Eurotopics.net

French President Emmanuel Macron is currently visiting the heads of government of Spain and Portugal. His talks with the two left-wing prime ministers are focussing on the migration issue, the future of the EU and collaboration in the energy sector. Can a Southern European alliance give the EU fresh impetus?

Russia has reacted critically to a US declaration on the annexed Ukrainian Crimean Peninsula. The US has stressed in its Crimea Declaration that it refuses to acknowledge Russia's annexation of Crimea. For commentators in Russia and Ukraine the declaration is a direct consequence of the Helsinki summit.

The EU and the US have come closer to an agreement in the trade dispute: Juncker and Trump announced that no further tariffs would be imposed, and that instead trade between the two blocs would be expanded. Commentators examine the reasons for the US president's new willingness to compromise, and ask how long the truce will last.

At least 80 people have died in wildfires in the Athens area. Firefighters now have the blazes for the most part under control. Several EU countries have offered help, and Italy and Romania have sent in fire-fighting planes. Commentators list the causes for the fires and reflect on ways to prevent such disasters.

As a result of Poland's judicial reform, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled on Wednesday that EU member states can refuse to enforce Polish arrest warrants if they have grounds to believe that suspects extradited to Poland would not receive a fair trial. Commentators view the decision as both a source of relief and a disaster.