Jun 12, 2026, 07:30 PM UTC

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EU to open accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova, UN reports high civilian casualties, and China trained Russian military

The EU will officially begin accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova on June 15, focusing on foundational reforms. Meanwhile, the UN reports a sharp rise in civilian casualties in Ukraine, and EU intelligence confirms China trained Russian soldiers.

The European Union is set to officially commence accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova on June 15, initiating the "Foundations" cluster. This initial phase will address critical areas such as rule of law, public administration reform, and democratic governance, as confirmed by the Cypriot Presidency of the EU Council. Concurrently, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine reported a significant increase in civilian casualties for May 2026, noting 274 deaths and 1,763 injuries, marking the highest figures in four years. Separately, EU intelligence services have confirmed reports that China provided training to Russian military personnel on its territory, with some subsequently deployed to Ukraine, despite denials from Beijing.

Sources: Громадське, Українська правда, Радіо Свобода

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EU to resume Kyiv accession talks as Ukrainian strikes continue

Ukrainian forces continued strikes on Russian oil and military sites, including refineries in Tatarstan, Bryansk, and Samara, with President Zelensky's support. The Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant lost external power, prompting IAEA warnings.

Ukrainian forces continued strikes on Russian oil and military sites, including refineries in Tatarstan, Bryansk, and Samara. President Volodymyr Zelensky supported these actions, stating, "We continue to apply Ukrainian sanctions." Concurrently, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant recently lost all external power, prompting the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to warn of "permanent dangers to nuclear safety." European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen introduced the 21st package of sanctions against Russia, asserting, "Our sanctions are working." Separately, the European Union is scheduled to resume accession negotiations with Kyiv on Monday. An anonymous European official also claimed that China has trained hundreds of Russian soldiers.

Sources: Le Monde

Israeli and Palestinian civil society groups call for sanctions against colonization

Israeli and Palestinian civil society groups met in Paris, urging France and G7 nations to impose sanctions on Israel to halt the destruction of Palestinian territories, intensified since the October 7th attack.

Representatives from Israeli and Palestinian civil society organizations convened in Paris, facilitated by French authorities, to address the ongoing conflict. The groups collectively urged France and G7 member states to impose sanctions on Israel. Their demand aims to pressure Israel to halt what they describe as the systematic destruction of Palestinian territories, a process they assert has intensified since the Hamas attack on October 7th. The activists specifically requested "sanctions" to influence Israeli actions. The meeting occurred ahead of the G7 summit, which was scheduled to open in Evian. Sources: Le Monde