Migration Showdown: US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth warned Europe faces an “invasion” as the EU rolls out tougher migration rules, with only a fraction of deportation orders actually leading to departures and Libya flagged as a pressure point. Belgian Politics: Vlaams Belang delivered 50,000 signatures to try to block Belgium’s transposition of the EU Migration Pact, pushing for a referendum even as parliament votes proceed. EU Migration Pact in Practice: Belfast saw a second night of riots after a stabbing, adding fuel to the debate over asylum, policing and the rule of law. Armenia & EU Security: The Council appointed Cosmin Dinescu as head of the EU Partnership Mission in Armenia, while Moscow escalated claims of EU “manual control” over Armenia’s election cycle. ETS2 Cost Control: EU negotiators agreed to strengthen ETS2 price stability via a bigger market stability reserve release if carbon prices jump, aiming to prevent fuel-cost backlash before the system fully starts in 2028. EU–Korea Security/Tech: EU and South Korea leaders condemned North Korea–Russia military cooperation and backed denuclearization, alongside a deeper digital trade push. EU–Ukraine Accession: António Costa’s European Council agenda sets Ukraine high, with Zelenskyy set to brief leaders and accession clusters expected to open.