Eurotopics.net

'We have to have it.' With these words, US President Donald Trump has once again laid claim to Greenland, citing national security as the rationale for the renewed push. He has appointed Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as his special envoy for Greenland. The prime ministers of Greenland and Denmark responded with a statement saying, among other things, that they expect the US to show 'respect for our common territorial integrity'.

Comparing prices and hunting for bargains are dominating the preparations for the festive season, while the magic of Christmas seems to be fading. The focus on special offers and wish lists is distracting us from the things that really matter. Commentators across Europe share their thoughts on the subject.

The Kyiv city council has decided to dismantle 15 monuments and other memorials associated with the history and symbolism of the Russian monarchy and the Soviet Union. These include the monument to the author Mikhail Bulgakov, the memorial stone commemorating the 100th anniversary of Lenin's birth, and the memorial plaque to Pyotr Tchaikovsky.

The US military has seized another oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela. This vessel is believed to be the Panama-flagged Centuries. The Venezuelan regime of Nicolás Maduro described the seizure as a "serious act of international piracy". Washington said that the US would continue to crack down on the illegal trade in sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran.

On Tuesday, the European Commission presented new proposals for automotive industry regulations, including an easing of the ban on combustion engines which would allow the registration of vehicles with combustion engines even after 2035 under certain circumstances. Car manufacturers would have to guarantee that the carbon emissions of their new cars are on average 90 percent lower than in the reference year 2021. The move elicits mixed reactions from commentators.