Eurotopics.net

Ukraine is suffering from a persistent brain drain. Young, well-educated workers in particular are leaving the country, leaving behind the old, the unemployed and an overburdened social system. Neighbouring Poland is a particularly popular destination: in 2020 more than one million Ukrainians were registered as living there. Commentators discuss the reasons and look for ways out of this permanent Ukrainian crisis.

In the coming winter season there will be hardly any restrictions for vaccinated and recovered tourists in Austria - apart from having to wear FFP2 masks in cable cars. With memories of the Ischgl resort fiasco in 2020 still fresh, the country's newspapers examine the rules that have now been adopted.

Half a year after the parliamentary elections, the Netherlands still has no government. King Willem-Alexander will kick off the parliamentary year today with a speech written by the caretaker government. Commentators examine the problems plaguing Dutch politics.

Russia's parliamentary elections came to an end on Sunday. According to initial results, Putin's United Russia party secured victory with just under 45 percent of the vote, while the Communists came a distant second with 20 percent, followed by three other parties considered loyal to the Kremlin. Several strong candidates of the opposition parties were imprisoned before the elections. Europe's press assesses the outcome from different perspectives.

The US, UK and Australia have signed a defence alliance pact for the Indo-Pacific: the Aukus deal. Among other measures Australia is to receive nuclear-powered submarines featuring US and British technology. The alliance is seen as a move to join forces against China, but it cancels a contract under which France would have supplied Australia with submarines. Opinions differ on the pact's causes and consequences.