The new US defence secretary Pete Hegseth did not mince words at the Nato meeting in Brussels on Tuesday. He ruled out both Ukraine's accession in the near future and the deployment of US troops to secure a ceasefire. He also called on Europe to assume more responsibility for its own security through various measures. Commentators see a clear break with the past.

US President Trump has had a phone call with Russian leader Putin. In Trump's words, they agreed that peace talks to end the war in Ukraine would happen 'immediately'. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has confirmed Moscow's willingness to negotiate. Trump then spoke with Volodymyr Zelensky - a 'good and detailed discussion', the Ukrainian president later commented. Europe's press questions whether Kyiv and Europe will have enough say in the outcome.

Coalition negotiations between Austria's ÖVP and FPÖ parties have failed, with FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl citing a dispute over the distribution of ministerial posts as the main reason. This comes after coalition talks between the SPÖ, ÖVP and Neos parties were also unsuccessful. Commentators analyse the causes and anticipate what will come next.

Romania has a new head of state. Ilie Bolojan has taken over as interim president until new elections take place in May. Klaus Iohannis resigned from the post on Monday. He was already due to leave office after the presidential elections at the end of last year, but then they were annulled. Prior to becoming president of the Senate in December, the liberal-conservative Bolojan had only been active as a local politician. The country's media don't see this as a disadvantage.

The AI summit in Paris has ended with the announcement of billions in investments, but without a final declaration from all participating states. While US Vice President JD Vance warned against "excessive regulation", French President Emmanuel Macron called for a "framework of trust" that guarantees privacy and intellectual property rights. Commentators examine the emerging lines of conflict.

US President Donald Trump has announced that tariffs of 25 percent will apply for all imports of steel and aluminium as of 4 March. This means that for the first time Europe will also be affected by Trump's new tariff policy - both as an exporter and as a result of third countries shifting their exports to the European market. The media discuss the consequences and possible countermeasures.