Russia marked the 79th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany on May 9 with the usual military parades. Vladimir Putin and his propaganda organs drew clear parallels between the battle against Hitler and Russia's current war in Ukraine. Putin needs to take a self-critical look in the mirror, commentators suggest.
China's head of state Xi Jinping travelled to Europe this week - making stops in Paris, Belgrade and Budapest. While at the start of his tour EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen accused him of 'flooding' Europe with subsidised goods and threatened to take 'tough measures', he received a warmer welcome in Serbia and Hungary, given that both countries are hoping to capitalise on Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative.
The right-wing conservative VMRO-DPMNE has emerged as the clear winner of the parliamentary and presidential elections in North Macedonia. As an opposition party it focused on Eurosceptic and nationalist issues in its campaign, touting plans to reverse the renaming of North Macedonia and terminate a neighbourhood agreement with Bulgaria, for example. Commentators discuss the international implications of the change of government.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was sworn in for a fifth term at a ceremony in the Kremlin on Tuesday. The 71-year-old will now rule the country for another six years. Russia will emerge stronger from this difficult time, Putin promised during the ceremony, which many EU representatives did not attend. Commentators are critical in their assessments.
The radical Islamic Hamas says it has agreed to a mediated proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded by saying that the proposal fell far short of Israel's demands but that he would send a high-ranking negotiating delegation to Egypt. In the meantime he is allowing the Rafah offensive to continue. The Israeli army has now gained control of parts of the city and of the Palestinian side of the border crossing.
Last year Spain created 780,000 new jobs, more than ever before, accounting for 44 percent of all new jobs in the Eurozone. One factor behind this positive trend is probably the strong economic growth of 2.5 percent. Nonetheless, the country's unemployment rate is still the highest in the EU, particularly among young workers.
Four days after the attack on Saxony's leading SPD candidate for the European elections, Matthias Ecke (41) is still recovering in hospital. He was assaulted by four men while putting up election posters and had to undergo surgery. Other parties have also reported violent incidents and attempts at intimidation during the election campaign. What's going on?
Mass protests against the adoption of a "foreign agent" law, which stipulates that media and organisations that receive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad must disclose their income, are gaining momentum in Georgia. In March 2023, protests against a similar bill ultimately led to its withdrawal. What to make of the current developments - not least in light of Georgia's recently acquired EU candidate status?
The EU plans to pay one billion euros in aid to Lebanon in exchange for its help in curbing the illegal immigration of Syrians to Europe, in particular via Cyprus. The agreement follows similar deals with Egypt, Tunisia and Mauritania. Commentators criticise the choice of partner and the timing, as well as this type of deal in general.
