EU Defence Talks: EU defence ministers meet in Nicosia with maritime security, Middle East developments and continued support for Ukraine on the agenda, including steps to curb Russia’s “shadow fleet” and expand naval boarding rules. EU Tech Sovereignty: The European Commission unveils a sweeping tech sovereignty push targeting semiconductors, AI, cloud infrastructure and open source, aiming to cut dependency on non-EU suppliers and boost Europe’s “AI continent” ambitions. Banking Deal Clash: UniCredit and Commerzbank continue trading barbs over investor support for UniCredit’s €40bn bid, with Commerzbank arguing shareholders won’t tender below market. ING Risk Leadership: ING names Andrea Cesaroni chief risk officer, effective 8 June, as part of ongoing board and risk-management reshuffles. Energy Storage Finance: Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners agrees to divest minority stakes in Scotland’s 500MW Devilla BESS to the Scottish National Investment Bank and Nuclear Liabilities Fund, while keeping majority control. Fraud Crackdown (Spain): French-led, Spain- and Europol-supported action dismantles a counterfeit document factory in Alicante, seizing ~800 forged IDs and equipment. EU-India Investment Push: EU “Team Europe” lands in Assam (June 8–9) to deepen cooperation on value chains from green energy and semiconductors to agri-food and healthcare. Markets Mood: European shares look set for a cautious open as investors weigh Middle East risks and rate-hike worries. Ukraine Financing: EBRD says external financing remains critical for Ukraine, highlighting €10bn provided so far and a push to scale investment further. Retail Investing Buzz: SpaceX’s IPO frenzy revives European retail interest, with guidance on who can access shares and key risks.