‘Sit back and relax’: White House Iran post goes viral and gets torn apart online

Copyright Screenshot White House X account

By David Mouriquand

Published on 02/06/2026 EURONEWS

Echoing an oft-misattributed literary quote, Donald Trump's advice to his critics has been reposted by the official White House account. The post has gone viral, with many pointing out that repeating a deal with Iran is close does not make things better.

“Just sit back and relax. It will all work out well in the end - It always does!”

Wise words from Donald Trump, whose advice echoes the famous quote “Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.”

That popular saying has been misattributed to Oscar Wilde, John Lennon and Paulo Coelho. In reality, it first appeared in the 1988 book “O tabuleiro de damas” (“The Checkerboard”), by Brazilian writer and journalist Fernando Sabino.

A sentiment of hope to live by, but context matters, especially when the world is waiting for a deal regarding the ongoing Iran war, which continues to hike up fuel and cost of living prices - not only in the US but the world over.

Trump’s words were reposted by the official White House account along with the words: “TRUST IN TRUMP”.

The post has gone viral, and it has not inspired hope or calm.

Many have not taken kindly to the “sit back and relax” approach, nor to a previous post by Trump suggesting once again that “Iran really wants to make a deal” and that his critics, who he labelled “political hacks”, keep “negatively ‘chirping’”.

“We’ve entered the Hallmark card phase of Trump policy articulation,” one person commented, while another wrote: “Insane messaging from the official White House account telling Americans that can’t afford groceries and rent while paying $4.50 a gallon for gas to ‘just sit back and relax’ smh.”

Check out some of the reactions below:

Others online have pointed out that Trump has posted the same Truth Social post on Iran three times at different intervals.

First shared on 18 May, it reads: “If Iran surrenders, admits their Navy is gone and resting at the bottom of the sea, and their Air Force is no longer with us, and if their entire Military walks out of Tehran, weapons dropped and hands held high, each shouting “I surrender, I surrender” while wildly waving the representative White Flag, and if their entire remaining Leadership signs all necessary “Documents of Surrender,” and admit their defeat to the great power and force of the magnificent U.S.A., The Failing New York Times, The China Street Journal (WSJ!), Corrupt and now Irrelevant CNN, and all other members of the Fake News Media, will headline that Iran had a Masterful and Brilliant Victory over The United States of America, it wasn’t even close. The Dumacrats and Media have totally lost their way. They have gone absolutely CRAZY!!!”

The exact same post was then published on 26 May, and then again today (2 June).

“Grandpa is out of material,” commented Republicans Against Trump.

 

Cryptocurrency addiction is real — and it looks just like gambling

Copyright Castle Craig.

By Marcelina Burzec

Published on 02/06/2026 - EURONEWS

Jamie Giles is a therapist at Castle Craig, one of Scotland's leading addiction treatment centres. He spoke to Euronews about how to spot problematic crypto investing, who is most at risk and what to do about it.

For a growing number of people, cryptocurrency has stopped being an investment and become an addiction — one that experts say shares almost every hallmark of gambling disorder, yet remains largely invisible because society has learned to mistake compulsive trading for ambition.

Cryptocurrency markets are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, lightly regulated and engineered to keep users engaged. For vulnerable individuals, that combination can be devastating and the harm, experts warn, is being obscured by the same social rewards that make workaholism invisible.

Jamie Giles, client services director at Castle Craig, one of Scotland's leading addiction treatment centres, has been treating patients with problematic cryptocurrency habits for years. He spoke to Euronews Health about what the condition looks like, who is most at risk and what to do if you recognise it in yourself or someone close to you.

What is cryptocurrency addiction?

"I define problematic cryptocurrency investing by the behaviour involved, not by the asset itself," Giles said. "Cryptocurrencies, much like alcohol, are not inherently the problem. Many people invest in crypto responsibly."

