Eurotopics.net

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is to meet EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Council President Charles Michel in Brussels today, Monday, to discuss the situation in Syria and the future of the refugee pact concluded in 2016. Erdoğan wants more support for his country. But the EU is in a tricky situation, as a glance at Europe's press shows.

Italy's government announced massive restrictions on the movement of some 16 million citizens in 15 provinces of the country on Sunday in a bid to curb the spread of the new coronavirus. Shortly before the announcement the country's death toll had jumped by 133 to 366 within 24 hours. The Italian press discusses the citizens' sense of responsibility.

The trial for the downing of passenger flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine almost six years ago begins today in a criminal court at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. But the defendants, three Russians and one Ukrainian, are in Russia and not present at the trial. Dutch media debate whether despite these circumstances the procedure will be worthwhile.

For several days now Greek police have been using tear gas and water cannons to push back refugees and migrants on the country's border with Turkey. Thousands have gathered there in the hope of being able to enter the EU after Turkey opened its borders. Some media condemn Athens' hard line as inhumane and unlawful - other see it as a necessary evil for upholding Europe's interests.

During their meeting in Moscow on Thursday Russia's President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan agreed on a ceasefire for the embattled Syrian province of Idlib. The fighting continued until shortly before midnight but since then there has been "relative calm", according to news agency AFP. Some observers say Moscow has the upper hand, while for others Ankara has emerged as the winner.