Eurotopics.net

In the press conference on Chancellor Scholz's visit to Washington on Monday, US President Biden threatened Russia saying that "there will no longer be a Nord Stream 2" in the event of a Ukraine invasion. The German head of government, on the other hand, did not address the pipeline directly. Berlin should talk turkey, commentators believe.

After his visit to Moscow, French President Macron travelled to Kyiv on Tuesday, where his Ukrainian counterpart Zelensky thanked France for its support. Macron stressed the importance of the Minsk Protocol while Zelensky assured him that Ukraine would implement the agreements. But according to commentators the outcome will depend mainly on Washington and Moscow.

Climate change is causing more and more periods of drought on the Iberian peninsula. In Portugal, the drought is having a direct impact on energy production: because the water level in the reservoirs is very low, the government has banned hydroelectric production at several dams. In neighbouring Spain, too, the water levels at reservoirs are very low. Commentators have different views on what can be done to improve the situation.

After a long silence Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has reacted to the incriminating report on cases of sexual abuse against children in the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising. He wrote a letter asking the victims for forgiveness. At the same time he firmly rejects accusations of having covered up the affair. The press is divided: is this a sincere apology or out of touch with reality?

Covid not only poses a threat to physical health but is also taking its toll on people's mental health. Scientists are observing a surge in levels of loneliness, and a new report published by the EU Commission found that the number of people suffering from feelings of loneliness had doubled during the Covid crisis. European media outlets draw different conclusions about this trend.