The defining feature, he said, is loss of control. "We are speaking about someone who becomes consumed by cryptocurrencies, continually escalates their involvement, chases losses, attempts unsuccessfully to cut back, and persists despite obvious harm to their finances, relationships and wellbeing."

The problem, Giles explained, is not a bad investment decision. "The problem arises when someone repeatedly returns to the screen against their better judgement, conceals the extent of their trading activity, organises their emotional life around cryptocurrency prices, or becomes fixated on recouping gains and losses."

Crypto sits in a particularly dangerous position on the spectrum between ordinary investing and compulsive behaviour, he added, because of how these products are designed.

Castle Craig TIBERIU VICTOR TAMAS/ttvphoto 2018

Is there clinical evidence?

There is currently no formal diagnosis of cryptocurrency addiction in international classification systems, but Giles is clear that the absence of a label does not mean the condition does not exist.

"Nevertheless, a substantial body of research points to a strong correlation with gambling disorders," he said. "One study involving more than four thousand participants in the United States found that roughly two-thirds of cryptocurrency traders exhibited risky or problematic gambling behaviours."

The scientific consensus is not yet definitive, but the signal is remarkably consistent. If we approach this clinically, as a behavioural addiction akin to gambling disorder, we can observe positive therapeutic outcomes, he explained.

Who is most at risk?

"Individuals struggling with risky cryptocurrency use are typically younger men," Giles said, adding that this reflects broader patterns within the crypto world itself.

Giles described a typical patient as a young professional in his mid-twenties who turns to alcohol and cocaine to cope with work pressure, then drifts into day trading crypto to offset the financial damage those habits cause, only to find he has swapped one addiction for another.

The particular danger with crypto, he added, is that it can masquerade as productivity. Unlike alcohol or drug dependency, which tend to produce visible consequences, compulsive trading is easily mistaken for ambition and society often rewards it as such.

Related

• Coinbase CEO exits world’s top 500 rich list as crypto downward trend persists
• Is Iran using cryptocurrencies to circumvent sanctions?

The psychological toll

The link to mental health is well established, Giles said — anxiety, depression, sleep disorders and chronic stress are common, and in severe cases patients experience acute psychological crises. After catastrophic trading losses, suicidal ideation is not uncommon.

Crypto can function both as a cause and a coping mechanism, he added. Compulsive trading and psychological distress feed each other, and the financial dimension can make the damage sudden and severe.

The regulatory gap

Giles drew a direct comparison to gambling and to a loophole he believes is being quietly exploited. With betting companies set to disappear from Premier League shirts from the 2026-27 season, crypto firms are moving in. Around 70% of Premier League clubs now have a cryptocurrency or trading partner, he said.

"These products are marketed heavily toward young audiences and employ many of the same persuasive techniques that make gambling advertising so controversial: celebrity endorsements, promises of rapid wealth, and the fear of missing out. We should not allow cryptocurrencies to quietly replace gambling while pretending they are fundamentally different."

The Financial Conduct Authority is already tightening oversight, removing unauthorised crypto promotions, restricting youth-targeted advertising and introducing deposit limits analogous to those used in gambling regulation.

What to do

"Recognising the problem is already half the battle, because addiction is fundamentally characterised by denial," Giles said. Once that barrier is crossed, he stressed, people need to understand they are neither alone nor morally deficient — addiction is a treatable illness, not a personal failing.

For families, the message was equally direct. Crypto addiction is a family illness as much as an individual one, Giles said and those close to the person affected should not feel guilty or responsible. Compassion matters, but so do boundaries.

"Above all, you have to take care of yourself first — fit your own oxygen mask before helping others."

Half of Belgium sees US as a rival, survey reveals

By Leticia Batista Cabanas

Published on 02/06/2026 

EURONEWS

According to a recent poll, over 50 percent of Belgians view the US as an adversary. Meanwhile, only 40% to 44% perceive China as a rival.

