Eurotopics.net

The British government has approved a new regulation under which EU citizens who are not resident in Ireland will be required to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before crossing the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The government in Dublin has condemned the decision, pointing out that in practice it will lead to stricter border controls for Irish and Northern Irish citizens too - contrary to the long-standing Common Travel Area agreement.

One month after the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, representatives of Nato, the EU and the G7 are meeting today in Brussels to discuss further action. The main focus of the talks will be strengthening Nato's eastern flank and further sanctions against Russia. Commentators have different expectations of the summit.

In a video speech to the Israeli Knesset on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke of Moscow envisaging a "final solution" to destroy the people of Ukraine. Since the beginning of the war against Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has frequently been compared to Hitler and Stalin. Useful or dangerous? Europe's press is divided.

Putin is demanding that states of the West pay for Russian gas deliveries in roubles in future. He said on Wednesday that he had instructed the Russian central bank and government to stop accepting payments in dollars or euros in a week's time, but deliveries would be guaranteed in full. Commentators are concerned about this latest development.