Eurotopics.net

According to joint investigations conducted by several European media outlets, Denmark's intelligence service apparently helped the US National Security Agency (NSA) to spy on leading politicians in EU member states. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have called such actions "unacceptable". The media point to where changes are needed.

Russian president Vladimir Putin has accepted an invitiation from his US counterpart Joe Biden to meet in Geneva on June 16. The coronavirus pandemic, regional conflicts, nuclear stockpiles and bilateral relations are all on the agenda, according to Russian sources. Commentators weigh up the chances of a thaw in the relations between the two countries.

At the Champions League final in Porto, visiting fans of the British clubs Manchester City and Chelsea FC enjoyed freedoms that are still denied to the Portuguese under Covid restrictions. The policy was at the very least poorly communicated to the public, if not completely misguided, national media criticise.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenka discussed their countries' economic cooperation in Sochi on the weekend. They agreed on the release of a 500-million-dollar credit tranche, but according to media reports no futher major decisions were reached. Commentators assess whether Minsk can still count on Moscow's help.

The inflation rate in the US rose to 4.2 percent in April, and prices are also rising in Europe. Among other factors, inflation in the Eurozone is being driven by the growth of the Chinese and US economies and the associated rise in oil prices. Not all commentators see this as a cause of concern, however.