A new survey commissioned by Belgian broadcasters VRT and RTBF and newspaper De Standaard suggests that trust in the United States has fallen sharply among the Belgian public. The poll found that around half of respondents now see the US as an adversary, while only 10% still consider it an ally.

The findings come from De Stemming, an annual survey conducted by researchers from the University of Antwerp and the Université Libre de Bruxelles. The study, carried out in March, examined Belgians' views on international security and global powers.

According to the researchers, the results were particularly striking because it was the first time international security had featured so prominently in the survey. The poll was conducted shortly after US and Israeli strikes on Iran. At the time, concerns about possible disruptions to global energy supplies and rising prices were receiving significant media attention. Researchers said these developments may have influenced public opinion.

The role of China

The poll also found that China is viewed less negatively than the US. Between 40% and 44% of respondents described China as an adversary. However, very few Belgians consider China an ally, with many respondents choosing the option "neither ally nor adversary".

Despite that, concerns about Beijing remain. Nearly 60% of respondents said they believe a Chinese military attack on Taiwan is likely in the near future, reflecting continued unease about China's growing military influence.

The survey also suggests that Belgians generally feel secure within their own country. Only a small minority believe Belgium itself could face a direct military attack, with 12% of respondents in Flanders and 21% in Wallonia expressing that concern.

At the same time, respondents supported greater European independence in both defence and economic policy. More than 80% said Europe should become militarily self-sufficient, while a majority backed stronger European responses to US trade measures and tariffs.

The poll also found strong support for limiting foreign influence in Belgian affairs. Nearly 90% of respondents said Belgium should not allow the US to interfere in its domestic matters, reflecting recent controversy surrounding comments made by the US ambassador to Belgium.

Despite growing scepticism towards Washington, Belgians remain broadly supportive of Western institutions. Around 80% said Belgium should remain a member of NATO under all circumstances. Many respondents view the alliance as a collective European security shield rather than an instrument of US influence.

Forever at war? US, Iran trade blows as Israel pushes deeper into Lebanon


Issued on: 01/06/2026 - 
Play (42:50 min)From the show

What happened to that four-week campaign that the Pentagon promised? Overnight volleys between Iran and the United States are met by many with a shrug, so often has the current ceasefire been violated. Even the deal in the works is mostly to roll over that fragile truce and open more talks, not to permanently settle differences. Ceasefires and their violations seem to be the norm, as Israel and Hezbollah continue to trade blows and US-brokered truces for both Lebanon and Gaza go mostly ignored.


We ask if the taking of the Crusaders-era castle at Beaufort in Lebanon is a PR stunt, or are Israelis digging in at what was an army command centre for nearly two decades during the last occupation of south Lebanon?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu espouses a super Sparta state mentality to national security, insisting that Israel – like the Ancient Greek state – embrace a permanent war footing. Do the benefits outweigh the costs for an Israeli leader who's again up for re-election?

And what about for Hezbollah, the Iranian regime and a United States whose leaders promised no more boots on the ground but who under Donald Trump has increasingly made use of or threatened military might around the globe. Does that project strength or weakness? And is it sustainable?

Produced by François Picard, Rebecca Gnignati, Juliette Laffont, Ilayda Habip, Charles Wente.

OUR GUESTS

Rina BASSISTCorrespondent for Al Monitor
Nadim HOURYExecutive Director of the Arab Reform Initiative
Adam WEINSTEINResearcher, Quincy Institute
Michael PREGENTFormer intelligence officer; National security consultant

BY:

François PICARD

Rebecca GNIGNATI

Juliette Laffont

Ilayda HABIP

Charles WENTE

VIDEO BY:

François PICARD

France bans Israeli offensive weapons from major defence show


France has banned the display of Israeli offensive weapons at the 2026 Eurosatory international defence and security exhibition, organisers said Monday. While the Israeli defence ministry denounced the "disgraceful decision", Eurosatory organisers said Israeli defence systems were authorised to participate, according to a French government decision.


