Eurotopics.net

The US wants to withdraw a quarter of its troops from Germany. Monday' video conference between the EU's foreign ministers and their US counterpart Pompeo ended without results. Recently there were also tensions over the G7 summit planned to take place in Washington in June, which Angela Merkel cancelled citing the coronavirus pandemic. Are we in for a freeze in transatlantic relations?

The US has announced the resumption of the talks between Serbia and Kosovo which were broken off at the end of 2018. US Special Envoy for Serbia and Kosovo Peace Negotiations Richard Grenell announced in a tweet on Monday that his first meeting was slated for June 27 - shortly before a trip to Priština by Brussels’ Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue Miroslav Lajčák. Commentators in Europe find Washington's initiative less than convincing.

The Swiss National Council is discussing tighter anti-terrorism laws. The proposed legislation would make recruiting, training or travel in view of furthering possible terrorist acts a punishable offence. In addition it would allow the police to take tougher action against extremists by imposing travel bans and house arrest. Critics object, arguing that it remains unclear who can be classified as an extremist.

Demonstrators are targeting monuments in the context of anti-racism protests in the US and Europe. Statues of Christopher Columbus have been overturned in the US, and in Bristol the statue of a slave trader was thrown into the harbour. Observers discuss the potential consequences of these protests and examine the culture of remembrance in Europe and the US.

The Dutch government wants to anchor the emergency measures against the pandemic in the country's law. Critics of the "coronavirus law" fear they will no longer be able to take legal action against the measures. The pros and cons are reflected in the commentaries.