European Advocacy for Ukraine: Mid-June 2026 Updates

June 16, 2026 | Bi-Weekly Strategic Update

This newsletter is provided by European Action for Ukraine (EAU). If you are not on the EAU mailing list, sign up on the website: https://europeanactionforukraine.org

Updates on Pro-Ukraine Advocacy in Europe

Hello Friend of Ukraine, and welcome to our mid-June update, where we are thrilled to share some incredibly positive momentum for Ukraine across the continent. In this issue, we celebrate massive milestones, including the EU officially opening accession talks and providing €2.8 billion in reform funding, alongside vital new security and military commitments from the UK and Germany. See how our dedicated EAU volunteer network is turning this energy into concrete action across Europe, and join our upcoming summer events to help secure Ukraine’s victory!

Upcoming EAU Events

How to Build Effective Campaigns: The Case Study of House Speaker Mike Johnson and the $61 Billion Supplemental

24 June 2026, 2000 CET / 1400 EST

Navigating the storms – Europeans at a Crossroad: security threats and ways out of the crisis

5 August 2026, 1700 CEST / 1100 EDT

European Union

EU Agrees to Start Membership Talks with Ukraine

• All 27 EU countries decided to officially begin EU accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova in a meeting on June 12. The negotiation process will include a review of 35 key policy areas that will be grouped into clusters which span a wide range of sectors to ensure that participating countries adhere to the values and principles that the EU possesses. Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to push for accession believing that it is the country’s best hope for securing a stable future. 

Bulgaria to Stop Sending Donations to Ukraine

• Following the election of Bulgaria’s new Prime Minister, Rumen Radev, the Defense Minister, Dimitar Stoyanov, initially announced on June 9 that the country would no longer be sending weapons to Ukraine. He said that, “What we are witnessing is a war of attrition, and no matter how much weaponry is amassed, its only result is the loss of human lives,” (AP News). 

• The Defense Minister then clarified on June 10 that weapon sales would continue while provisions would cease. Despite the country providing weapons and aid to Ukraine since the initial invasion in 2022, the government now believes that diplomatic solutions are the best option in attaining peace. 

EU Proposes 21st Russia Sanctions Package

• In a statement published on June 8, the EU president stated that the 21st Russia Sanctions Package will be focused on targeting Russia’s most impactful sectors namely energy, financial services and crypto, and trade. These measures include setting a price cap on oil, imposing asset freezes on banks, and placing export restrictions on items used in the defense industry such as metals and alloys. Overall, 170 entities will be affected by these sanctions. The package will also ban former Russian combatants who have served in the war from entering into EU territory.

EU Provides €2.8 Billion to Ukraine

• In the 7th installment of the Ukraine Facility, an agreement to support Ukraine’s reform and EU accession, the EU granted Ukraine with €2.8 billion on June 9 to implement reforms across vital sectors such as financial markets, energy, and agriculture.

United Kingdom 

Bill Introduced to Seize Frozen Russian Assets

• A new bill to seize frozen assets connected to Russia has been started in the House of Commons and will be considered for its second reading. This is only the second step of many before it can continue to the House of Lords and onto the final stages. Questions still remain as to how the assets will be used to support reconstruction and defense in Ukraine. 

UK Holds E3 Security Summit with Ukraine

• Prime Minister of the UK, Keir Starmer, was joined by the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, and the Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, on June 7 to discuss the future of defense and lasting peace in Ukraine with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 

• The leaders reiterated Europe’s support for Ukraine and emphasized the need to increase production of interceptors, co-develop anti-ballistic missile and deep strike capabilities, prioritize the sustainability of Ukraine’s military, and form a long-term cooperation with Ukraine to bolster Europe’s defenses. They also discussed how to leverage Ukraine’s needs at upcoming conferences and outlined the conditions necessary to maintain peace with Russia. 

EAU UK Team: Advocacy and Public Engagement Updates

• EAU UK’s volunteer network continues to grow, with new volunteers joining every week from across the United Kingdom. Our advocacy priorities remain: Keeping Ukraine visible in public debate. Supporting policies that strengthen Ukraine’s ability to defend itself. Highlighting the humanitarian impact of the conflict. Building long-term public support for Ukraine’s reconstruction and recovery.