Issued on: 01/06/2026 - 
By: FRANCE 24

File photo of protesters in front of Eurosatory Defense and Security exhibition in Villepinte, near Paris taken on June 21, 2024. © Christophe Ena, AP

Israel's defence ministry said on Monday that France had banned Israeli government officials from a major weapons show in Paris, and had imposed ​restrictions on ‌companies from the country exhibiting there.

The Israeli ministry denounced the move, saying it would "be unable to participate in the exhibition or establish a national pavilion".

"This is a disgraceful decision, one that reeks of political and commercial calculation, ‌and regrettably, it comes as no surprise," the Israeli defence ministry spokesperson said.

"It fits ​a deeply troubling pattern in French conduct in recent years – a pattern that has consistently placed France on the wrong side of ​history."

The organisers of the 2026 Eurosatory international defence and security exhibition said Israeli defence systems were authorised to participate in the major weapons show.

"Only Israeli exhibitors presenting anti-ballistic and anti-air defence systems are authorised," said the president of COGES Events, Charles Beaudouin, responding to an Israeli defence ministry statement that protested the restrictions.

"This is a decision by the French government, by the Defence Council," Beaudouin added.

"There is no room for ambiguity: if an exhibitor is also a rocket manufacturer, they will not be allowed to display them. This ensures that no offensive weapons are present," he said.
Tense French-Israeli relations

France's defence ⁠ministry – which barred Israel from taking part in the 2024 Eurosatory arms exhibition over ‌the war in Gaza – later said Israeli companies would ⁠be limited to showing equipment and materials related to air defence and missile defence, but did not go into ​any detail on the reasons.

It did not address ‌the report that Israeli officials would not be allowed to attend.

Israeli-French relations have deteriorated since late 2023, with Paris criticising ​Israel's conduct in its wars in Gaza ​and Lebanon, and the decision by Israel and the US to launch a war against ​Iran earlier this year.

Israel's right-wing government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, also protested at President Emmanuel Macron's decision last year to recognise Palestinian statehood.

On Sunday, France requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council after the Israeli military seized the crusader-era Beaufort castle in Lebanon, flying its flag over the strategic landmark.

More than 2,600 exhibitors are due to take ⁠part in this year's Eurosatory – one of the world's largest weapons shows – which runs from ⁠June 15 to 19, ​ at the Paris Nord Villepinte exhibition centre north of the capital.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP and Reuters)

Israel's Elbit Systems records $60bn order backlog

Israel's Elbit Systems records $60bn order backlog. / bne IntelliNewsFacebook

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By IntelliNews Tel Aviv bureau June 2, 2026

Israel-based Elbit Systems reported a $30bn order backlog in its latest quarterly results release in information seen by IntelliNews on June 2. 

Despite coming under international pressure during the Iran war, it appears as if international customers are still relying on Israeli arms exports, with Elbit becoming Israel’s largest publicly traded company.

The backlog is distributed across a diversified revenue mix spanning C4I, cyber, ISTAR, electronic warfare, ammunition, unmanned aerial systems and lasers, with approximately 71% attributable to orders outside Israel. About 49% of the backlog is expected to be executed through the remainder of 2026 and into 2027.

Recent contract momentum has been substantial. On May 26, Elbit announced a $1.4bn deal with an unnamed European customer for extensive military modernisation programmes over five years, encompassing uncrewed autonomous solutions, advanced land electronic warfare, precision-guided munitions, electro-optical systems and software-defined radios, Breaking Defense Europe noted.

The scope of the programme points to a central or eastern European customer requiring deeper modernisation than established Western militaries.

That followed a $750mn contract in April, through Israel's Ministry of Defence, to supply Greece's Hellenic Ministry of National Defence with its PULS artillery system, and an August 2025 deal worth $1.63bn, with Israeli media reporting the customer as Serbia.

