Eurotopics.net

President Ilham Aliyev has claimed victory after Azerbaijani troops launched a fierce offensive in the Armenian separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh agreed to a ceasefire that includes Armenian fighters laying down their weapons. Thousands of Armenians have fled the area. Commentators discuss causes, failures and consequences.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced a watering down of the UK's climate targets. The ban on sales of new diesel and petrol vehicles is to be pushed back by five years to 2035 and the phasing out of gas heating will also be postponed. Sunak cited the excessive costs of environmental measures for citizens as the reason for his move. Pragmatic or backward-looking?

Stefanos Kasselakis, an Athens-born entrepreneur who was educated and worked in the US until recently, has won the first round of the left-wing Syriza party's internal election for its leadership. Over 146,000 members voted, giving the newcomer almost 45 percent of the vote. Ex-labour minister Efi Achtsioglou came second with around 36 percent. A run-off will take place on Sunday. Commentators eye the candidate with suspicion.

Azerbaijani troops launched an attack on the Nagorno-Karabakh region on Tuesday. The regional capital Stepanakert and other towns were bombed. According to Nagorno-Karabakh's Premanent Representation in Armenia, at least 27 people were killed and hundreds injured. Europe's press voices deep concern about the fate of the predominantly Armenian enclave on Azerbaijani territory, which considers itself independent.