Eurotopics.net

At the third CELAC-EU summit in Brussels, heads of state and government from the EU, Latin America and the Caribbean agreed to step up cooperation, with a particular focus on the extraction and processing of raw materials and the fight against climate change. There was, however, no joint declaration condemning Russia's war against Ukraine. Commentators take stock.

Greek firefighters have been battling wildfires in the greater Athens area for several days now, and the country's General Secretariat for Civil Protection has ordered the evacuation of thousands of residents. The state apparatus is doing all it can to contain the fires, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has said. Commentators point out that it should never have come to this.

Leaders from the EU, Latin America and the Caribbean will meet for the third CELAC-EU summit in Brussels this Monday and Tuesday. Spain, which currently holds the EU Council presidency, sees itself as a mediator and wants to advance cooperation. A key goal is the signing of the free trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur, which has been under negotiation for decades. Europe's press reflects on changes in the balance of power.

Climate change is once again showing its brutal side with Southern Europe experiencing extreme temperatures. As the holiday season gets under way, Last Generation climate activists have disrupted operations at several German airports by gluing themselves to the runways. Tempers also flared during a road blockade in Stralsund. Europe's press asks: are such protest actions appropriate?