Eurotopics.net

Thirty members of the Kurdish PKK burnt their weapons in northern Iraq on Friday in a symbolic step towards ending their insurgency against the Turkish state, which began in 1984. One of the group's leaders said that they would now try to achieve their goals by political means. The press examines the prospects for the peace process.

The Ukrainian State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has launched proceedings against Vitaliy Shabunin, the head of the Anti-Corruption Action Centre and one of the country's best-known civil society activists. Because he also serves as a volunteer in the army, he is now accused of evading military service and using an army vehicle for private purposes. The media sound the alarm.

The motion of no-confidence against EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, tabled by members of far-right parties, has failed. Only 175 MEPs voted in favour of the initiative – while more than twice that number voted against. Two-thirds of those present would have had to support the motion for it to pass. Europe's media draw varying conclusions.

Shortly after Ukraine was hit by the heaviest airstrikes since the start of Russia's large-scale invasion in 2022, the annual Ukraine Recovery Conference is taking place in Rome on 10 and 11 July. The EU has advocated a reconstruction fund for critical sectors, to be supplemented by private investment, while President Zelensky has called for assistance with drone production, energy supplies and air defence, as well as the release of frozen Russian funds for reconstruction.

On a state visit to Britain, France's President Macron has agreed to launch a pilot project for returning migrants across the Channel. Some of the refugees who have reached the UK by boat are to be sent back to France in return for accepting other migrants with a strong case for asylum. The two nuclear powers also want to expand their military cooperation.