Financial Times

Euroclear CEO Valerie Urbain believes that the European Commission's plan to invest frozen Russian assets in riskier instruments to increase profits for Ukraine is "expropriation. " She warns of significant risks and potential losses that could arise from such actions.

Donald Trump, in a private conversation with Volodymyr Zelenskyy on July 4, asked if the Ukrainian Armed Forces could strike Moscow and St. Petersburg if the US provided appropriate weapons. Zelenskyy answered in the affirmative, and Trump supported the idea to force Russia into negotiations.

Linda Yaccarino, CEO of X Corp. , announced her resignation after two years. The Financial Times reports that the reason was disagreements with Elon Musk, whose direct style clashed with her sophistication, despite the successful expansion of X's advertising business.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated the readiness of the German military to defend NATO's eastern flank, particularly Lithuania, from a possible Russian attack. Germany has already realized the need for rearmament and increased defense spending.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated that the country will not supply long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine to avoid depleting its own stocks. Berlin has already transferred three out of twelve Patriot systems to Kyiv and will ask the US for permission to purchase two more for Ukraine.

The Pentagon is demanding that Japan and Australia clearly define their actions in the event of a US-China war over Taiwan, causing frustration among allies. This is part of US efforts to strengthen deterrence and prepare for a potential conflict.

European officials doubt that Donald Trump's change in rhetoric regarding Russia and Putin indicates a pro-Ukrainian stance. They believe that Trump sees Putin as a partner and Zelenskyy as an obstacle to a peace agreement.

The US Department of State plans to lay off hundreds of employees after a Supreme Court decision allowed job cuts. This reduction, which accounts for about 15% of the staff, aims to increase the department's efficiency.

Western Europe recorded its hottest June ever, with an average temperature of 20. 49°C. This is 2.81°C above the 1991-2020 average, indicating increased heat stress in the region.

The Port of Rotterdam is reserving berths for vessels with military cargo and planning cargo diversions in case of conflict. This is being done in coordination with Antwerp and at NATO's request.

The European Commission is considering options to finance Ukraine's budget deficit for next year, which could reach $19 billion. Off-budget grants, advance loans, and the use of Russian assets are being discussed.

The production of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets in the United Kingdom has practically ceased due to a lack of new orders. This raises concerns about the loss of critical aerospace industry skills and affects the country's participation in the Global Combat Air Programme.

The European Union plans to create emergency reserves of critical minerals, including rare earth metals, and cable repair kits. This decision was made amid growing concerns about the EU's vulnerability to attacks and hybrid threats.

The United States of America is considering imposing 17% tariffs on agricultural exports from the European Union. European officials are trying to negotiate exemptions for certain goods, including aircraft parts and alcohol.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced an upcoming conversation with Donald Trump, which will take place tomorrow or in the coming days. Ukraine expects continued American support, particularly the supply of Patriot systems.

OpenAI has signed a deal with Oracle to lease 4. 5 GW of computing power worth $30 billion per year to expand the Stargate project. Oracle will build several data centers in the US to fulfill the contract, which is one of the largest deals in the cloud services industry for AI.

The United States has halted the supply of several important types of weapons to Ukraine, including Patriot interceptors and high-precision shells. The decision, made in early June, is due to concerns about Washington's own military readiness.

The US dollar is rapidly depreciating, heading for its worst half-year performance since 1973. This is due to President Donald Trump's trade and economic policies, which are forcing investors to reconsider their attitude towards the currency.

The NATO summit in The Hague demonstrated the growth of European defence spending, but calls for a ceasefire in Ukraine indicate a change in mood. NATO has refocused on deterring Russia, while Ukraine faces heavy casualties on the frontline and the risk of losing territory.

Poland will invest 2. 4 billion zlotys in the state defense group PGZ to increase the production of 155-mm and 120-mm artillery shells fivefold. This will reduce dependence on imports and strengthen the country's defense capabilities.

Russian special services are recruiting Ukrainian teenagers for espionage, offering money for completing tasks. The SBU has detained more than 700 people involved in espionage, about 175 of whom are minors.

Canada has canceled a 3% digital services tax on tech giants, which was due to come into effect on June 30, to resume trade talks with the United States. The move restores dialogue after US President Donald Trump called the levy a “direct attack.”

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said that Iran could resume uranium enrichment within months, despite previous American strikes. The country's existing industrial and technological capabilities allow them to quickly resume this process.

Iran's stockpiles of highly enriched uranium remained undamaged after US strikes on nuclear facilities, as 408 kilograms of uranium were distributed elsewhere. This casts doubt on US President Donald Trump's claims of "destroying" Iran's nuclear program.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen faces a vote of no confidence over "Pfizergate" and other accusations. Far-right MEPs are trying to initiate a vote, but the chances of success are low due to the need for majority support.

The United States has imposed sanctions on three Mexican financial companies: CIBanco, Intercam Banco, and Vector Casa de Bolsa, suspecting them of laundering money for cartels and financing fentanyl trafficking from China.

Russia did not suffer from Iran's significant losses in the conflict with Israel, as it has established its own production of "Shahed" and accumulated a significant arsenal of missiles. Moscow is strengthening cooperation with China and North Korea to replenish its military resources.

The US House of Representatives banned the use of WhatsApp on government devices starting June 30 due to privacy risks and a lack of transparency regarding data protection. Meta, the company that owns the messenger, disagrees with this decision, emphasizing end-to-end encryption of messages and a higher level of security compared to other permitted applications.

Germany and Italy are demanding the return of their $245 billion gold reserves from US vaults, fearing President Trump's interference with the Fed's independence and geopolitical risks. Both countries are among the world's largest gold holders.

Chinese company Pop Mart, which created the Labubu toy, has become a global leader in the toy market, surpassing the value of Hasbro and Mattel. Its success is based on the "blind box" model, which stimulates collecting and repeat purchases, but raises concerns among authorities due to risks for minors.