Eurotopics.net

Comparing prices and hunting for bargains are dominating the preparations for the festive season, while the magic of Christmas seems to be fading. The focus on special offers and wish lists is distracting us from the things that really matter. Commentators across Europe share their thoughts on the subject.

The Kyiv city council has decided to dismantle 15 monuments and other memorials associated with the history and symbolism of the Russian monarchy and the Soviet Union. These include the monument to the author Mikhail Bulgakov, the memorial stone commemorating the 100th anniversary of Lenin's birth, and the memorial plaque to Pyotr Tchaikovsky.

The EU is granting Ukraine an interest-free loan of 90 billion euros. The Russian funds frozen in Belgium will not be touched for the time being. Europe's media look at what was achieved with the agreement reached last Friday in Brussels on the controversial loan.

The US government published thousands of documents relating to the case of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on Friday. However, not all the files were released and many documents had been redacted. Several Democratic and Republican MPs and senators have criticised the incomplete publication.