Ukraine drone strike hits Russian oil refinery, Zelenskyy says “Moscow will burn” if Putin continues war

June 18, 2026 7:59 AM EDT / CBS/AP

Ukraine hit a major Moscow oil refinery for a second time in a week and disrupted commercial flights at Moscow airports in one of its biggest drone attacks since Russia’s all-out invasion of its neighbor more than four years ago, Russian officials said Thursday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the attacks retaliation for a strike that damaged a historic monastery in Kyiv this week, and he said “Moscow will burn” if the Russian attacks continue.

“We don’t want this war, we never did, and everyone knows it, and our partners know it,” Zelenskiy said in a voice message sent to reporters on a WhatsApp group. “But if Ukraine burns, your Moscow will burn.”

“The main thing is that the people of Russia begin to feel that it is one man, Putin, who is waging this war, while ordinary people pay the price for everything,” he said.

Smoke rises from an oil refinery following a Ukrainian drone attack, in Moscow, Russia, June 18, 2026, in a picture obtained from social media. SOCIAL MEDIA/via REUTERS

The attack came hours after Zelenskyy said he had held “an important coordination call” with President Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron that may “bring about significant change.”

Zelenskyy said his country had won key pledges of further support from world leaders attending the G7 summit in France, including the U.S.

Images and video released by the Russian media showed massive fires raging at the Moscow Oil Refinery, located only around 9 miles from the Kremlin. Thick black clouds of smoke rose over the city.

The Moscow Oil Refinery is one of Russia’s biggest refineries, according to its official website, and accounts for more than a third of the fuel market of the capital region. It was last attacked by Ukrainian drones on June 16, catching fire, but officials said the blaze was swiftly put out.

Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Russia’s oil facilities, aiming to cut Moscow’s revenue for the war and make Russians feel the consequences of the invasion.

Three Ukrainian officials familiar with the country’s intelligence assessments told CBS News this week that Russia was facing shortages of a key type of interceptor missile, thanks in large part to advances in Ukrainian drone technology and production leading to an increase in the kind of strikes carried out Thursday.

Flights from four Moscow airports were temporarily halted, transport and aviation authorities said.

Smoke rises from an oil refinery following a Ukrainian drone attack in Moscow, Russia, June 18, 2026, in a picture obtained from social media. SOCIAL MEDIA/via REUTERS

In the surrounding Moscow region, a drone hit a residential building in the town of Zhukovsky, and the building was being evacuated, according to Gov. Andrei Vorobyov.

Elsewhere in the region, drone debris hit private houses, a car, a fitness center, an unspecified industrial facility and a large mall, whose roof caught fire, Vorobyov said. One woman was injured, he said.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that its air defenses overnight shot down 555 Ukrainian drones over multiple regions, with almost 200 intercepted as they were approaching the Russian capital.

That was roughly double the number of drones that Russia launched at Ukraine overnight, according to the Ukrainian air force.

The attack was the latest embarrassment for Russian President Vladimir Putin after a Ukrainian drone attack on his hometown of St. Petersburg earlier this month just as he held a showcase economic forum in the city with foreign VIP visitors.

Putin on Thursday was in Kazan, some 430 miles east of Moscow, hosting leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as Russia seeks to bolster business and other ties with the nations of the regional bloc.

“This is a fully justified response to Russian attacks on our cities and communities, and another important result of our warriors’ work against facilities that sustain Russia’s war machine,” Ukraine’s Zelenskyy said on social media. “It is time the war ended, and Russia must take the necessary steps in diplomacy.”

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on X: “One of the most popular questions asked by Muscovites this morning is ‘What is going on?’ I can answer. Your country started a war of aggression against ours. For years, it has been killing our people. Now that you know what’s going on, ask Putin when he is planning to end it.”

As well as gaining pledges of more diplomatic and military help from Western supporters at the G7 summit, Ukraine recently has gained momentum on the battlefield against Russia’s bigger army thanks to its high-tech drones, Western officials and analysts say.

As well as disrupting Russian oil production, longer-range drone strikes are choking Russian supply lines in occupied regions of Ukraine.