Take Action

• Contact your MP on sanctions enforcement 

• Engage with All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs)

• Join the EAU UK team’s weekly calls for details on how to increase support for Ukraine

France

G7 Summit

• Coming up from June 15-17, France will host the annual G7 summit in Evian to address geopolitical and economic multilateralism. 

• G7 countries include Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US. Additionally, they will be joined by representatives from China, India, Brazil, Egypt, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, Syria, Qatar and Kenya. Ukraine has also been invited. 

• Although global economic governance will be a major focus during this summit, peace and stability in Ukraine is also featured heavily on the agenda as well as conflicts in other parts of the world that actively affect Ukraine’s security. 

Eurosatory 2026

• Eurosatory, which will be held from June 15-19 in Paris, is one of the world’s largest international defense and security conferences that unites governments, military leaders, defense companies, and security experts will feature new technologies and discuss global security challenges. The event will be a major platform for international defense cooperation and policy discussions, including support for Ukraine and the future of European security from various perspectives. Several EAU members will be in attendance. Please reach out to Carl if you would like to connect. 

Take Action

• Engage members of the Defense Committee for transparency on delivery dates of French military hardware

• Attend local town halls (permanences parlementaires) to get support for Ukraine written into the 2027 French budget

• Leverage local Collectivités Territoriales for Ukraine support

• Join the EAU France team’s weekly calls for details on how to increase support for Ukraine 

Germany

Germany Provides €300 Million for Artillery Ammunition to Ukraine

• Germany pledged an additional €300 million to the Czech-led initiative that purchases artillery ammunition for Ukraine from suppliers around the world. The funds will equate to about 50,000 rounds of long-range ammunition for Ukraine. 

• Germany’s assistance comes at a critical time as international support for the initiative has declined despite being a major source of artillery ammunition to Kyiv that has helped to stabilize supplies during the war.

Pro-Ukraine Organizations in Germany 

• Skills Alliance for Ukraine is a coalition of companies, nonprofits, and educational institutions that helps Ukrainians gain professional skills, training, and employment opportunities. The initiative connects Ukrainians with workforce development and career pathways, while businesses, training providers, and volunteers can contribute mentorship and employment opportunities.

• Ukraine-Hilfe Berlin is a Berlin-based humanitarian organization that delivers medical supplies, emergency vehicles, and other aid directly to communities affected by the war. You can support its work by donating, volunteering, or by becoming a member. 

• Vitsche is a Berlin-based Ukrainian advocacy organization that combats disinformation, promotes Ukrainian perspectives in Europe, and organizes awareness campaigns and events. Get involved by participating in projects, attending events, or joining advocacy efforts.

• Feine Ukraine is a German-Ukrainian nonprofit that promotes cultural exchange and mutual understanding between Germany and Ukraine through educational, artistic, and community initiatives. You can participate in cultural events, volunteer, or contribute to the organization’s programing.

• Robert Bosch Stiftung is one of Germany’s largest philanthropic foundations, supporting projects related to democracy, education, health, international relations, and social cohesion. The foundation has supported Ukrainian civil society, researchers, students, and displaced people through grants and partnership programs.

Take Action

• Call on the Budget Committee (Haushaltsausschuss) to protect aid for Ukraine

• Support Local Municipal Twinning (Städtepartnerschaften)

• Engage via petitions to the Bundestag 

• Join the EAU Germany team’s weekly calls for details on how to increase support for Ukraine

Ukraine

Changes Approved to 2026 Budget 

• On June 10, Ukrainian lawmakers approved changes to the 2026 budget that would provide an additional 1.56 trillion hryvnias for defense and security. This was made possible by the €90 billion EU loan which boosted Ukraine’s economy and will allow for record defense spending of 4.37 trillion hryvnias this year. The country’s parliament also passed a law to tax income made from online platforms such as Uber in order to build on their own fiscal resources. 

Vote to Tax Parcels Fails in Parliament 

• Ukraine’s parliament failed to pass a bill to tax parcels sent into the country in fear that it would raise the cost of living. If approved it would unlock 10 billion hryvnias a year. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has made it a requirement that Ukraine increase its domestic revenue and close in on its budget deficit in order to participate in a $8.1 billion lending program. Being on track with the IMF’s program is also a prerequisite to unlocking €90 billion from the EU.