Eurotopics.net

On Monday, Andy Burnham, the UK's new Prime Minister, made his inaugural speech outside 10 Downing Street in London. He announced plans for radical changes to the economic and political system, with decentralising government, reducing the cost of living, boosting the economy and easing the burden on the social welfare system as key goals. The press reacts with hope and scepticism.

An unidentified hacker has apparently deleted Romania's entire land registry database, bringing all property transactions to a halt and preventing notaries from certifying new sales or registering mortgages. The situation is particularly problematic right now because a tax hike on real estate purchases is due to come into effect at the end of the month.

Several European countries have agreed in Paris to form an alliance with Ukraine for joint missile defence, with the declared aim of deterring and neutralising threats. In addition, the Coalition of the Willing declared its readiness to guarantee Ukraine's security in the event of a ceasefire and announced multinational military exercises in Poland.

Up until now Russia has officially referred to its war of aggression in Ukraine as a "special military operation". Anyone in Russia who spoke about a "war" in public faced punishment. Now, however, the Kremlin itself is increasingly using the term. "There is a war going on, this is a real war," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, explaining this by pointing out that Kyiv was now being backed by "Berlin, Paris, The Hague, Oslo, and, unfortunately, Washington".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced another cabinet reshuffle as well as changes at the top of the law enforcement agencies. Zelensky explained that Ukraine was undergoing a strategic realignment, without giving any further details. All that is known so far is that Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko is to be replaced after only one year in office. Commentators discuss what other changes are on the cards.