Eurotopics.net

Negotiations are starting today, Wednesday, on a new round of sanctions against Russia that for the first time also extend to Chinese businesses set to send 'sensitive goods' to Russia. Previously the EU has always protested against such extraterritorial sanctions - such as when the US penalised foreign companies delivering sanctioned goods to Iran - arguing that this violates the states' right to self-determination.

One week ago a thirteen-year-old boy opened fire in his school in Belgrade, leaving eight pupils and a security guard dead and six others wounded. After the killing the boy turned himself over to the police and handed over the weapon that belonged to his father. The press asks how repeat occurrences may be prevented.

Candidates are neck and neck in the run-up to the presidential and parliamentary elections in Turkey on 14 May: CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and his opposition alliance have realistic chances of beating long-time President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his AK Party. Commentators follow the race with bated breath.

The Greeks will elect a new parliament on May 21. Prime Minister Mitsotakis' ruling conservative Nea Dimokratia slumped in the polls after the train accident in March, but is still in the lead. In second place is former PM Alexis Tsipras with the left-wing opposition alliance Syriza.

Representatives from arch-rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran announced at a meeting in China their intention of resuming diplomatic ties and normalising their relations, which have been fraught for decades. Europe's press comments on the fact that it was Beijing that brokered this breakthrough, which has taken the West completely by surprise.