Eurotopics.net

President Vladimir Putin's announcement of the partial mobilisation of Russian forces and nuclear threats have triggered growing concern about a further escalation and increased suffering in the war against Ukraine. Putin knows very well that a nuclear war should never be fought and cannot be won, Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday. Commentators see Russia weakened.

Thousands of people took to the streets in Russia on Wednesday to voice their discontent over Putin's announcement of a partial mobilisation. More than 500 people were arrested in Moscow and over 550 in St. Petersburg, according to the human rights organisation OVD-Info. Commentators are at odds about the extent to which the protests reflect the general mood in the country.

The US Federal Reserve's latest interest rate hike of 0.75 percentage points has triggered a mixed response. While some praise the crackdown on inflation, others fear a recession. Commentators discuss the complex problems Europe's economy faces and bemoan a lack of perspectives for consumers.