Migration Crackdown: EU lawmakers and member states agreed on a new returns regulation that lets rejected asylum seekers be transferred to “return hubs” in third countries, with the deal still needing formal approval by the European Parliament and governments; rights groups warn it could enable abuses while officials say it will speed up deportations. Armenia’s EU vs EAEU Rift: Nikol Pashinyan said Armenia will stay in the Eurasian Economic Union for now and rejected calls for a referendum before EU candidate steps are taken, as the EU condemned alleged Russian pressure on Armenia. Cyprus Defence Funding: Cyprus signed its loan agreement with the European Commission to access the EU’s €150bn SAFE programme, aiming to fund military hardware and industry priorities. EU Trade Snapshot: Eurostat reports the EU’s goods trade surplus shrank to €12.7bn in early 2026, down from €23.6bn at end-2025. Hungary Funds Breakthrough: PM Péter Magyar hailed a political agreement to unfreeze €16.4bn in EU development funding for Hungary, including cohesion and Recovery Fund money. Energy & Climate Tensions: The Commission floated a three-year grace period on methane penalties for oil and gas firms, drawing NGO alarm. Tech Sovereignty: The EU is set to gain access to Anthropic’s Mythos AI model after “productive meetings,” ending a standoff over cybersecurity concerns. Regional Watch: France detained a Russia-linked oil tanker in the Atlantic as part of efforts against sanctions-busting “shadow fleet” activity.