Macron said the G7 summit was “very important for Ukraine” because its supporters – crucially including the United States – vowed to help it, although the French president provided no details. The U.S. under Trump has cut back assistance to Ukraine, leaving the Europeans as the biggest suppliers of military and financial aid. Trump and Zelenskyy have had an at times strained relationship.

″America is with us on Ukraine, that is very important,″ Macron said.

″And now we will continue to advance to help Ukraine to resist″ and to build up its ″capacity to defend itself and capacity to counterattack,” Macron told reporters as he and Trump left the Palace of Versailles near Paris.

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/trump-spoke-with-zelenksyy-and-putin-as-war-rages-on-between-russia-and-ukraine/

阿联酋规定15岁为社交媒体最低使用年龄

2026年6月18日 17:29 / 联合早报

阿拉伯联合酋长国星期四（6月18日）批准一项决议，将社交媒体最低使用年龄设定为15岁。 （路透社）

阿拉伯联合酋长国星期四（6月18日）批准一项决议，将社交媒体最低使用年龄设定为15岁，成为首个实施这类规定的阿拉伯国家。

路透社引述阿联酋政府媒体办公室发布的声明，15岁以下儿童不得创建或使用个人社交媒体账户，也无法使用相关平台的全部功能。

反无人机领域正吸引数十亿美元的投资，它的应用范围已远远超出军事领域，扩展到能源、航运、数据中心、酒店和机场等行业。图为2025年12月4日，一架无人机飞过位于德国卡塞尔的反无人机装置。 （路透社）

（柏林路透电）无人机入侵扰乱欧洲机场以及袭击中东油田等基础设施，为雷达、干扰器和防御飞行器带来巨大商机，据估计全球反无人机市场正以20%的年增长率快速扩张。

多年来，无人机技术已给机场带来诸多不便，伦敦盖特威克等机场在2020年之前就曾因无人机警报而被迫暂停航班。随后俄乌战争和中东战争引发的无人机入侵事件，使这些担忧达到了前所未有的程度。

反无人机领域正吸引数十亿美元的投资，它的应用范围已远远超出军事领域，扩展到能源、航运、数据中心、酒店和机场等行业。

例如，在挪威境内运营43个机场的Avinor公司已在其机场安装无人机侦察系统，以应对民用无人机入侵对空中交通造成的干扰和延误。

路透社访问了六家反无人机公司的高管，他们表示来自政府、机场和民用基础设施运营商的订单急剧增加。总部位于荷兰的反无人机公司RobinRadar首席执行官哈明加说：“很多人联系我们，这确实产生了直接影响。”

延伸阅读

韩国世界杯训练场出现无人机 被墨西哥军方拦截乌克兰对莫斯科发动创纪录的无人机袭击 直逼炼油厂

面对庞大上商机，反无人机企业纷纷推出新产品，例如美国Dedrone公司研制出枪形干扰器；波音公司推出一种可与战斗机一同飞行的自主“僚机”，它可更换的机头内装有反无人机干扰器和武器。

分析师估计，全球反无人机市场规模约为30亿至70亿美元（约39亿到90亿新元），并以每年约20%的速度增长。市场咨询公司MarketsandMarkets则预测，到了2030年，反无人机市场规模将从目前的45亿美元扩展至145亿美元。

美国无人机探测雷达制造商Echodyne首席执行官弗兰肯伯格说，市场对该公司雷达的需求量去年增加超过一倍，这增长势头至今未见放缓，他们的新厂今年将投入生产，年产能将翻一番，雷达产量将超过3万台。

尽管反无人机技术备受青睐，但监管方面的挑战和安全问题限制了它在军事领域之外的推广应用。民用机场对于反无人机技术有着严格的限制，目前主要侧重于无人机探测工具。反无人机干扰器可能会扰乱通信和导航，因此不适于在机场周边使用。此外，在民用环境中一般不能使用武器击落无人机。

反无人机领域正吸引数十亿美元的投资，它的应用范围已远远超出军事领域，扩展到能源、航运、数据中心、酒店和机场等行业。图为2025年12月4日，一架无人机飞过位于德国卡塞尔的反无人机装置。 （路透社）

