Eurotopics.net

The Israeli and US airstrikes against Iran have gone on for almost a week now. Tehran has responded with strikes against Israel and neighbouring Gulf states. The US Senate and House of Representatives have endorsed US President Trump's actions. Meanwhile, oil prices have risen significantly, causing turbulence across the global economy. Commentators in Europe try to predict what course the war will take.

Tensions are rising in the row between Kyiv and Budapest. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has sharply condemned Hungary's ongoing blockade of a 90-billion-euro loan, and ironically warned he would give the contact details of this "one person" to the Ukrainian military "so that they can call him and speak to him in their own language".

At the Winter Paralympics in Italy, the decision to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete under their countries' flags has met with widespread criticism. At the same time the Ukrainian team has been banned from wearing outfits featuring a map of Ukraine that includes the Russian-occupied territories. Several countries have joined Ukraine in announcing that they will boycott the opening ceremony.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez reiterated his "No to war in Iran!" in a televised address on Wednesday. The day before, US President Donald Trump had strongly criticised Spain in the presence of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for refusing to allow the US to use two military bases on its territory and threatened to sever trade relations with Spain. Commentators take stock of the leaders' behaviour in this delicate situation.