Ahhhh well isn’t it lovely to wake up in a world that now has a TRILLIONAIRE who’s also the cringiest dude on the whole planet and, for some reason, has been personal beef with my entire country.

Belgium’s Russian Steel Loophole— Belgium remains the EU’s largest importer of Russian steel slabs, using an exemption that allows deliveries to continue until September 2028 despite more than four years of sanctions. The trade supports two Belgian plants linked to Russian steel giant NLMK and protects local jobs, but it also channels revenue and an artificial cost advantage to a company controlled by Kremlin-linked billionaire Vladimir Lisin. Brussels argues that sanctions should hurt Russia more than European workers, yet alternative suppliers already exist in countries such as India, Brazil and China. brusselstimes.com/2184858/be… Get our daily insights: underfirenews.substack.com

Cluster 1, “Fundamentals,” to be open – a decisive step bringing Ukraine closer to EU membership. This proves that reforms work, and that enlargement remains merit-based, credible, and alive. This is not the finish line. It is the beginning of the hardest work – a shared effort to fulfill the aspiration of the Ukrainian people, who have given so much for their European future. Ukraine is ready. Europe is moving forward, united. Thank you, @CY2026EU, @vonderleyen, @eucopresident, @MartaKosEU, @kajakallas, and the leaders of all EU member states for your unwavering support and historic contribution.

Reports state that 623,000 Schengen visas were issued to Russian citizens in 2025, a 10.2% increase over the previous year. Approximately 480,000 were tourist visas. Ban all visas for russians!! Each one is a security risk.

Today, the European Union took a major step forward. All member states agreed to open the first accession negotiations cluster with Ukraine and Moldova. At the first intergovernmental conference on Monday, we will open the cluster on fundamentals; the backbone of the accession process. It covers the core values and principles on which the EU is built, from the rule of law to strong democratic institutions. This is a recognition of the determination, courage and hard work shown by both countries in advancing reforms, even in the face of immense challenges. And a signal that the EU’s offer of peace, stability and opportunity is unmatchable. Enlargement is a strategic choice. By bringing our nations closer together, we strengthen peace, security and prosperity across our continent. In a world marked by growing uncertainty, a larger European Union is in our common interest. Enlargement remains one of the EU’s greatest success stories and our best investment in our shared future.

Good call with @eucopresident António Costa. I welcome the decision to open the first cluster of accession negotiations on Monday. Moldova is ready to open all of them — we’ve done the work, and we’ll keep delivering reforms. Looking forward to the EU–Moldova summit on 22 June.

...and in the darkness bind them.

🇩🇪 The head of the German Army issued a strong warning: Russia could attack a NATO country sooner than previously estimated. “We must be ready to fight,” he said.

Urlaub in der EU 🇪🇺 ist ein Privileg, kein Recht für Bürger eines Landes, das einen Angriffskieg auf unserem Kontinent führt. #StandWithUkraine #Ukraine

Fast 500.000 russische Staatsbürger verbrachten im vergangenen Jahr ihren Urlaub in Europa. Währenddessen starben zahlreiche Ukrainer 🇺🇦 durch Russlands brutale Angriffe. 🚨 Es ist höchste Zeit, die Vergabe von Schengen-Touristenvisa an russische Urlauber zu beenden.

Kaja Kallas has done a great job pissing off Europe’s and freedom’s enemies China and russia, so of course those are whining France and Germany and all EU should empower her more, not throw her out and appease the imperialists and aggressors

Kaja Kallas: > Estonian 🇪🇪 > hawk on russia > hawk on china > for European unity > called out the Trump admin for undermining Europe > hated by Trump, MAGA, the Kremlin, CCP > hated by bots that spell Kyiv as Kiev > constant smear campaigns > every time I mention her, my replies get flooded with bots, making the ease of mass blocking much easier. What’s not to love? 🤌😎

Rome was one of the greatest empires simply by their ability to get Greeks to pay their taxes

EU sanctions and an entry ban. Now.

Wenn das nächste Mal Kreml-Vertreter von AfD und BSW oder pro-russische Kommentatoren und selbsternannte „Experten“ in Talkshows lungern, muss dieses Video unzensiert zum Auftakt als Pflichtprogramm laufen. Ihr wollt doch Schlagzeilen haben, wenn ihr diesen Putin-Fanatikern die Bühne bietet, oder? Hier habt ihr einen Vorschlag, kostenlos, bedient euch! Konfrontiert diese Leute direkt zu Sendebeginn mit den Bestialitäten ihrer russischen Freunde und zwingt sie zu einer Live-Stellungnahme zu den dokumentierten Vergewaltigungen von Frauen und Kindern, statt ihnen eine Bühne für Propaganda zu bieten.

⚡ BREAKING: EU proposes first-ever entry ban on anyone who has served in the Russian military since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Ursula von der Leyen says.

tagesschau.de/investigativ/n… Russische Schrott-Tanker mit schwerbewaffneten Crews und Söldnern an Bord dürfen nicht wie Kreuzfahrtschiffe behandelt werden. Sie gefährden unsere Sicherheit und haben kein Recht auf sichere Durchfahrt. Nord - und Ostsee sind kein rechtsfreier Raum, Herr @bundeskanzler.

😂 #Putin supporter. Moldovan citizen living in Germany was detained upon entering #Moldova and is set to stand trial for allegedly calling for war. He publicly urged Vladimir Putin to attack Moldova while residing in #Germany. He operated several YT and TikTok accounts with hundreds of thousands of followers.

The russian refinery says alumina shipped from Ireland does not end up in weapons. The Irish Government seems uninterested in testing that claim. So I took a sample myself. It will now be compared with battlefield debris from Ukraine. This should have been done by the state.