（柏林路透电）无人机入侵扰乱欧洲机场以及袭击中东油田等基础设施，为雷达、干扰器和防御飞行器带来巨大商机，据估计全球反无人机市场正以20%的年增长率快速扩张。

多年来，无人机技术已给机场带来诸多不便，伦敦盖特威克等机场在2020年之前就曾因无人机警报而被迫暂停航班。随后俄乌战争和中东战争引发的无人机入侵事件，使这些担忧达到了前所未有的程度。

反无人机领域正吸引数十亿美元的投资，它的应用范围已远远超出军事领域，扩展到能源、航运、数据中心、酒店和机场等行业。

例如，在挪威境内运营43个机场的Avinor公司已在其机场安装无人机侦察系统，以应对民用无人机入侵对空中交通造成的干扰和延误。

路透社访问了六家反无人机公司的高管，他们表示来自政府、机场和民用基础设施运营商的订单急剧增加。总部位于荷兰的反无人机公司RobinRadar首席执行官哈明加说：“很多人联系我们，这确实产生了直接影响。”

面对庞大上商机，反无人机企业纷纷推出新产品，例如美国Dedrone公司研制出枪形干扰器；波音公司推出一种可与战斗机一同飞行的自主“僚机”，它可更换的机头内装有反无人机干扰器和武器。

分析师估计，全球反无人机市场规模约为30亿至70亿美元（约39亿到90亿新元），并以每年约20%的速度增长。市场咨询公司MarketsandMarkets则预测，到了2030年，反无人机市场规模将从目前的45亿美元扩展至145亿美元。

美国无人机探测雷达制造商Echodyne首席执行官弗兰肯伯格说，市场对该公司雷达的需求量去年增加超过一倍，这增长势头至今未见放缓，他们的新厂今年将投入生产，年产能将翻一番，雷达产量将超过3万台。

尽管反无人机技术备受青睐，但监管方面的挑战和安全问题限制了它在军事领域之外的推广应用。民用机场对于反无人机技术有着严格的限制，目前主要侧重于无人机探测工具。反无人机干扰器可能会扰乱通信和导航，因此不适于在机场周边使用。此外，在民用环境中一般不能使用武器击落无人机。

不满涉以言论 以色列外长切断与欧盟最高外交官联系

2026年6月18日 18:10 / 联合早报

据欧洲动态新闻网（Euractiv）独家报道，卡拉斯在墨西哥举行的高级别闭门会谈中，将以色列对待加沙和约旦河西岸巴勒斯坦人的方式，与南非种族隔离政策相提并论。图为卡拉斯在欧洲议会就中东局势发表讲话。 （法新社）

以色列外交部长萨尔宣布，鉴于有报道称欧盟外交与安全政策高级代表卡拉斯将以色列与南非种族隔离政权相提并论，他将切断与卡拉斯的所有联系。

萨尔星期四（6月18日）在社媒平台X发文说：“最近有报道说，她（卡拉斯）在访问墨西哥期间，将以色列比作南非曾经存在的种族隔离政权……迄今为止，她对此事未作任何否认、回应或评论。”

他进而写道：“因此，作为以色列外交部长，我别无选择，只能切断与卡拉斯女士的一切联系，直到她收回对世界上唯一犹太国家——也是中东唯一民主国家——的血祭诽谤（blood libel）。”

“血祭诽谤”指的是一则反犹谣言，声称犹太人会谋杀基督教徒的孩子，用这些小孩的血来进行宗教仪式。

萨尔还在贴文中说：“欧盟长期以来一直对以色列国采取偏执且可耻的欺骗行为。”

据欧洲动态新闻网（Euractiv）上周独家报道，卡拉斯在墨西哥举行的高级别闭门会谈中，将以色列对待加沙和约旦河西岸巴勒斯坦人的方式，与南非种族隔离政策相提并论。

包括列席官员和外交官在内的多名人士告诉欧洲动态新闻网，卡拉斯描述了去年访南非和在约翰内斯堡参观种族隔离博物馆的经历，称自己深受触动。

她承认以色列拥有自卫权，但同时表明，以色列对哈马斯2023年10月7日跨境袭击的回应，与南非所指控的种族灭绝行为相称，并称以色列在约旦河西岸的定居点破坏以巴两国方案的可能。

