EU to open accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova, UN reports high civilian casualties, China denies training Russian troops
The EU will formally commence accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova on June 15, focusing on rule of law. A UN mission reported May 2026 had the highest civilian casualties in Ukraine since April 2022, while EU intelligence confirmed China trained Russian troops, a claim
The European Union is set to formally begin accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova on June 15, opening the "Foundations" cluster, which will address rule of law and public administration reform. This development was confirmed by the Cypriot Presidency of the EU Council. Meanwhile, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine reported a significant increase in civilian casualties for May 2026, documenting 274 fatalities and 1,763 injuries, marking the highest monthly total since April 2022. Separately, EU intelligence services have corroborated reports that China provided training to Russian military personnel on its territory, with some subsequently deployed to Ukraine, claims Beijing has consistently denied. Sources: Громадське, Українська правда, Радіо Свобода
