Fuel Market Reform: North Macedonia approved strict new rules to ban low-quality petrol and diesel, forcing all oil companies to meet the same standards and replace outdated guidance from nearly 19 years ago. Vertical Gas Corridor: Gas corridor capacity bookings in the Vertical Gas Corridor auction beat expectations, with 46% of export capacity reserved for 2026/27–2029/30 at Sidirokastro and North Macedonia officially joining the project’s expansion work toward Serbia. Energy Integration Talks: Bulgaria and Greece agreed to draft a joint strategic document to speed up Southeast and Central Europe energy market integration, while corridor operators discussed progress with North Macedonia and Serbia in the room. Coalition of the Willing: Leaders from the “coalition of the willing” meet in Paris to coordinate missile defense and security guarantees for Ukraine, with North Macedonia joining for the first time. Aviation Safety: A Ryanair Boeing 737 flight from Thessaloniki to Germany returned after a passenger window detached in-flight; a Serbian passenger was injured but not life-threatening, and North Macedonia is set to lead the investigation. Industry & Trade: EU foreign ministers are set to clash over a proposal to restrict or ban trade with Israeli settlements, with the key dispute centered on whether it needs unanimous approval.