Armenia Election Watch: Armenians vote in a parliamentary test of PM Nikol Pashinyan’s westward pivot as Russia tightens pressure with export restrictions and warnings, while Pashinyan argues the vote is about peace with Azerbaijan and normalising ties with Turkey—alongside deeper EU integration and “balanced” foreign policy. EU Enlargement Push: Germany’s Friedrich Merz and France’s Emmanuel Macron back a faster Western Balkans entry plan, including phased integration and earlier single-market access, aiming to reduce veto power use. Kosovo Deadlock: Kosovo holds its third election in 18 months after parties failed to agree on a president, with the political paralysis hitting an already fragile economy and EU/NATO aspirations. Bosnia Governance Rift: A US-European split over the next High Representative for Bosnia threatens to unravel the Peace Implementation Council’s work and raises the risk of US reconsidering its role. Cyprus Talks: Cyprus President Christodoulides says UN chief Guterres has a “very specific plan” to restart Cyprus negotiations, with an enlarged meeting set to be convened after envoy Holguin’s visit. EU Diplomacy in Afghanistan: The EU nominates Nicola Bellomo as its next charge d’affaires in Afghanistan as part of a wider diplomatic reshuffle. EU Policy Watch: The Commission unveils a roadmap to phase out animal testing in chemical safety assessments, while EU and Russia clash over Armenia’s vote.