The leaders of the Nato member states are meeting today and tomorrow in The Hague. At the top of the agenda is a resolution binding all allied partners to commit 5 percent of their GDP to defence spending - 3.5 percent for weapons and troops and 1.5 percent for military infrastructure. Europe's press delves into what can be expected from the summit.
At a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday, Russian president Vladimir Putin condemned the US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites as "unprovoked aggression". He promised Tehran his support but did not elaborate further. Commentators question how close the two nations still are.
In Portugal, six people linked to a far-right terrorist group have been arrested on suspicion, among other things, of plotting an attack on the Portuguese parliament building. One of them is reportedly a senior officer in the Lisbon police force. The arrests come as the culmination of a wave of threats from far-right circles in Portugal. The national press calls on the country's politicians to start taking the matter more seriously.
The US airforce has dropped 'bunker buster' bombs on Iranian nuclear sites. The extent of the damage inflicted is not yet clear, particularly with regard to the Fordo facility, which is surrounded by mountains. The aim of operation, which was ordered by President Donald Trump, was to incapacitate the Iranian nuclear weapons programme, whose existence Iran denies. Europe's press assesses the situation.
The Hague is on tenterhooks in the run-up to the Nato summit that begins on Tuesday. The Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez surprised everyone by announcing that his country was rejecting the US demand to raise defence spending to 5 percent of GDP. As a result, Spain has been singled out from the 32 Nato members and granted an exemption. Europe's media are impressed by Spain's bold stance.
After four weeks of negotiations with parliamentary parties, Romania's new President Nicușor Dan has nominated the pro-European politician Ilie Bolojan as prime minister. He described Bolojan as "the person best fit to carry out the necessary reforms of the Romanian state apparatus". The liberal politician has yet to be confirmed by parliament. Commentators discuss the tasks he faces.
A majority in the lower chamber of the British parliament, the House of Commons, has voted in favour of making assisted dying accessible to the terminally ill in England and Wales. The law allows adults with less than six months to live access to medical assistance in ending their lives. The decision will now be put to a panel of experts. The national press is divided.
As Israel and Iran continue to fire missiles at each other, the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany are due to meet with their Iranian counterpart in Geneva today to discuss Tehran's nuclear programme. The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs will also be present. Commentators examine the global powers' entanglement in the Middle East and the chances of a negotiated solution.
Israel is doing the "dirty work" for the entire West in Iran, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in an interview with German broadcaster ZDF during the G7 summit in Canada. He went on to praise the Israeli leadership and army for their "courage" in taking military action against Iran as an active sponsor of terrorism. Merz's harsh words have provoked an equally harsh discussion in the media.
Nato member states will convene for a two-day summit in The Hague next week. The main topic will be to asses the strength of alliance and how its members can achieve the target of five percent of GDP for defence spending, as demanded by US President Donald Trump. Commentators debate how much sense such an increase makes in view of the tight budgets - and how acute the threat is.
After the early departure of US President Donald Trump, the G7 summit in Canada ended without a joint final declaration. The leaders did, however, call for de-escalation in the Israel-Iran conflict, while at the same time stressing Israel's right to self-defence and that Iran must never be allowed to possess nuclear weapons. In addition, six states, without the US, assured Ukraine of their continued support.