🕯️Today we remember one of the darkest pages in Latvia’s history book, when #OTD in 1941 the Soviets deported over 15 400 people from Latvia. #NeverForget

Tomorrow, Ukraine and Moldova will take a major step on their EU journey. The first Intergovernmental Conference will take place in Luxembourg. We will begin work on the Fundamentals cluster, which deals with values, democracy and the rule of law. The foundation of our Union.

Our warriors have achieved good results in applying long-range sanctions against important facilities on the territory of Russia and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. More than 700 kilometers from our state border, in Russia’s Yaroslavl region, SSU warriors struck an oil facility that was important for the reserves of the aggressor state. Warriors of our army reached their targets in Russia’s Tula region – specifically, the Azot plant, whose operations are critical to explosives production capabilities. Air traffic restrictions were imposed at six Russian airports, and overall, since yesterday evening, 28 regions of Russia have been under air raid alerts. There were also hits on the occupier’s military logistics in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine. Ukraine is carrying out its plan of long-range sanctions against Russia and the assigned tasks regarding mid-range strikes in response to Russia’s refusal to end this war. We have offered the Russian leadership every possible format for negotiations – and the only response was continued aggression and attempts to expand it. It stands to reason that the war is coming back to where it came from. Ukraine needs peace. Glory to Ukraine!

Russia is carrying out hundreds of strikes against Ukrainian cities and communities, attacking our civilian infrastructure every day. This past week alone, the Russians have launched 1,920 attack drones, 1,790 guided aerial bombs, and 17 missiles of various types against Ukraine. We need to step up our countermeasures against these attacks. We are preparing for meetings with partners to strengthen our defense against this Russian terror. The G7, EU, and NATO summits are ahead. And it is very important that these negotiations result in concrete decisions. We expect meaningful meetings with our partners. First and foremost, we need support for air defense and our long-range capabilities, an expansion of cooperation in the Drone Deals format, and further strengthening of sanctions pressure on Russia. We must end this war in a dignified way and with guaranteed security. And it is through strength, the unity of partners, and pressure on Russia that this can be achieved in a lasting way. I thank everyone who is helping us!

For centuries, Kyiv maintained close ties with European countries through diplomacy – although diplomatic relations looked quite different in medieval times. The families of Rus princes Volodymyr the Great and Yaroslav the Wise built connections with royal families in France, Norway, Sweden, Hungary, Poland, Byzantium, and beyond. These dynastic connections helped shape long-lasting links across the continent. Through royal courts and family connections, traditions and ideas travelled across 11th-century Europe – from Anna of Kyiv becoming Queen of France and participating in political life to Elisiv of Kyiv bringing the connections of Rus to the Norwegian royal court through her marriage to Harald Hardrada. Discover some of the dynastic marriages that connected Rus with royal courts across Europe.

British-made Mastiff armoured vehicles, Dutch rifles and Ukrainian infantrymen of the Third Assault Brigade's Rifle Battalion on the front lines of Ukraine's east. Thank you to everyone defending Ukraine against Russia's aggression and terror.

1570th day since Russia invaded. Ukraine resists. Ukraine stands firmly. #StandWithUkraine️

An important milestone for Ukraine’s EU accession process was reached today as all 27 EU Member States unanimously approved the European Union’s Position on Negotiation Cluster 1 at the COREPER meeting. I am grateful to the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU, the European Commission, and all EU Member States for their leadership, unity, and continued support for Ukraine’s EU accession. This decision recognizes Ukraine’s reform efforts and demonstrates the EU’s commitment to a credible and merit-based enlargement process. We now look ahead to the Intergovernmental Conference in Luxembourg on June 15, where Cluster 1 is expected to be formally opened for Ukraine. We remain focused on delivering reforms and advancing the accession process at a steady pace. Together, we are bringing the reunification of Europe closer and building a stronger, more secure, and more united European future.

Thank you, Secretary General @alain_berset, for your steadfast leadership and personal commitment to advancing justice and accountability for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. The Council of Europe has been at the forefront of international efforts to ensure that the crime of aggression does not go unpunished. The Special Tribunal is a historic step toward ensuring accountability for the crime of aggression and for those who launched this war, continue to wage it, and issue criminal orders. Justice is not optional. It is essential for lasting peace and the credibility of the international legal order.

Grateful to @Stortinget for the unanimous ratification of Norway's accession to the Special Tribunal and the Claims Commission. Thank you to the Norwegian Government and @EspenBarthEide for advancing these crucial bills. Together, we will ensure full accountability for the crime of aggression and other Russian atrocities. 🇺🇦🇳🇴

I presented state awards to warriors of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, handed over the Order of the Golden Star to the family of a fallen Hero who was awarded this title posthumously, and presented combat flags to the units. The Unmanned Systems Forces are one of Ukraine’s greatest achievements – proof of Ukrainian leadership in technology and in saving lives through technology. The number of Russian targets struck thanks to our Unmanned Systems Forces already reaches hundreds of thousands per year, and over the past year alone – from June to June – it amounts to more than 356,000 Russian targets struck. Thank you! I am proud of every man and woman serving in the Unmanned Systems Forces – from soldiers and sergeants to Magyar and all commanders. And we always remember every Ukrainian warrior who gave their life so that Ukraine can live and remain independent and strong.

