds out hope for a "Terrific Tuesday" in July!

My latest from over at the G7 in Evian! The EU is now in the driving seat on Ukraine, but the expectation is others should play their role too. Eyes open to see if any new commitments come out of the next couple of days..

Was happy to visit Berlin last week, even if for just a day. And I learned a lot, some of which you can find in this article! :-)

⚡️Irish alumina exports to Russia escape latest EU sanctions, but political pressure is growing. The EU's next sanctions package won't include Ireland's alumina exports to Russia, but a new letter by members of the European Parliament shows the issue is not going to disappear over the summer.

Today’s big day for Ukraine and Moldova’s EU path ! 🇺🇦🇲🇩🇪🇺 If you have no idea what ”opening cluster one” in their EU accession negotiations means but would like to understand what it’s all about, listen to our Mildly Alarmed episode from last week where @powers.eurosky.social explains it all:

Russia has attacked Kyiv’s equivalent of Paris’ Notre Dame during the night, along with multiple residential buildings. There was some talk of G7 leaders walking on eggshells about Ukraine this time to avoid triggering Trump. Less chance of that now. kyivindependent.com/russian-atta...

A very rustic evening in the hills above the G7 at Evian. The water is good, the wine too 🥂 Not to mention, the local cheeses 🧀

The week closes with the European Council summit on June 18–19. Zelensky addresses EU leaders directly, invited by Council President Antonio Costa. Accession progress is expected to be endorsed. #EuropeanCouncil 6/🧵

June 15 marks a historic milestone: Ukraine formally opens negotiations on the first EU accession cluster, "Fundamentals", in Luxembourg. #Hungary lifted its veto. More clusters are expected to open in July, ahead of the original schedule. #EUEnlargement 5/🧵

EU foreign ministers meet for the Foreign Affairs Council on June 15. Watch for the 21st sanctions package: Russian energy price freeze through end-2026, new crypto and financial services restrictions, and visa bans for Russian soldiers. #EUSanctions 4/🧵

The G7 summit in France (June 15–17) is the diplomatic centerpiece of the week. Zelensky is expected to attend at Macron's invitation. The backdrop: recent Ukrainian battlefield gains and stalled Moscow talks held by ambassadors from the UK, Germany, and France. 3/🧵

Ukraine's EU accession takes a historic step forward this week as the "Fundamentals" cluster formally opens in Luxembourg. G7 leaders gather in France with Zelensky expected. What else to watch next week? 👇🧵 #KIweekahead #UkraineUpdate Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Wow some important tone shifts in latest episode of Real Time with Bill Maher. Realising now that Germany is spending, that Europe is doing way more now, and that Ukraine is “winning”. 💪 As the panel says, time for America to back a winner.

"We will open the cluster on fundamentals; the backbone of the accession process," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on June 12. "It covers the core values and principles on which the EU is built, from the rule of law to strong democratic institutions."

If you’re in Luxembourg on June 15 for Ukraine’s next accession step and for some reason decide you wanna listen to a Russian opera signer, you’re in luck! The Grand Duchy has you covered, and its Philharmonie has the worst, or best, possible timing. Read on: kyivindependent.com/as-ukraine-a...

A bit of a marathon episode this week, but it reflects the topic: Ukraine’s EU integration 🇪🇺🇺🇦 This should get you up to speed on the opening of cluster 1 next week, thanks to our guest @powers.eurosky.social who did a great job explaining the technicalities !

YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS www.brusselstimes.com/belgium/2185...

Belgium’s Flemish language newspaper of note, De Standaard, has picked up my reporting on the country’s steel addiction! www.standaard.be/economie/reg... Send it to all your Nederlandstaligen vrienden ! And here’s me: kyivindependent.com/belgium-bloc...

There’s a few reasons why I like Kaja Kallas. Here’s another one! kyivindependent.com/neutrality-w...

Fish, fascists, fossil fuels, and financiers, and that's just the things beginning with 'F' that the EU is ready to smoke in its next sanctions package against Russia. Read more ! kyivindependent.com/eu-unveils-2...

When you go to a conference in Berlin and all the Brussels-based speakers are on the same plane back as you 💪

Big if true. If you wanna stay on top of EU Enlargement, get over here ☺️ kyivindependent.com/polish-conce...

Back in my favorite town, sadly only for the day. Berlin <3

⚡️ Group of Euroskeptic, radical MEPs pushes European Parliament to strip Zelensky of honorary award. All signatories to the letter sit outside of the European Parliament's political mainstream, with euroskeptic and pro-Russian politicians strongly represented.

Last time I reported on the European Parliament and Fernand Kartheiser, Politico reported it a week later as though it was new. Let’s avoid that situation and all agree to just read the Kyiv Independent this time! kyivindependent.com/right-wing-m...

We've reached the halfway mark. Thanks to the support of readers around the world, over 2,000 new members have joined the Kyiv Independent community — half of our goal: kyivindependent.com/membership/?...

⚡️Update: Zelensky confirms Ukrainian strike on St. Petersburg Oil Terminal. President Volodymyr Zelensky and the General Staff confirmed that Ukrainian forces struck the St. Petersburg Oil Terminal in Russia's Leningrad Oblast in the early hours of June 3.

⚡️ Hungary's Magyar hopeful that 'technical' talks on Ukraine minority rights will wrap up this week. If an agreement on the rights of the Hungarian national community is reached, Peter Magyar said he is ready to meet with Volodymyr Zelensky as early as next week.

This email from Partenamut would have been useful last week. Now, clearly it’s too little too late. Belgian summer is over, at least for the next days.

⚡️Explosions rock Kyiv in Russian strikes amid intelligence warnings of mass attack. Russia launched a large-scale aerial attack against Ukraine overnight on June 2, targeting Kyiv and cities across the country with missile and drone fire.

⚡️Update: Explosions again heard in Kyiv amid ongoing large-scale attack. Several explosions were again heard in Kyiv around 7:20 a.m. local time, according to Kyiv Independent journalists on the ground.

This is what I hate about Belgian media. @lalibre.be doesn’t say in this article that Vlaams Brabant and Limburg are also having that warning, the former geographically surrounds Brussels. It would have been so easy. And yet on divise le pays. Why?

If the EU’s forthcoming 21st sanctions package doesn’t hit Ireland’s Aughinish Alumina factory, its owners, or its ability to keep helping Russia’s war effort, we know who prevented it. The country about to hold the EU’s next six-month council presidency. 🇮🇪 kyivindependent.com/data-reveals...

President Volodymyr Zelensky signed decrees on May 29 imposing new sanctions that align Ukraine's restrictions with the European Union's 20th sanctions package against Russia, the Presidential Office announced on May 30.

⚡️Japan buys over $14 million in military equipment for Ukraine under NATO weapons program. Japan's contribution to the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative is limited to non-lethal aid.

Several Russian cruise missiles already maneuvering in Ukrainian airspace, along with as many as 20 Russian/Iranian Shahed-type attack drones. It looks like another big Russian Blitz air raid on Ukraine is brewing.

⚡️Hungary's Magyar secures frozen EU money, Ukraine issues remain stuck. "If I return every time with this amount of money, I might come back more often," Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar quipped during the press conference in Brussels.

⚡️Zelensky's decision to name military unit after WWII-era Ukrainian Insurgent Army sparks outrage in Poland. The decree entered into force on May 26 and was adopted "with the aim of reviving the historical traditions of the national army," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

A good day for Hungary. The good day for Ukraine , we have to wait for kyivindependent.com/magyar-secur...