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       Farmers' protests continued across Europe on Friday, with 66 arrests in Paris after protesting farmers blocked the Champs-élysées during the early hours.

       Placing tractors and straw bales along the iconic avenue near the Arc de Triomphe and French President Emmanuel Macron's office, the élysée Palace, the farmers briefly brought traffic to a standstill.

       Described as a "symbolic" and "peaceful" act by the French farmers union, the tractors were escorted by National Police motorbikes.

       In addition to their national demands, the French farmers are protesting against an EU trade pact with the Mercosur group of South American countries.

       Polish farmers block access to Lithuania

       In Poland, farmers blocked the road to Lithuania, the only access route from the Baltic States to Poland and southern countries.

       They are opposed to the alleged re-export of Ukrainian grain, which would go from Poland to Lithuania in transit and return from Lithuania as an EU import to Poland with no testing or control.

       But Jerzy Plewa, former Polish deputy agriculture minister and a former Director General for Agriculture and Rural Development at the European Commission, in an interview with Euroactiv blamed "record exports from Russia,".

       “Low grain prices on global markets are largely due to Russia’s record exports, which are being sold at low prices particularly to African markets, but also to Europe”, he said.

       Kyiv warns of potential Russian advances in the summer

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       Ukrainian officials fear that Russian troops may be able to make significant gains this summer should Kyiv's Western allies fail to provide new artillery ammunition soon, new reports say.

       According to Bloomberg, Ukraine's current assessment of the situation on the battlefield looks "bleak" as its troops are unable to hold off Russian attacks as they try to ration the number of shells they can fire before completely running out.

       Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said last weekend that Russian forces are preparing for a new offensive that is expected to start in late May or summer 2024.

       According to Ukrainian intelligence, Russian troops could make major advances as soon as this summer, with Russia's President Vladimir Putin still planning to take the Ukrainian capital.

       At the moment, some of the heaviest fighting in Ukraine continues west of Adviivka, where Russian forces have reportedly captured several settlements.

       Geolocated footage analysed by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) shows that Russian forces have so far advanced into fields south and southwest of Stepove, to the northwest of Avdiivka, and northwest of Lastochkyne, which lies west of Avdiivka.

       Ukraine and the Netherlands strike security deal

       Zelenskyy and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte signed a deal on Friday under which €2 billion in military aid from the Netherlands will be delivered to Ukraine through 2024, to be followed by further defence assistance over the next 10 years.

       "I am grateful to Prime Minister Rutte for this agreement, which will strengthen the protection of Ukraine, including the city of Kharkiv, where we met today," Zelenskyy wrote in a social media post on X.

       "According to the document, the Netherlands also supports Ukraine's future membership in the EU and NATO."

       The deal was signed in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.

       "Ukraine is now assured of our ongoing support and engagement: not only across the spectrum of defence cooperation, but also in the areas of reconstruction, sanctions and the fight for truth and justice," Rutte wrote on X.

       "We stand side by side with Ukraine, together with a broad, international coalition of like-minded countries," he continued. "My visit today made it all the more clear to me that Putin cannot be allowed to win this barbaric war. Ukraine must prevail. Humanity must prevail. Peace and justice must prevail."

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       Hungary's strict immigration legislation will be implemented this Friday, after a two month adjustment period.

       The announcement was made by Parliamentary Secretary of State of the Ministry of Interior Affairs Bence Retvari at a press conference.

       The law, which will replace one in place for 16 years, was justified by increasing number of migrants to Hungary by Retvari.

       In his speech, Retvari highlighted that the new law would ensure Hungarian jobs are primarily reserved for Hungarians, and third-country nationals should only work in Hungary if no local workers are available.

       Immigrants to Hungary who have been fired must leave the country within six days, a process facilitated by their employer. Further measures include the abolishment of family members being allowed to join third-country workers arriving in Hungary. Third-country nationals also have no fundamental right to reside in Hungary, and residence permits have been divided into categories of highly-skilled and low-skilled workers.

       The law will also introduce the so-called "golden visa", which will allow individuals who make a significant real estate investment residence in Hungary for a certain time period.

       Left-wing parties in Hungary's parliament have opposed the legislation.