French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk visited the Republic of Moldova to mark its Independence Day on Wednesday, appearing together with President Maia Sandu in the capital Chișinău. The country will elect aew parliament on 28 September. The press profiles the small state on the fault line between the EU and Russia.

Ukraine has fired twice this month at pumping stations that form part of the Druzhba pipeline in western Russia, interrupting the transit of Russian crude oil to Belarus and the EU. Hungary and Slovakia have protested against the attacks, both in Kyiv and Brussels, with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán even complaining to US President Donald Trump. Commentators shed light on the complex web of economic and political interests surrounding oil deliveries.

UK right-wing populist Nigel Farage has said that if he becomes prime minister he would introduce radical measures against illegal immigration, including mass deportations to countries like Iran, Eritrea and Afghanistan and sending asylum seekers to isolated British overseas territories. Farage's Reform UK party is currently leading the polls, which is upping the pressure on Keir Starmer's Labour government.

Following the resignation of Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas, his former Labour Minister Inga Ruginienė has presented aew governing coalition consisting of her social democratic LSDP party, the populist Nemuno Aušra, the Farmers' and Greens' Union (LVŽS) and two independent MPs. Theational press is alarmed by the fact that it includes politicians with extreme views.

Since the summit meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska, there is growing concern among Europeans that the outcome of the war in Ukraine will be decided solely by Washington and Moscow. Commentators see Europe on the sidelines in other areas too, and ask how much geopolitical clout the continent has.