EU Enlargement: EU ambassadors agreed to open the first accession talks cluster for Ukraine and Moldova, with negotiations expected to start in Luxembourg and focus first on rule of law and institutions. EU Path Pressure: Former North Macedonian FM Bujar Osmani says stalled EU integration is hurting development and argues the negotiating framework hinges on only two Bulgaria-related issues: constitutional changes and the minorities action plan. Turkish Investment Push: PM Hristijan Mickoski invited Turkish businesspeople in Istanbul to invest, pitching North Macedonia as a gateway to European markets and citing reforms to cut red tape and digitize services. Trade Talks: Türkiye and North Macedonia also discussed boosting bilateral trade toward a $2 billion target; Turkish officials cited $886m trade in 2025 and ongoing talks to modernize the free trade agreement. Regional Cooperation Funding: The Interreg NEXT “Black Sea Basin” program was discussed in Chisinau, including priorities for 2028–2034 and co-financing rules for cross-border projects. Environment & Health: A Europe-wide PM2.5 map highlights severe premature-death impacts in North Macedonia’s Skopski region, linking pollution to major sources across borders. Society & Culture: A Bulgarian communities conference in Sofia focused on supporting Bulgarian identity and cultural memory across the Balkans, including participants from North Macedonia.