EU–US Visa Row: The EU urged Washington to reconsider its renewed visa denials for Palestinian officials ahead of the UN General Assembly, warning it clashes with UN host obligations and forcing Abbas to attend remotely. Ukraine Security Bloc: Zelenskyy hosted the “Carpathian Eight” summit with EU involvement, aiming to deepen regional cooperation as Russia’s strikes continue and security guarantees remain the sticking point. Russian Influence Pressure: Ukraine called for governments to restrict or shut “Russian House” cultural centers abroad, citing disinformation and espionage risks after Germany moved to close one in Berlin. EU Tech & Kids Online Rules: The Commission detailed plans to ban social media for children under 13 and add tighter limits for teens, gaming features and AI chatbots. AI and the Economy: Ecofin in Dublin weighed IMF warnings that AI could lift EU productivity but also widen inequality and strain energy grids. EU–Canada Pivot: Canada is seeking to join the EU’s €90bn Ukraine loan, while talk of “associate member” status keeps heating up amid US tariff threats. EU–China Trade Test: Brussels signaled tougher action if China doesn’t deliver “tangible results” by October as it ramps up curbs while still seeking talks. Banking Scale Push: EU officials argued banks need bigger balance sheets and deeper capital markets to compete with the US. Slovakia Line in the Sand: Prime Minister Robert Fico said Slovakia won’t send troops to fight Russia, calling NATO–Russia conflict rhetoric a pretext. Zambia Sanctions Dispute: Zambia challenged an EU Parliament resolution as premature and asked for formal dialogue with Brussels.