据欧洲动态新闻网（Euractiv）独家报道，卡拉斯在墨西哥举行的高级别闭门会谈中，将以色列对待加沙和约旦河西岸巴勒斯坦人的方式，与南非种族隔离政策相提并论。图为卡拉斯在欧洲议会就中东局势发表讲话。 （法新社）

以色列外交部长萨尔宣布，鉴于有报道称欧盟外交与安全政策高级代表卡拉斯将以色列与南非种族隔离政权相提并论，他将切断与卡拉斯的所有联系。

萨尔星期四（6月18日）在社媒平台X发文说：“最近有报道说，她（卡拉斯）在访问墨西哥期间，将以色列比作南非曾经存在的种族隔离政权……迄今为止，她对此事未作任何否认、回应或评论。”

他进而写道：“因此，作为以色列外交部长，我别无选择，只能切断与卡拉斯女士的一切联系，直到她收回对世界上唯一犹太国家——也是中东唯一民主国家——的血祭诽谤（blood libel）。”

“血祭诽谤”指的是一则反犹谣言，声称犹太人会谋杀基督教徒的孩子，用这些小孩的血来进行宗教仪式。

萨尔还在贴文中说：“欧盟长期以来一直对以色列国采取偏执且可耻的欺骗行为。”

法英挪拟绕开布鲁塞尔联手协调制裁以色列
西班牙将提议欧盟暂停与以色列联系国协议

据欧洲动态新闻网（Euractiv）上周独家报道，卡拉斯在墨西哥举行的高级别闭门会谈中，将以色列对待加沙和约旦河西岸巴勒斯坦人的方式，与南非种族隔离政策相提并论。

包括列席官员和外交官在内的多名人士告诉欧洲动态新闻网，卡拉斯描述了去年访南非和在约翰内斯堡参观种族隔离博物馆的经历，称自己深受触动。

她承认以色列拥有自卫权，但同时表明，以色列对哈马斯2023年10月7日跨境袭击的回应，与南非所指控的种族灭绝行为相称，并称以色列在约旦河西岸的定居点破坏以巴两国方案的可能。

1,200-year-old Robin Hood oak tree in Sherwood Forest has died, group says: “Heartbreaking for everyone”

2026-06-18T07:24:00-0400 / CBS News

A massive ancient oak tree linked to the legend of Robin Hood may have been loved to death.

The 1,200-year-old Major Oak in Sherwood Forest is believed to have died after it didn’t sprout leaves this spring, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds said Thursday.

Visitors over the past two centuries who viewed the tree’s gnarled limbs and sprawling canopy in Nottingham compressed the soil, making it difficult for rain to reach its roots, the conservation group said, despite the immediate area around the massive oak being fenced off.

The forest has been under threat for years and the tree had been rumored to have died in the past — only to have the group confirm it was still alive.

That is no longer the case.

“The tree’s failure to produce leaves this year is heartbreaking for everyone,” Hollie Drake of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds said in a statement announcing the death.

The “Major Oak” tree, where Robin Hood allegedly used as a hide out in Sherwood Forest, is seen in Nottinghamshire, England, Oct. 19, 2007. AP/SIMON DAWSON

The tree is said to have sheltered Robin Hood, the legendary 13th-century bandit who stole from the rich and gave to the poor and took refuge in the forest when being pursued by the sheriff of Nottingham.

It got its name after being mentioned in a book on oak trees by Major Hayman Rooke in 1790 that led to the first wave of fans who flocked to the forest.

It’s impossible to say what killed the tree, but the footprints of millions contributed to its downfall, along with intervention to shore up its massive limbs using cables and poles. Climate change that has brought heat waves and drought was also blamed.

Tree experts found the root system strangled and starved.

“Ancient trees like the Major Oak are the ‘conservation white rhinos of the U.K.’ but their decline is far less visible,” said Ed Pyne, of the Woodland Trust. “Saving them is vital to the health of the world we live in and yet most disappear quietly, without the recognition or care given to the Major Oak.”

In addition to its place in folklore, the forest is known for Sherwood oaks that floated the ships of Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson’s Royal Navy in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and as timbers in the roof of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.

The Major Oak was spared from the saw and had been protected by a fence since the 1970s.

