War

Starmer, Macron and Merz will see Zelensky on Sunday in London. Putin: 'European elites cause chaos'

A bill passed by the US House of Representatives aims to consolidate US assistance to Ukraine by providing over $1 billion in security and reconstruction aid. It also provides an additional $8 billion for Ukrainian defence through loans

5 June 2026

Il sito di uno stabilimento lattiero-caseario colpito da un attacco con droni russi, nel contesto dell'offensiva russa contro l'Ucraina, nella regione di Kiev, Ucraina, in questa foto fornita e diffusa il 5 giugno 2026. Servizio stampa del Servizio statale di emergenza dell'Ucraina nella regione di Kiev/Foto fornita tramite REUTERS via REUTERS

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to London on Sunday 7 June to attend a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. "The three leaders will then meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has been invited to London." This was announced by the Elysée Palace, according to French and international media reports.

This meeting, explains the French Presidency, 'will allow us to continue to work closely together on our common agenda to continue to support Ukraine and step up the pressure on Russia's war efforts, while Russia, in a situation of military, economic and strategic failure, unsuccessfully persists on the front line in a bloody war'. In addition, the meeting will serve to "take stock of the work initiated in favour of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and on the European continent, in particular within the framework of the coalition of the willing".

Putin: 'European elites cause chaos'

"The European elites are causing chaos into which they are trying to attract more and more countries," Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the beginning of his speech at the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (Spief).

Drone attack on Russian-bound ship, 5 Azerbaijani sailors dead

A Russian drone attack on an agri-food production plant near the Ukrainian capital Kiev killed four people in the early hours of this morning. This was announced by the governor of the region. 'The enemy attacked a peaceful civilian food company,' Mykola Kalashnyk said in a message on Telegram. In contrast, five Azerbaijani sailors were killed in a drone attack on two cargo ships coming from Turkey and heading to a Russian port. This was reported by the Baku Foreign Ministry quoted by Russia's Interfax news agency.

For the drone attack on Russian cargo ships Moscow pointed the finger at Ukraine. "According to available information, the ships were attacked by Ukrainian drones, further confirming the terrorist nature of the Kiev regime, which is increasingly targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure," said Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The day also saw the explosion of a maritime drone this morning in the Romanian Black Sea port of Constanza, without causing any injuries. "The maritime drone, discovered this morning, 5 June, in the civil port of Constanța, near the headquarters of the Romanian Agency for the Protection of Life at Sea, self-destructed around 10.30 a.m. without causing any casualties," the Defence Ministry announced in a statement.

Russian Embassy: 'Drone exploded in Romania is Ukrainian'

The Russian Embassy in Romania stated that the sea drone that exploded in the port of Constanta, Romania, was Ukrainian, as were three others 'heading towards Romanian territorial waters'.

Romania, drone esplode nel porto di Costanza: il boato nel mar Nero

"These are Ukrainian marine drones, used by the Kiev regime to carry out terrorist acts against civilian ships and threaten the safety of shipping in the Black Sea," the embassy says on its Telegram channel, adding that "any attempt to directly or indirectly attribute responsibility for this incident to Russia is without any basis."

A few days ago another drone had crashed into a residential building in the country, injuring two people. Kiev confirmed that that naval drone was Ukrainian. "While carrying out missions in the Black Sea zone of operations, one of the Ukrainian Navy's drones, under the effect of the enemy's electronic warfare assets, lost control and ended up off the coast of Romania," the Kiev Navy announced on social media. "The Naval Forces of the Ukrainian Army provided the necessary information to the Romanian naval forces in order to prevent casualties among the civilian population," it read.

Che cosa racconta la “Davos russa” di Mosca (e di noi)

Kallas: 'Drone in Constanta shows that war extends to the EU'

"The explosion of a drone in the port of Constanța shows that Russia's war is increasingly spreading to EU territory. I spoke with Foreign Minister Toiu Oana about today's developments and expressed the EU's full solidarity with Romania. The ultimate responsibility for what happened lies entirely with Russia'. EU High Representative Kaja Kallas wrote this on X. "As President Zelensky told Putin in an open letter yesterday: Moscow can end this war at any time. Next week, EU defence ministers will discuss how to further strengthen our support for Ukraine and increase the Union's own defence readiness," she added.

Moscow: new prisoner exchange with Kiev, 185 on each side

Russia and Ukraine, meanwhile, carried out a new prisoner exchange, freeing 185 soldiers on each side. This was reported by the Russian Defence Ministry, quoted on television.

Moscow: first meeting between Russian and Ukrainian human rights commissioners

The Russian Commissioner for Human Rights, Yana Lantratova, said she had an initial meeting today with her Ukrainian counterpart, Dmitry Lubinets, with whom she agreed to develop cooperation. The meeting, writes the Tass news agency, took place on the border between Ukraine and Belarus. In particular, Lantratova stressed, the two commissioners agreed to exchange lists of citizens to be repatriated, to continue joint visits to prisoners of war in the two countries, and to deliver letters and parcels from relatives to prisoners of war.

EU: 'We support Zelensky's letter, Ukraine and Europe for peace'

Volodymyr Zelensky's open letter to Vladimir Putin is 'another demonstration of Ukraine's genuine interest in negotiations' and 'we support' Zelensky's call for a meeting, 'Ukraine wants peace, Europe wants peace'. This was said by a European Commission spokeswoman. Regarding a possible involvement of the E3 at the negotiating table, the spokeswoman stressed that the EU supports the prospects for peace "in every format" but does not want to enter the discussion "on who should be the mediator".

Ucraina, Zelensky a Putin: incontriamoci per mettere fine a guerra

US House approves aid to Ukraine and sanctions on Moscow

The US House of Representatives passed a bill providing for aid to Ukraine and sanctions on key sectors of the Russian economy with 226 votes in favour and 195 against, overcoming the objections of those among the Republicans who had warned that the bill would undermine negotiations aimed at achieving a similar but stronger result.

The bill, introduced by Congressman Gregory Meeks, Democrat of New York State, aims to consolidate US assistance to Ukraine by providing more than $1 billion in security and reconstruction aid. It also provides for an additional $8 billion to be made available for Ukrainian defence through loans.

Without Trump's OK Senate stop

In essence, 18 Republicans, 207 Democrats and one independent voted in favour of the bill. Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar joined 194 other Republicans in voting against it. Supporters hope that the approval of the Ukraine bill by the House of Representatives will put pressure on the Senate to do the same. However, they also know that the Senate will probably not approve it unless Donald Trump gives his support to the bill.