Domestically, a $130mn contract to supply technological enhancements for 12 CH-53K helicopters for Israel's Ministry of Defence reflects record Israeli defence spending since the Gaza war and the broader military campaign against Iran.

President and CEO Bezhalel Machlis said the company was scaling production capacity and increasing use of robotics and AI in automation. "With demand rising well above historical levels, we continue to focus on order execution," he said in the company’s press release.

PUTIN'S WAR ON CIVILIANS
Russian attacks kill several people and wound more than 100 across Ukraine


Russian air strikes hit several major Ukrainian cities early on Tuesday, killing at least 18 people and wounding more than 100, authorities said. Kyiv, Dnipro and Kharkiv were among the hardest hit, with residential buildings damaged and thousands of residents sheltering underground amid ongoing air raid alerts.


Issued on: 02/06/2026 
By: FRANCE 24

People look at the site of Russian missile strike that hit a residential building in Kyiv on June 2, 2026. © Efrem Lukatsky, AP
01:54


Russian air attacks on major Ukrainian cities including Kyiv, Dnipro and Kharkiv killed at least 18 people and wounded more than 100 early on Tuesday, authorities said, after days of warnings that Moscow was planning a major assault.

Russia has targeted Ukraine's power supply ​and infrastructure while Ukraine ‌has stepped up attacks this year on Russian oil facilities in a war that has now dragged on for more ⁠than four years, sometimes causing casualties. Both Kyiv and Moscow deny targeting civilians.

Twelve people were killed and 36 injured in a Russian missile and drone attack on the southeastern city of ‌Dnipro, regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha said on messaging app Telegram.

All those injured were hospitalised and were reported to be in a moderate condition, he said, posting pictures of heavily damaged residential buildings, burnt-out vehicles and a destroyed children's playground.


One of the dead was a rescue worker who had been killed in a "double-tap" strike targeting first responders, according to emergency services.

At least six people were killed and 66 injured, including children, across the capital of Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

READ MORETalk to Russia? First, Europe needs to pick an envoy – and know what it wants to say

A suspected missile strike on a 24-storey apartment building triggered a collapse, with people likely trapped under the rubble.

Other buildings, including a nine-storey apartment block, caught fire from suspected missile debris, he said.

“In the Obolon district, cars are burning after being struck by falling missile debris. There are also fires at two locations in open areas, including one near a kindergarten,” Klitschko said.

Russia launches wave of deadly strikes across Ukraine

© France 24
04:41

"We couldn't understand what was happening – some kind of apocalypse?" said Olha Mudra, speaking at the site of one strike, accompanied by her six-year-old daughter ⁠Natalia.

"Everything was covered (with debris), everything in smoke, you could see nothing," she added, as she stood in front of a destroyed residential building and damaged cars.

Thousands of Kyiv residents were taking refuge in metro stations and other shelters, witnesses said, after air raid warnings covered much of the country early on Tuesday.

The ⁠overnight ​​attack cut electricity to 140,000 residents ​of ‌Ukraine's ⁠capital, power company DTEK ⁠told Reuters on ​Tuesday.

Utility workers ‌had since restored ‌electricity to ​110,000 residents, DTEK said, adding that ​two ​of its ​engineers had ​been injured.

Residents take shelter inside a metro station during a Russian missile and drone strike in Kyiv on June 2, 2026. © Alina Smutko, Reuters

Warnings of a major attack

Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 656 drones and 73 missiles overnight, mainly targeting Kyiv. In a statement on Telegram, the air force said 40 ​missiles and 602 drones had been downed or neutralised.

An air force spokesman said the attack included eight Zircon hypersonic missiles, likely the largest number of those missiles used by Russia during the war. The Zircon has a range of 1,000 kilometres and travels at nine times the speed of sound, according to Moscow.

Russia's defence ministry said it had carried out ​a "massive strike" on Ukraine's defence industry facilities using high-precision long-range weapons.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday reiterated warnings of a potentially major assault and urged residents to pay special attention to air raid alerts.