A boy stands on the fence surrounding the Major Oak in Sherwood Forest, England, in a June 30, 2013 file photo. CBS News

“Although this marks the end of the Major Oak as a living tree, it does not mark the end of its story,” the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds said.

“The tree and soil beneath it will continue to be a vital refuge for wildlife and the knowledge we have gained by looking after the Major Oak will help preserve other ancient oaks across the country,” the group said. “Its legacy will live on through its saplings and the legends associated with it, with plans being drawn up with our partners, and the tree will continue to be a vital refuge for wildlife.”

Drake said the tree will be a monument that people can visit, “living on in the legend of Robin Hood and continuing to provide as much support to the forest’s ecosystem in death as in life.”

Exclusive: Trump administration ramps up effort to revoke citizenship from naturalized Americans

2026-06-18T08:00:25.491Z / CNN

• The Trump administration plans to file at least 250 denaturalization cases by October, a significant increase in efforts to revoke citizenship.
• The Justice Department has already filed 29 cases in less than two months, far exceeding the annual average of less than 10.
• Civil litigators have been pulled from other divisions to pursue these cases targeting naturalized citizens accused of fraud or crimes.

AI-generated summary was reviewed by a CNN editor.

The Trump administration plans to file at least 250 denaturalization cases by October, significantly intensifying its effort to revoke citizenship from people naturalized in the United States, according to a senior Justice Department official.

In less than two months this year, the Justice Department has filed 29 denaturalization cases targeting foreign-born Americans whom it accuses of fraudulently obtaining US citizenship.

Civil litigators are actively reviewing additional cases to file as the department picks up a pace that has already surpassed previous years: Between 2008 and June 12, 2026, 166 denaturalization complaints were filed, an annual average of less than 10, according to Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse.

The push is part of President Donald Trump’s broader, aggressive immigration agenda — which has gone well beyond targeting people in the country illegally — and reveals how federal agencies have shifted resources to prioritize that agenda.

Behind the scenes, the Justice Department has pulled civil litigators from various divisions — including those assigned to investigating fraud, which the administration has flaunted as another top priority — to pursue denaturalization cases, according to the senior DOJ official. The cases are also being sent to US attorney offices at a time when many are already under immense strain.

“This is a lawful tool that Congress has had on the books for decades,” the senior DOJ official told CNN, adding that denaturalization cases should be prioritized “to protect the integrity of American citizenship and make sure people who are present in this country and have enjoyed the benefits of citizenship are doing so lawfully, and the right people are acquiring citizenship.”

The cases filed by the Trump administration so far include people who are accused of committing fraud, sexual abuse of a minor, or expressed support for terrorism before or during the naturalization process.

The federal government has the authority in federal statute to move toward revoking citizenship of an individual if they made false statements that were relevant to the naturalization process or if the citizenship was illegally procured, meaning they weren’t eligible for it. Denaturalization cases generally fall under one of those categories and then proceed as civil or criminal cases depending on the circumstances.

Denaturalizations do not apply to those who were born in the country and received citizenship through birthright. (Separately, Trump has attempted, via executive order, to end automatic birthright citizenship. The Supreme Court will soon rule on whether that policy move is legal.)

In the last decade, nearly 8 million people became naturalized US citizens, according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services.

The administration signaled its intent to prioritize denaturalizations in a June 2025 memo from Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate. Shumate listed 10 categories of priorities for cases, including individuals who pose a danger to national security, engaged in war crimes, engaged in fraud, or committed felonies not disclosed during the naturalization process, among others.

“These categories are intended to guide the Civil Division in prioritizing which cases to pursue; however, these categories do not limit the Civil Division from pursuing any particular case, nor are they listed in a particular order of importance,” the memo reads.

The denaturalization unit is made up of 12 attorneys who are working through a backlog of cases and continuing to field referrals from the Department of Homeland Security. The backlog includes identity fraud cases, as well as prior conviction cases, war criminal cases, and terrorism cases, the senior DOJ official said.

Given the volume, however, the Justice Department is pulling from other offices in its civil division, including civil fraud attorneys, political appointees in the front office, among other attorneys to expand capacity.

US attorney offices, meanwhile, are also being referred cases and distributing those around the country depending on where the case will be filed. The senior DOJ official said US attorney offices may file “several hundred more” cases.

