Eurotopics.net

US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet today, Wednesday, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Community (APEC) summit in San Francisco. The meeting has been in preparation for months and is seen as a sign of a cautious rapprochement after a period of rising tensions, particularly over Taiwan. Europe's press takes stock.

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and the global climate protection movement Fridays for Future are facing growing criticism for their pro-Palestinian stance. Most recently, one of the speakers at a climate rally on Sunday in Amsterdam gave the microphone to an activist who used the phrase, "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free". Environmentalism must not be hijacked by other causes, commentators warn.

Poland's newly elected Sejm convened for the first time on Monday. At the constituent meeting, the new parliamentary majority appointed centrist politician Szymon Hołownia as its speaker. Last week, President Andrzej Duda tasked the PiS with forming a government despite the apparent impossibility of it reaching a coalition agreement. Commentators analyse the new situation.

Slovakia's new government under Robert Fico has announced it will no longer provide Ukraine with state military aid. Fico is thus making good on one of his campaign promises. Commercial enterprises will not be banned from providing support, however. Slovak press commentators see the decision as a mistake.