The European Union is set to initiate negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova for potential membership starting Tuesday in Luxembourg. This marks the beginning of a comprehensive review of their legislation to ensure alignment with European law, Reuters reports.

For both countries, the path to EU membership is demanding, requiring substantial reforms across various sectors to meet European standards. The ongoing conflicts in the regions add complexities, posing questions about Ukraine's accession while parts of its territory are occupied by Russian forces, and the implications of Russian troops in Moldova's Transnistria.

Hungary, which assumes the EU Council presidency from July 1, indicated that no chapters for negotiation are expected to open within this year.

In a significant military development, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of Ukraine has appointed Brigadier General Andriy Hnatov as the new head of the Joint Command of the Armed Forces (AFU), replacing Lieutenant General Yurii Sodol, according to Reuters. Zelenskiy announced this change in a video address, following media reports criticizing Sodol's handling of the prolonged conflict with Russia.

Simultaneously, Ukrainian authorities reported casualties from a recent double missile strike by Russian forces on Pokrovsk in the east. The attack resulted in five fatalities and left 41 injured, including four children, as per regional governor Vadim Filashkin's update on the Telegram social network.

The missile strikes targeted residential areas approximately 25 km from the front line, damaging six cars, 16 homes, and completely destroying one house. The Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine confirmed that the missiles, both Iskander-M ballistic missiles, were launched within half an hour of each other, escalating tensions in the region.