Later today we will be focusing on the Paris summit on Ukraine, which comes at a “powerful moment of renewed transatlantic convergence and unity”, but also of “more favourable developments on the ground” for Kyiv, the Élysée said.
The leaders of the Coalition of the Willing – led by Macron and Starmer – are set to focus on cooperation on air and missile defence with Ukraine, including licensed weapons production in the country.
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy and other leaders are expected to stay in Paris for tomorrow’s Bastille Day parade on the Champs-Élysées, which Macron’s office said will highlight France’s ongoing support for France, AFP reported.
Updated
EU’s Kaja Kallas said earlier that the foreign ministers meeting in Brussels were hoping to get a deal on as many as 250 listings, on top of the 21st sanctions package.
“This is the biggest number of listings we have done so far. It’s also reaction to the attacks that Russia has had on the [Ukrainian] civilians recently,” she said.
“There are different people, individuals that have been engaging in in different activities. So it’s a vast list I hope that we get to adopt today. When it comes to the 21st package, there are still some open questions, but we are working towards agreement,” she added.
UK sanctions 24 individuals, entities for Russia's destructive hybrid operations; attributes last year's attack on Poland's energy grid to Russia
The UK has also updated its sanctions, listing 24 individuals and entities behind “the destructive and hybrid operations” in Europe, including an attempt to disrupt Poland’s electricity grid last year (Europe Live, January).
“Today’s action targets 24 individuals and entities behind the destructive cyber and hybrid operations including cybercriminals involved in proxy networks linked to the Russian Intelligence Services (RIS).
This includes sanctioning GRU senior leadership figures Vyacheslav Stafeyev, Ivan Senin and Ivan Kasyanenko for their role in directing GRU cyber and hybrid threat operations. GRU Unit 29155 cyber division worked with cybercriminals, including the company IMPULS, to recruit hackers and cyber specialists from universities and academies across Russia.
In addition, the UK together with EU member states is today attributing the attack on Poland’s energy grid to Russia’s FSB Centre 16. This reckless attack failed but could have caused 500,000 citizens to lose electricity in the depths of winter. It is another example of the Russian state’s irresponsible attempts to sow chaos across Europe.
As Russia struggles to sustain its ailing war effort in Ukraine, the Russian Intelligence Service agencies have tasked cybercriminals to collect intelligence to support Russia’s military and foreign policy objectives, threatening security across Europe. This is another example of Russia using its criminal networks to do its dirty work.”
Updated
EU sanctions nine people, four entities over Russian cyber espionage, sabotage
And just like that, the EU has just issued new sanctions over “Russia’s malicious cyber ecosystem targeting the EU, its member states and international partners.”
“These activities have included infiltration of governmental networks and sabotage of critical infrastructure. Among others, France, Germany, Poland, Cyprus, the Netherlands, Austria, Slovakia, Romania and Finland have been targeted.
In France, the 16th Centre has conducted cyber espionage against strategic governmental entities since 2010 and defence industry in 2025.
In Germany, it has targeted governmental entities.
Recently in Poland, the 16th Centre has carried out disruptive sabotage operations against critical infrastructure, including combined heating and power plants.”
Nine people and four entities got sanctioned, the EU said, including GRU intelligence officers, cybercriminals and “private companies that contribute to Russia’s efforts to destabilise the EU.”
“We strongly condemn Russia’s behaviour and misuse of this cyber ecosystem, targeting public services and critical infrastructure, causing disruptions and financial losses.”
Morning opening: Focus on Ukraine
French president Emmanuel Macron is going to host the Coalition of the Willing in Paris later today amid hopes that Ukraine’s recent advances in strikes on Russia could force Vladimir Putin to a negotiating table.
The meeting at the Hôtel des Invalides – hosted just before Bastille Day – will bring together over 20 European leaders for further talks on how to help Kyiv and put more pressure on Moscow.
Earlier, Macron will meet with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
There will be a press conference with Macron, Zelenskyy, Germany’s Friedrich Merz, and Britain’s outgoing PM, Keir Starmer, in the late afternoon.
Building up to the meeting, France’s foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot said France will summon the Russian ambassador to Paris in the coming days over an alleged cyberhacking campaign conducted by Russia against European countries including France, Reuters reported.
“We are going to publicly condemn a widespread cyber campaign carried out by Russia against at least 10 European countries,” Barrot told BFM TV.
“We will also impose sanctions on nine individuals and four entities responsible for this cyber campaign, which was orchestrated by the FSB” security service, he added.
Separately, some 300 kilometers up north from Paris, EU foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels to discuss the bloc’s next, 21st, package of sanctions against Russia.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told reporters that “there are still some open questions” and the package has not been signed off by the ministers, but hoped an agreement could be struck later today.
Lithuanian foreign minister Kęstutis Budrys said EU countries had yet to reach a decision on a proposed maritime services ban and tightening restrictions on Russian liquefied natural gas.
“So I’m looking to see whether we are serious enough. We cannot put economic interests above security interests … that is a very dangerous trend,” he told reporters.
Lots for us to cover.
I will bring you all the latest here.
It’s Monday, 13 July 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