“Intelligence warnings regarding Russian strikes remain in effect. A massive strike is possible, they have prepared one,” Zelensky said in his nightly video address.

“Our defenders are ready 24/7 to the fullest extent possible with the supplies currently available.”

Russia last week warned that it intended to launch “systematic strikes” on targets in Kyiv linked to the Ukrainian military as well as decision-making centres, and urged foreigners to leave.

It said the action was in response to a drone strike last month on a student dormitory in Ukraine's Russian-held Luhansk region, which killed 21 people. Ukraine denied targeting civilians, saying that it had carried out a series of strikes on military assets.

In Ukraine's north-eastern Kharkiv region, 10 people, including a child, were injured in drone and missile attacks, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said on Telegram.

Russia's Ilsky oil refinery, in the southern region of Krasnodar, caught fire after a drone attack, local authorities said on Telegram on Tuesday.

Air defence systems were also repelling drone attacks ⁠over Sevastopol, a Russian naval fleet base, in Russia-occupied Crimea, authorities there said.

The war in Ukraine has ground on for more than four years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Efforts to end the conflict have made little progress, with the administration of US President Donald Trump focused on conflicts in the Middle East.

(FRANCE 24 with Reuters and AFP)

Ukraine's president says US air defence 'absolutely necessary' after Russian strikes

Copyright AP Photo

By Gavin Blackburn

Published on 02/06/2026 - EURONEWS

Russia launched a record 8,150 long-range drones at Ukraine in May, an AFP analysis of Ukrainian air force data showed, up 24% from April.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Europe on Tuesday to develop its own air defence systems and urged more support from Washington after Russia's latest deadly drone and missile barrage.

"Europe needs its own anti-ballistic defence so that this war can finally be brought to an end. And assistance from the United States in supplying missiles for Patriot systems is absolutely necessary," Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X.

"A large-scale attack and an absolutely clear statement from Russia: if Ukraine is not protected from ballistic and other missile strikes, these attacks will continue."

Zelenskyy’s remarks were echoed by his Foreign Minister Andrii Shyiiba who said that the wave of strikes showed that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin was running out of military options in his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

"Putin is a war criminal and loser who has no cards except terror. Moscow is losing on the battlefield. No number of missiles can change this," Shyiiba said in a statement on social media.

"Terrorists in Moscow must realise that their brutal attacks won’t bring them anywhere. That the price for their regime will only increase. That the only way out for Putin is to immediately end this war."

Strikes on Ukraine

The remarks from the senior leadership came after a Russian barrage of Ukraine early on Tuesday which killed at least 13 people and injured 100 others.

Authorities in the Ukrainian capital had been sounding the alarm that Russia was preparing another massive barrage, the latest in a string of deadly strikes that have escalated the four-year war and dented already slim hopes for peace.

The Ukrainian air force said Russia had launched 73 missiles and 656 drones, adding it had downed 602 of the drones and 40 of the missiles.

Moscow has bombarded Ukraine almost daily since launching its full-scale invasion in February 2022, a war that is now the bloodiest on European soil since World War II, with hundreds of thousands killed and millions displaced.

Russia said on Tuesday that it had carried out a huge strike, including with hypersonic missiles, targeting Ukraine's military-industrial complex.

It denies that its forces target civilians.

People look at a residential apartment building damaged after a Russian strike on Kyiv, 2 June, 2026 AP Photo

'Protect your lives'

Last month, Kyiv and Moscow agreed a three-day ceasefire mediated by the United States. The truce was marred by allegations of violations on both sides but had raised the prospect of a longer halt in fighting.

An uptick in strikes since has dulled peace prospects, particularly with the White House distracted by the Iran war.

Meanwhile, a Ukrainian drone strike killed one person in Russia's Kursk region, near the Ukrainian border, regional governor Alexander Khinshtein said.

