Host: A Chinese ship hit entering Odesa. Nuclear drills on NATO's doorstep. And former EU negotiators tell Britain: if you want back in, forget the old terms. From London, this is Europa Daily.

Host: Two developments on Europe's eastern flank are demanding attention at once. President Zelenskyy says a Chinese-flagged civilian vessel was struck by Russia on its way into Odesa port — part of a broader pattern of Russian attacks on civilian shipping in the Black Sea. Meanwhile, Belarus has launched military drills involving Russian tactical nuclear weapons. The Belarusian Defence Ministry said the exercises would test its readiness to deploy nuclear weapons. Ukraine condemned the drills, saying Russia is de facto legitimising the proliferation of nuclear weapons worldwide.

Host: To the question of Britain's relationship with the EU — and a blunt message from the people who negotiated Brexit the first time round. Veterans of the EU's Brexit negotiating team say Britain would not be able to rejoin the bloc on the special terms it once enjoyed. They describe what the UK would face as a warm and welcoming stance, but also a hard-headed one, with no tailor-made deal on offer. This matters now because senior Labour figures jostling for the party leadership are talking openly about wanting to return. Wes Streeting has called Brexit a catastrophic mistake and said the UK should rejoin. His rival Andy Burnham has previously advocated for rejoining but is fighting a by-election in the leave-voting Makerfield constituency.

Host: Belfast Harbour is planning to spend one point three billion pounds over the next twenty-five years — one of the largest non-governmental investments in Northern Ireland's history. The Belfast Harbour Commissioners say the money will go towards expanding quays, ferry terminals, and cruise ship services. The harbour has already upgraded its offshore wind facilities. On top of the core investment, there is the possibility of residential property developments adding another seven hundred and fifty million pounds. The Commissioners say the plan is driven by strong economic growth in Northern Ireland.

Host: Finally — a ground-level report from Suifenhe, a small city on China's north-eastern border with Russia, reveals a booming trade in cars and consumer goods flowing into Russia. Wang Runguo, a forty-five-year-old manager at a car export company founded just last August, says his salary has more than doubled thanks to a well-timed pivot — from corn to cars, from China to Russia. His company, Xingyun International Automobile Export, was set up specifically to cater to the new car export industry. As Wang puts it: China and Russia have been moving closer together, and more and more cars are going there. Suifenhe, once part of China's economically depressed rust belt, has become a microcosm of the evolving Chinese-Russian trading relationship — one that includes everything from sanctioned cars to beauty clinics, with Russian roubles flowing freely into Chinese border towns.

Host: That is Europa Daily. Black Sea shipping under fire, Brexit terms being set before negotiations even start, and a booming trade on the China-Russia border. We'll see you next time.

Sources

• The Guardian Europe: Belfast harbour operator to invest £1.3bn as NI economy grows
• The Guardian Europe: From sanctioned cars to beauty clinics, Russian rubles have flowed into China’s border towns since Ukraine war
• The Guardian Europe: Ukraine war briefing: Chinese ship hit on way in to Odesa port, says Zelenskyy
• The Guardian Europe: No ‘tailor-made’ deal for UK if it wants to rejoin bloc, say former EU Brexit officials
• DW World: Belarus launches drills involving Russian nuclear weapons
• The Guardian Europe: Could the UK really rejoin the EU? - The Latest