Eurotopics.net

Even before the tug-of-war with Washington over Greenland, Europe was pondering whether and how it could take its military security into its own hands. Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte has now dismissed such ideas with the words "keep on dreaming", stressing that Europe cannot defend itself without the US. Commentators take stock of the security situation on the continent.

The Spanish government has approved a plan to grant legal status to hundreds of thousands of people without valid residence permits. The regularisation, which is to be enacted by decree, applies to migrants who entered the country before 31 December 2025, have been living in the country for at least five months and have no criminal record.

After the fatal shootings by ICE officers in Minneapolis, some immigration and border control agents will be withdrawn from the city, Mayor Jacob Frey announced following a phone conversation with US President Donald Trump. Trump also contradicted members of the administration who had described Alex Pretti, the nurse who was shot on the weekend, as a would-be assassin, calling Pretti's death a " very unfortunate incident". Will the tensions in the US calm down now?

Representatives of the Russian opposition are now also members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). A total of 15 Russians and representatives of ethnic minorities living in exile are to participate in the assembly's Platform for Dialogue with Russia's Democratic Forces. Russia was expelled from the Council of Europe in 2022 following its attack on Ukraine.

Donald Trump has invited numerous countries to join his "Board of Peace", which according to the US president will not only deal with the situation in Gaza, but also serve as a permanent body for conflict resolution. The possible participation of leaders such as Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenka is particularly controversial. Commentators also warn that the Board could be used to permanently weaken the UN.