Another drone sparked a fire at an oil refinery in the southwestern city of Krasnodar, its operational headquarters said on Telegram.

People react as they look at the site of a Russian missile strike that hit a residential building in Kyiv, 2 June, 2026 AP Photo

Zelenskyy had said last week that Ukraine had learnt that Russia was preparing a new massive strike and urged people to heed the sirens, go to shelters and "protect your lives."

Russia launched a record 8,150 long-range drones at Ukraine in May, an AFP analysis of Ukrainian air force data showed, up 24% from April.

Kyiv intercepted about 90% of all incoming drones and missiles in May, according to air force data, but struggles to down ballistic missiles.

EU ready to 'step up' in Ukraine-Russia talks but ceasefire must come first, summit draft shows

Copyright European Union, 2026.

By Jorge Liboreiro & Maria Tadeo

Published on 02/06/2026 - EURONEWS

EU leaders are set to discuss the possibility of engaging in direct talks when they meet on 18-19 June. But the latest draft of the summit's conclusions suggests a mandate for a special envoy is still far away.

The European Union is ready to "step up" its role in the diplomatic process to end Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but only when Moscow demonstrates a serious commitment to negotiations and establishes an "unconditional ceasefire", according to draft conclusions prepared ahead of a key leaders' summit on 18-19 June.

It marks the first time the conclusions speak of the bloc taking a hands-on approach to the peace process, which the United States has so far led and is currently stalled.

The provisional wording, subject to changes, falls short of endorsing the appointment of a special envoy, as some member states have demanded. The references could still change further before the summit takes place.

"The European Council supports diplomatic efforts to bring the war to an end and underlines the European Union's readiness to step up its engagement in peace negotiations," the draft, seen by Euronews and dated 1 June, says.

"However, Russia has not shown any genuine willingness regarding a fair and sustainable peace," the paragraph continues.

"The European Council urges Russia to agree to a full, unconditional and immediate ceasefire and engage in meaningful negotiations towards a just and lasting peace."

The document is used as a working basis for talks held by EU27 leaders.

The draft document also forcefully condemns Russia's deadly large-scale attacksagainst Ukraine and open threats against foreign citizens, diplomats and international organisations based in Kyiv, as well as last week's incident that saw a Russian drone with explosives crash in a residential building in Romania.

The series of escalatory developments has shifted the debate on whether the EU should break its diplomatic isolation and launch direct talks with Russia.

The matter gained momentum in early May after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, frustrated with the White House's attention on the Middle East, called on Europeans to appoint a common representative and revive the negotiations.

Among the names casually floated for the high-risk job were European Council President António Costa, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and former German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Costa, who will chair the summit, was one of the first leaders to speak publicly in favour of the direct talks, provided the circumstances are right.

Yet, divisions among capitals remain entrenched, as reflected in the wording of the draft conclusions. Germany, Poland, the Nordics and the Baltics believe the Kremlin's maximalist demands would make any outreach pointless.

Last week, High Representative Kaja Kallas said the EU would "never" be a neutral mediator between Ukraine and Russia.

"We can't be neutral, treating them equally, because we have been clearly on Ukraine's side," she said after hosting an informal meeting of foreign affairs ministers in Cyprus.

Instead, she argued, member states should strive to agree on a common set of concessions and conditions that Russia should fulfil at the negotiating table.

"All our efforts have to be complementary to US efforts. And the ministers were also very clear about this," Kallas said. "We are not coming in instead of the United States, but we are actually addressing the issues that haven't been addressed in these talks."

Zelenskyy is expected to speak with the 27 leaders at the June summit, even though it is not yet confirmed whether he will do so in person or remotely.

In a recent interview with CBS, the Ukrainian president name-checked the E3 format (made up of Germany, France and the United Kingdom), the Nordic countries and Turkey as potential mediators.

"Who will represent Europe after all? It's up to Ukraine and Europe to decide," he said. "But no less important is that Russia must be ready for dialogue and European presence."