The cases are intensive and time-consuming, which is partly why previous administrations have largely focused on people involved in war crimes and terrorism.

The Biden administration, for example, filed a total of 24 cases over four years, according to the Justice Department.

“They may be able to expedite the process for initiating these cases, but regardless of the steps they take before cases are filed, the litigation process itself is still going to be a huge impediment to their goal of denaturalizing people in huge numbers,” said Stacey Young, who served at DOJ under multiple administrations and is the founder and executive director of Justice Connection.

Denaturalization is rare and can only occur in federal court. Historically, the US revoked citizenship for a range of reasons, from lying about a person’s date of arrival, age or marital status to political reasons. During World War II, for example, the US reviewed naturalization cases of German Americans who were pro-Nazi.

Lawyers in the Justice Department had previously focused their efforts on people who had been found guilty of egregious crimes, making the cases they’d bring to court more clear cut, people familiar with these cases told CNN. These days, though, some Justice Department lawyers are feeling a building pressure to pursue any case that can be argued under the law — even alleged fraud based on how paperwork was filled out, the people told CNN.

Justice Department officials maintain that the agency is focusing on people who lied about criminal history or criminal acts that were ongoing when they applied for US citizenship.

“People who got a parking ticket — that’s not going to be somebody that we’re going to focus our resources on and may not even qualify for denaturalization under the statute,” the senior DOJ official said. “It’s really about finding people who have committed serious fraud against the United States and identifying those individuals and proceeding as quickly as we can.”

“Gaining U.S. citizenship is a privilege and under the steadfast leadership of President Trump, this Department of Justice maintains a zero-tolerance policy for the abuse of this process,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche in a June statement.

If the administration succeeds in a denaturalization case, that person will return to the immigration status they had prior to acquiring US citizenship. Generally, they usually return to their permanent resident status, though depending on the reasons for their denaturalization, they could also face deportation proceedings.

“The reason for the robustness of the protections, the reason the standard is clear and convincing evidence, etc. is because of Supreme Court decisions,” said Daniel Kanstroom, professor of law at Boston College Law School.

Kanstroom noted that the emphasis on denaturalizations by the administration is “potentially worrisome” but not currently cause for alarm, since the cases filed so far generally fit the type of cases previous administrations have pursued.

CNN’s Hannah Rabinowitz contributed to this report.

美国审查驻欧部队 促北约朝欧洲主导迈进

2026年6月18日 18:21 / 联合早报

赫格塞斯星期四（6月18日）在布鲁塞尔的北约国防部长会议上，对北约盟友采取严厉措辞，但也承认许多北约成员国在加强防务方面取得长足进步。 （路透社）

美国战争部长赫格塞斯说，五角大楼会在未来六个月内对驻欧部队进行审查，确保北约“在迅速且不可逆转地朝欧洲主导的方向迈进”。

法新社报道，赫格塞斯星期四（6月18日）在布鲁塞尔的北约国防部长会议上，发表上述言论。华盛顿此前一直在施压欧洲盟国，为自身安全承担更大责任。

赫格塞斯表明：“这会是一次真正的审查，目的是确保北约正迅速、不可逆转地朝着欧洲主导的方向迈进，并承担起捍卫欧洲的主要责任。”

北约领导人会议即将在7月召开，美国正不断加大施压力度，力求确保盟国兑现大幅增加国防开支的承诺。

赫格塞斯强调，今后华盛顿支付用于覆盖北约组织运营成本的会费将取决于盟国是否达到开支目标。

美国2026年的北约会费约为7亿9000万美元（约10亿新元），赫格塞斯说：“如果其他盟国不紧急增加军费，我们的会费缴纳额就会相应减少。”

此外，伊朗战争期间，一些北约国家拒绝为美国对伊朗的军事行动提供便利和协助，此举招致美国总统特朗普不满。

赫格塞斯说，这次审查也旨在确保美国的“准入、驻军和飞越权得到明确界定和保障”。

“太可耻了。这些盟友让美国的儿女——我们的儿女——置身于危险之中。没有任何借口能够为此开脱。”

尽管措辞严厉，赫格塞斯还是承认，许多北约成员国在加强防务方面取得长足进步，并称工作正在取得进展。

“一些盟友已经领会我们的意思并采取行动。你们自己心里清楚，我们对此深表感谢。”

