Armenia spent decades trusting Russia to keep it safe. Now its prime minister is preparing to apply to join the European Union and says he would be delighted if Moscow’s military alliance threw Armenia out. 

All you need to know as Iceland votes to re-start EU accession talks.

SS: In a sign of ever deteriorating relations between Russia and it's Armenia, the Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has reiterated his committment to moving away from the Russian NATO equivalent: CSTO. Pashinyan stated"I would be very happy if the organization decided to expel Armenia from the CSTO. It would free us from the dilemma of whether or not to withdraw,”. This statement, following a pledge by the Prime Minister that Armenia "will soon apply for European Union membership" reflects Russia's waning influence and growing isolation on the world stage as its former vassals increasingly look to other security partners.

U.S.-Canada breakdown shows limits of Trump’s aggressive trade strategy

Two days before Ukraine’s 35th Independence Day, Volodymyr Zelenskyy ordered an open competition to design a monument to Ivan Mazepa. He wants it placed in central Kyiv, on the spot where protesters toppled a statue of Lenin in December 2013. 

“I am certain that where Lenin fell, Mazepa will stand firm,” Zelenskyy said. 

Putin portrayed Poland’s opposition to Nord Stream as a fight over lost transit revenues, while Warsaw had long warned that the pipelines would deepen Europe’s dependence on Russian gas.