Eurotopics.net

Emmanuel Macron's statements on the China-Taiwan conflict continue to cause a stir. After his visit to Beijing with Ursula von der Leyen, Macron told the business paper Les Echos that Europe should not behave like a "follower" of the US on the issue of Taiwan, drawing criticism from France's allies. While some commentators take the president to task, others wonder what all the fuss is about.

The Russian State Duma has unanimously passed amendments that will facilitate the recruitment of new soldiers. Under the new legislation, electronic summonses will be possible and men eligible for conscription will be registered in central data bases. What impact will this have in the country?

The publication of secret US documents has caused a stir in Washington. The US Department of Defense said that the fact that documents containing information about US support for Ukraine and actions on the front line have been circulating online for several days poses a significant threat to the country's national security. Europe's press also sees significant fallout.

Soviet-era documents have come to light in Lithuania, showing that President Gitanas Nausėda, who ran for election as an independent candidate, belonged to the Communist Party shortly before the country gained independence in 1990. The Office of the President confirmed that the head of state joined the party in May 1988 but said that he had not been a politically active member. The media discuss the potential consequences.

The leader of the Romanian right-wing nationalist AUR party, George Simion, is facing accusations from within the Ukrainian intelligence services and Moldovan politics that he had links with the Russian secret service around a decade ago. His party entered the Romanian parliament with a surprisingly strong showing in the 2020 elections, and is currently placed second in some polls.