US banks to make final push on capital rule changes as Fed wraps up consultation

2026-06-18T10:02:38.408Z / https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/us-banks-make-final-push-capital-rule-changes-fed-wraps-up-consultation-2026-06-18/

• Banks seek technical tweaks that could further reduce some new capital hikes
• Industry plans to challenge capital charges on trading activities, four industry officials said
• Largest banks also want GSIB surcharge recalibrated using economic growth since 2015

WASHINGTON, June 18 (Reuters) – Large U.S. banks on Thursday will formally pitch the central bank on tweaks to a Federal Reserve ​proposal aimed at reducing the funds they must set aside to absorb potential losses, as the central bank enters the last leg of a marathon ‌overhaul of U.S. capital rules.

Among their top asks will be reductions to capital assigned to Wall Street trading activities, scrapping a requirement to hold capital against unused credit card lines, and further fixes to reduce the impact of a surcharge levied on globally interconnected banks, according to five industry executives and employees. The officials spoke anonymously to discuss ongoing regulatory matters and the contents of comment letters that are not ​yet public.

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U.S. regulators led by the Federal Reserve in March unveiled new relaxed drafts of sweeping capital rules, which they estimated would reduce big banks’ loss-absorbing capital by ​around 4.8%, arguing the current rules are hurting the economy. The so-called ‘Basel’ rules overhaul how banks measure their risk and in turn how much ⁠capital they need.

Lenders believe the new proposal is a dramatic improvement from the central bank’s original 2023 plan put forward by Democratic officials keen to impose stricter bank rules, ​which had envisaged a 20% capital hike following regional bank failures.

But after analyzing hundreds of pages of proposed technical changes, lenders have identified issues which they will make one last-ditch push to ​fix, the sources said.

The deadline for banks to submit formal comments is Thursday. A Fed spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

“There’s a really big push to get it wrapped up in the next six months because there are other items on the regulatory agenda,” said Matthew Bisanz, a partner at Mayer Brown who specializes in financial regulation.

Critics of the easier rules argue that trimming bank capital requirements ​makes the firms more vulnerable to risks, and could hurt the economy should financial firms falter and restrict lending.

Last month, Phillip Basil, director of Economic Growth and Financial Stability ​for Better Markets, said in a press statement “strong capital standards are the foundation” of a resilient banking system, because “they ensure that banks—not taxpayers, workers, or small businesses—absorb losses when risks materialize.”

TRADING, CREDIT CARD CHANGES

Wall ‌Street banks ⁠will argue that regulators have been too conservative and blunt in assigning capital to trading activities, especially since the Fed annually gauges individual banks’ risks with its “stress test” health checks. Industry groups will suggest changes that could dramatically shrink or even erase the additional capital the Fed has proposed for that business, executives said.

The banking industry is also expected to push back against a requirement to effectively hold capital against 10% of unused credit lines known as “unconditionally cancelable commitments,” the most common of which is unused credit card lines.

Currently, such credit lines are ​capital-free because banks can yank them at any ​time, but regulators argue that in ⁠practice lenders may not do that during times of economic stress due to client relationships or other risk management practices.

A handful of the biggest banks will also make another push to soften the capital “surcharge” the Fed imposed on global systemically important banks in the U.S., or “GSIB,” ​following the 2008 financial crisis.

The Fed proposed a one-time adjustment to account for economic growth dating back to roughly 2019, as well ​as automatic updates for ⁠future growth, which would in turn reduce banks’ size relative to the economy and the resulting surcharge. But lenders will again argue it should account for growth since its creation in 2015, the people said.

NO MAJOR CHALLENGE

Banks do not plan to push back hard the way they did in 2023. Multiple executives said banks have pared back their asks, focusing on the most significant ⁠issues.

One industry group ​identified nearly 100 issues with the proposal but plans to make the case for only a few dozen, ​according to one of the people who is familiar with the plan.

Reuters had previously reported that Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman, who is leading the rulewriting effort, had conveyed to banks they should be measured in ​their feedback, and executives said the industry is keen to move on from a policy fight that has sucked up years of time and energy.

Editing by Michelle Price and Aurora Ellis