I had a meaningful call with my Romanian colleague @oana_toiu. I thanked Romania for its steadfast support for Ukraine, solidarity with our people, and strong backing of Ukraine’s EU accession process. We discussed the importance of maintaining momentum on enlargement decisions, including the opening of negotiation clusters. Ukraine has done its homework and we count on continued support from our partners to move the process forward. I briefed my colleague on the latest battlefield developments and Russia’s ongoing attacks against Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure. We share a common goal: restoring a comprehensive and lasting peace and strengthening security in our region. Particular attention was devoted to cross-border security issues arising from Russia’s war against Ukraine. We discussed recent drone incidents on the territory of Romania and agreed on the importance of close coordination, effective communication, enhanced situational awareness, and early warning mechanisms. Ukraine remains committed to working closely with Romania to minimize risks and respond promptly to challenges created by Russian aggression. Ukraine and Romania will continue working together, both bilaterally and in international formats, to strengthen regional security and advance our common European future.

🇵🇹 Warmest congratulations to Portugal and the Portuguese people on the occasion of Portugal’s National Day. Que este dia seja celebrado com orgulho, alegria e união! I would also like to extend my sincere appreciation to Ambassador António Alves Machado and our colleagues at @PortugalCoE for their friendship, solidarity and steadfast cooperation within the Council of Europe. Wishing Portugal peace, prosperity and continued success. #PortugalDay

We continue to apply Ukrainian long-range sanctions against Russian military facilities and the oil industry. In particular, last night Ukrainian FP-5 Flamingos struck a military plant in Cheboksary that supplies the occupier’s army with components for drones and missiles. I thank the Armed Forces of Ukraine for their precision! The Kuibyshev oil refinery in the Samara region was also hit last night. The distance from the frontline is more than 900 kilometers. I am grateful to the warriors of the Special Operations Forces, the Unmanned Systems Forces, and the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine. The entirely just responses of the Security Service of Ukraine also reached two oil infrastructure facilities in the Vladimir region, at a distance of 700 kilometers. I thank everyone who fights and works for Ukraine!

Europe is strongest when Europeans act together, not separately. This is what we are achieving in all our formats. On Sunday, we had the Ukraine–E3 format. Today, it is Ukraine–NB8. And we stay in regular contact with the United States. We are preparing together for the upcoming EU and NATO summits, as well as the G7 summit meetings. All of this can bring real results.

Valuable meeting with President @ZelenskyyUa in Tallinn today. We continued our discussions on Gripen fighter jets and developments on the frontline. Ukraine has the momentum on the battlefield - Sweden will continue to support.

Being unable to achieve its goals on the battlefield, Russia increases terror against civilians. The world cannot close eyes to its scale. At least three people were killed, including a pregnant 22-year-old woman, in Chuhuiv, as a result of Russia’s overnight terrorist attacks on Kharkiv and its region. In Zaporizhzhia, Russian strikes killed at least two people and injured over thirty, including children. In Chernihiv, Russians struck an ordinary truck that delivered bread, injuring its 55-year-old driver. Other regions have been under attack as well. Russia has already committed over 200,000 war crimes in Ukraine in the course of its full-scale invasion. It must be held accountable. We urge the world to ramp up pressure on the Russian regime and further increase the cost of this terror for the aggressor.

I thank @Keir_Starmer, @EmmanuelMacron, and @bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz for their support. We met in the important E3–Ukraine format. A substantive discussion focused on our defense. I informed them about the situation on the battlefield and Russia’s losses. For five consecutive months now, the aggressor has been losing more than 30,000 troops killed and wounded. It is important that our assessments align with those of our partners: Russia is not winning on the battlefield, and our mid-range strikes and deep strikes are significantly limiting its ability to expand its aggression. But it is also extremely important to have protection against ballistic threats, with which the Russians are terrorizing our cities and communities. We also discussed possible ways to reinvigorate diplomacy and Europe’s role in this process. For Ukraine, it has always been a priority that Europe’s position and voice in the negotiations be strong. I thank Britain, France, and Germany for their support and readiness to help. We agreed that our teams will work on the next steps.

This is what the Zolochiv community in Ukraine's Kharkiv region looks like today. Due to its proximity to the border with Russia, civilians here have endured constant Russian attacks since the first day of the full-scale invasion. Russian forces regularly strike the area with artillery, kamikaze drones and guided aerial bombs, targeting homes and civilian infrastructure. Russia will not stop on its own. It must be stopped.

Today I am in Britain. We will have our bilateral talks with Keir and a meeting in the E3 plus Ukraine format: President of France Emmanuel Macron, Chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz, and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Keir Starmer. Our teams have already done substantive work to prepare all the meetings. Now it is important to discuss everything and agree on the key things at the leaders’ level. The main focus is our defense in the war, greater cooperation for the security of all of Europe in the area of air defense, and our shared view of diplomatic prospects – Europe must be part of the negotiations and must be strong. A meeting with His Majesty King Charles III is also scheduled for tomorrow. I thank the United Kingdom and all our partners who, through real steps, are helping us strengthen the protection of life and increase pressure on Russia for its aggression. Russia must end its war.