The European Union will resume membership negotiations with Ukraine on Monday after Hungary's new government lifted a long-standing veto imposed by former prime minister Viktor Orban. EU leaders said all member states had agreed to open the first phase of accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova, marking a fresh show of support for Kyiv amid Russia's ongoing war.

On the final day of his Spanish tour, Pope Leo XIV on Friday visited Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands, where he urged migrants to do their part to integrate and host communities to welcome newcomers. "All of us are migrants", said the pontiff, urging communities to save people fleeing war, poverty and climate change from the "silent shipwreck" of abandonment. 

A major EU immigration reform allowing member states to reduce protections for asylum-seekers comes into force on Friday. The changes have prompted right groups to warn that humanitarian concerns are taking a backseat to politics in Europe, where public opinion has hardened on migration.

British Defence Secretary John Healey resigned on Thursday, accusing Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Treasury of failing to provide sufficient funding for the armed forces. The departure deepens pressure on Starmer ahead of a crucial by-election, with Healey warning that the government's delayed long-term defence investment plan could leave Britain vulnerable to security threats.

Pope Leo XIV on Thursday visited Spain's Canary Islands, the once-notorious centre of the European migration debate, where he threw a bouquet of flowers in the sea in tribute to the migrants who perished trying to reach the Atlantic archipelago. The pontiff made a plea for "human dignity" and condemned leaders, including Christians, who turn them away with "indifference". 

Images shared by military bloggers show Russian forces using black-and-white striped camouflage on their trucks. The technique aims to deceive the AI recognition systems of Ukrainian drones, underscoring the constant adaptation of tactics in the conflict.

Peeling paint, rundown roundabouts and shuttered post offices: in recent years, local public services across the United Kingdom have been in steady decline. But in some communities, volunteers have decided to step in – filling the gaps where the state has fallen short. Our France 2 colleagues report from Yorkshire, with FRANCE 24's Lauren Bain.

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday blessed the Sagrada Familia's soaring central Jesus Christ tower in Barcelona and celebrated Mass inside what is now the world's tallest church. The pope's visit during a week-long trip to Spain coincided with the 100th anniversary of architect Antoni Gaudi's death.

Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday urged greater attention to mental health after hearing emotional testimonies from young people at a prayer vigil in Barcelona, including a woman who described surviving a suicide attempt. He called on public health systems to address the "invisible and widespread malaise" of depression and warned that mental well-being is increasingly under threat.

Protesters on Tuesday set vehicles on fire and blocked several central roads in the Northern Ireland city of Belfast after police charged a Sudanese national suspected of violently stabbing another man in the street the night before. The attack was caught on video and prompted far-right figures to call for anti-migrant protests across the United Kingdom.

French singer and actor Patrick Bruel will be held in police custody until Wednesday as investigators questioned him over allegations of sexual assault and rape involving at least a dozen women, prosecutors said, adding that two new rape complaints had recently been filed.

Seven Georgian nationals are due in court in Paris on Tuesday for the theft of rare works by Russian literary giants including Alexander Pushkin from prestigious French libraries, in a case prosecutors say formed part of a Europe-wide organised theft operation.

Russian strikes killed four people and wounded 10 others in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, according to local officials. The attack hit the city of Chuguiv, causing fires, damaging residential buildings and vehicles, and adding to a surge in civilian casualties amid intensified fighting in recent months.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he held a positive conversation with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on Monday, signalling renewed efforts to advance diplomacy over the war with Russia. The call came as European leaders backed a proposed meeting between Zelensky and Vladimir Putin to seek a ceasefire.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Armenia is moving to distance itself from Russia and forge closer ties with the European Union. Despite pro-Russian disinformation campaigns targeting the government, the pro-European candidate won the parliamentary elections held on June 7.

Pope Leo XIV told Spanish bishops on Monday to provide reparations and adopt a "culture of care" ahead of an expected meeting with survivors of clergy sexual abuse during his weeklong visit to the country. The Spanish hierarchy had largely dismissed the scale of abuse in their church for decades until a newspaper began documenting a legacy of abuse and cover-up.

A drone that entered NATO member Latvia's airspace from Russia on Monday was shot down by a French military fighter jet, as fragments of another drone were found in a field in Moldova after it entered from Ukraine earlier the same day. Military drones straying into the airspace of ​Russia's neighbours have stoked concerns that the war in Ukraine is spilling over NATO's borders.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's ruling party has won parliamentary elections, according to preliminary results on Monday, setting the stage for a renewed mandate to pursue closer ties with the West after threats from Moscow.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti's party emerged as the largest force in Sunday's snap election but failed to secure enough support to govern alone, setting the stage for difficult coalition negotiations. The vote, marked by low turnout and voter frustration, is unlikely to end the political deadlock that has gripped the country.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky won support from the leaders of Britain, France and Germany on Sunday for direct ceasefire talks with Russia, as diplomatic efforts to end the war remain stalled. The appeal came as Russian strikes reportedly damaged a nuclear fuel storage facility near the Chernobyl exclusion zone.