Jun 3, 2026, 04:00 PM UTC

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his readiness for direct negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the ongoing conflict. Speaking alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, President Zelenskyy also confirmed an agreement with the United States and other partners for the swift delivery of additional Patriot air defense systems and missiles, with efforts underway to secure funding.

Meanwhile, hostilities continued, with Russian forces reportedly striking Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region, killing three people and injuring four others. The Dnipro district also experienced shelling, leaving two individuals hospitalized with serious injuries. Separately, Ukrainian drones reportedly targeted St. Petersburg on the opening day of the International Economic Forum. Reports indicated explosions near the city's seaport and at least four fires at an oil terminal. The St. Petersburg governor stated 59 unmanned aerial vehicles were downed, while authorities in Leningrad Oblast reported several injuries.

Sources: Українська правда, Радіо Свобода, Громадське

A Chinese artificial intelligence startup, DeepSeek, is reportedly nearing completion of a $7.4 billion funding round, potentially one of the largest technology investments in China. In Eastern Europe, Ukrainian drone strikes between March and May significantly impacted Russian oil refining capabilities, leading to record low average volumes in April since 2009. Despite this, Russia's oil and gas tax revenues increased by 32.4% year-on-year in May, reaching approximately $9.3 billion, driven by rising global energy prices. Elsewhere, France's initiative to extend its nuclear deterrence across Europe has met with mixed reactions, while the UK's Competition and Markets Authority has mandated Google to implement controls for publishers regarding their content's use in AI Overviews.

Sources: Bloomberg, Forbes Ukraine, Euractiv, Reuters, UK government

Ukraine launched a drone attack on St. Petersburg, Russia, on Wednesday, June 3, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky calling it a "just" response to Russian aggression. Zelensky stated the strikes targeted "purely military objectives," including the Kronstadt base and a weapons production facility in the Tambov region, and welcomed the targeting of Russia's oil industry. The attack reportedly damaged "several" infrastructures and caused a fire at an oil terminal, coinciding with the city's International Economic Forum. This development follows a record Russian missile barrage overnight June 1-2, when Moscow fired numerous Iskander-M and Tsirkon hypersonic missiles at Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv and Dnipro, reportedly exploiting a deficit in Ukraine's Patriot air defense systems.

Sources: Le Monde

A recent investigation by Hungarian publication Telex has revealed that the detention of Ukrainian Oschadbank cash collectors and their assets by Hungarian authorities in March was reportedly a personal decision by then-Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The report indicates that there were insufficient legal grounds for the operation, which occurred on March 5. Forbes Ukraine suggests the action was taken as retaliation concerning the 'Druzhba' pipeline. In response to these findings, current Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar has publicly urged Viktor Orbán to take responsibility for the incident.

Sources: Hromadske, Ukrainska Pravda, Forbes Ukraine

Iranian drone strikes on Kuwait's international airport on Wednesday resulted in one death and over 60 injuries. Kuwaiti officials denounced the incident as "criminal Iranian aggression," while Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility, stating the attack was in retaliation for US strikes against Iran. Meanwhile, Israel continued its military operations in southern Lebanon on Tuesday but avoided strikes on Beirut. This followed a partial ceasefire agreement, announced by US President Donald Trump, which stipulated Israel would not bomb the capital in exchange for Hezbollah refraining from attacking Israel. The truce came after Iran had issued warnings regarding Israeli actions in Lebanon. Sources: BBC News.