Emmanuel Macron is set to meet Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam amid rising tensions following the death of a French UN soldier in Lebanon. France aims to reaffirm its commitment to Lebanon’s sovereignty and the ceasefire terms, while discussions continue regarding future security in the region.

Norway’s foreign affairs minister, Espen Barth Eide, asserted that Europe is fulfilling its role in the Hormuz Strait, while emphasising that NATO is not involved in the Iran conflict. His comments highlight the distinct positions of European nations and NATO regarding regional security dynamics.

France and Poland have announced enhanced defence cooperation to address growing security concerns from Russia’s actions. In Gdansk, President Macron and Premier Tusk discussed collaboration on nuclear deterrence, military satellites, and joint exercises, with potential deployments of French nuclear-capable aircraft to Poland planned in the coming months.

Slovakia will hold a referendum on 4 July to determine whether to cancel lifelong payments to Prime Minister Robert Fico and other former leaders after their terms end. The vote follows a citizen petition from the pro-Western opposition party, supported by over 350,000 signatures.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s approach to dismantling illiberal governance is influencing Hungarian leader Viktor Magyar, who plans immediate reforms. Both aim to amend state media control and join the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, with Magyar’s parliamentary majority facilitating swift changes upon taking office.

Social media users are circulating AI-generated images allegedly depicting Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meeting convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Fact-checking reveals these images are fake, flagged by Google’s AI detection tools, and no credible evidence supports a connection between the two.