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The US and Iran have signed an initial memorandum of understanding at the G7 in France, covering sanctions relief, a $300bn reconstruction fund, and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, though Iran's nuclear programme remains unresolved with 60-day talks ahead.

This comes as the EU Parliament passed its strictest-ever migration law, and Finland voted to lift its decades-old national ban on nuclear weapons following its 2023 NATO accession.

Read more below ⤵️

Top 5 Stories

1️⃣ 🇺🇸🇮🇷 US and Iran sign initial peace deal: The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding at the G7 in France, covering sanctions relief, a $300bn reconstruction fund, and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran's nuclear programme still unresolved pending 60-day talks. Trump warned the US would resume bombing if no final deal is reached, while Iran's key negotiator maintained distrust of Washington and suggested the Strait would not return to pre-war conditions.

2️⃣ 🇺🇸🇪🇺 Hegseth announces review of US forces in Europe: The War Secretary told NATO counterparts in Brussels that a six-month review of American forces in Europe would hinge on how fast allies assume primary responsibility for their own defense. He also condemned European allies for blocking US base access during the Iran conflict, calling it "shameful", while pushing for a restructured "NATO 3.0" built around European-led conventional defense.

3️⃣ 🇪🇺 Europe hits NATO spending target but remains divided: Every EU member of NATO met the 2% GDP defense spending threshold for the first time in 2025, though eastern flank states like Poland are spending well above that while major economies like France, Italy and Spain barely cleared the minimum. Oxford Economics cautioned that real gains in military capability are smaller than headline figures suggest, with around 40% of EU defense equipment spending going to suppliers outside the bloc.

4️⃣ 🇹🇼🇰🇪 Kenya deports Taiwan delegates at China's alleged behest: Two Taiwanese delegation members were denied entry, detained for over 20 hours, and deported by Kenyan immigration authorities ahead of a global oceans conference in Mombasa, with Taiwan alleging Beijing pressured Nairobi into the move. Kenya defended the deportations, stating its foreign policy recognises only one China and that Taiwanese passport holders lack valid documentation for formal state meetings hosted by the Kenyan government.

5️⃣ 🇫🇮 Finland votes to lift total ban on nuclear weapons: Finland's parliament passed a bill by 125 to 61 votes repealing a decades-old national ban on the import, possession and detonation of nuclear weapons, aligning the country with NATO's deterrence policy following its 2023 accession to the alliance. The bill still requires presidential approval, while opposition parties have criticised the move as a departure from Finland's long-standing position on nuclear weapons.

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Major Story

🇪🇺🇷🇺 EU opens back-channel to Moscow

A member of European Council President António Costa's cabinet has reached out to establish a communication channel with the Kremlin, marking a departure from the bloc's de facto policy of avoiding direct contact with Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to an EU official who spoke to POLITICO. 

The contacts, described as brief and limited to non-substantive matters, were framed as necessary to protect the EU's "specific interests" and establish diplomatic channels ahead of potential peace negotiations. 

The move comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged EU leaders at a gathering in Cyprus last month to take a more active role in talks, citing U.S. disengagement from the process. 

The initiative has deepened divisions within the bloc, with Poland and Baltic states warning that direct engagement risks undermining pressure on Moscow, while a senior Nordic EU diplomat dismissed the outreach as "delusional," and a separate EU diplomat noted the European Council has no mandate to act in this capacity.

Other News

1️⃣ 🇪🇺 EU Parliament passes strictest-ever migration law: The European Parliament approved sweeping new migration legislation allowing deportation centres outside the bloc, home searches, extended detention of up to two years, and stricter entry bans, carried by a centre-right and far-right coalition. Socialist MEPs and NGOs warned the law risks normalising practices that would have been considered unthinkable in the EU just years ago, with concerns raised over migrants' rights.

2️⃣ 🇯🇵 Japan accelerates military overhaul amid regional tensions: Defense Minister Koizumi told the BBC that bolstering Japan's defense capabilities and alliances is critical to preventing conflict, as the country relaxes decades-old arms export rules and doubles defense spending to 2% of GDP. The shift moves Japan away from its post-war pacifist posture, with PM Takaichi pushing to revise Article 9 of the constitution, triggering some of the largest anti-war protests in decades.

3️⃣ 🌍 UN warns acute hunger set to worsen across 13 hotspots: The FAO and WFP cautioned that around 266 million people already facing high food insecurity could see conditions deteriorate between June and November, driven by conflict, funding cuts and climate shocks. Sudan, South Sudan, Yemen and Gaza remain the gravest cases, with Nigeria and Somalia newly added.

4️⃣ 🇺🇦 Ukraine launches largest drone attack on Moscow in two years: Russian air defenses intercepted at least 194 drones bound for the capital overnight, while a broader offensive across Russia saw 555 drones intercepted in total, with a key oil refinery damaged and flights at major Moscow airports temporarily suspended. Zelensky, in Brussels for NATO meetings, framed the strikes as a deliberate strategy to pressure Moscow into ending the war and a justified response to Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities.

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