Eurotopics.net

A Russian court extended opposition politician Alexei Navalny's prison sentence on Friday. The 47-year-old has already been behind bars for two years and has now been sentenced to 19 years in prison on charges of extremism. Commentators shed light on the background and goals of the sentence.

Relations between Poland and Ukraine have become markedly closer since the beginning of the Ukraine war. But now Poland wants to unilaterally extend the import restrictions on Ukrainian grain which are in effect until September. After Marcin Przydacz, Polish President Andrzej Duda's foreign policy secretary, commented last week that Kyiv should show more gratitude for Poland's support, the Polish ambassador was summoned by Kyiv.

High prices for a spot on the beach have tensions running high in Greece. Around 300 people bearing towels and banners protested for the first time at the end of July on a beach on the island of Paros against operators of partly illegal beach bars filling up beaches with sun loungers and then charging people money to use them. Similar protests followed at other popular holiday resorts. The government has now announced plans to crack down on the rampant beach trade.

The EU has imposed a total of eleven sanctions packages against Russia since February 2022. Washington has also repeatedly expanded the list of Russian companies with which US firms are not allowed to trade. Europe's press looks at the impact of this policy from different angles.