EU accession talks for Ukraine and Moldova to begin amid rising civilian casualties and US military reduction

The European Union will open accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova on June 15, commencing the "Foundations" cluster which addresses rule of law and public administration. This was confirmed by the Cypriot Presidency of the EU Council. Meanwhile, a UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission report revealed that May 2026 saw the highest number of civilian casualties in Ukraine in four years, attributed to Russian aggression. In a separate development, the United States intends to significantly reduce its military aircraft and warships allocated for NATO operations in Europe. European officials have voiced concerns that this decrease could impact NATO's long-range strike and reconnaissance capabilities. Sources: Громадське, Українська правда.