International press review
In the spotlight: Ukraine struggles in the Donbass, the day after the EU green light to its candidacy
Audio 05:14
Ukrainian soldiers in an industrial zone in the city of Sievierodonetsk in the Donbass, June 21, 2022. © REUTERS / Oleksandr Ratushniak
By: Véronique Rigolet Follow
5 mins
Advertising
"
The European Union has made Ukraine an official candidate for membership
", headlines the
New York Times
, which welcomes this "
powerful signal of solidarity
" sent to Kiev, which also sounds "
like a scathing reprimand addressed to Moscow, which has long considered its neighbor to be
"a little Russia"
".
A historic green light which comes at “
a critical moment in the war
”, underlines the
Times again,
“
after 4 months of fighting, while the Ukrainian forces are overwhelmed in the east of the country
”.
In the Donbass, where Kiev has just ordered the withdrawal of the strategic city of Sievierodonetsk, the “
clashes have entered a frightening phase, a bloody war of attrition
”, reports the
Guardian
.
► Read and listen: Ukraine: life resumes in the war-ravaged town of Irpin
The neighboring town of Lyssychansk, the last Ukrainian lock, "
also risks being surrounded
" by pro-Russian forces, notes the
Washington Post
, which stresses that more than ever "
in the face of the destructive rolling fire of Russian artillery
”, the solidarity of Westerners must also manifest itself by “
sending heavy weapons
” to Ukraine, which is “
desperately
” demanding them.
“
The war in Ukraine has entered an extremely perilous phase
”, worry strategists in the
Guardian
, who highlight “
that while Ukraine is struggling on the battlefield, its Western allies are grappling with economic and political difficulties that could weaken their support
”.
“
The longer the war lasts,
they point out
, the more likely it is that the West will lose some of its unity against Russia
”.
Germany moves closer to possible gas rationing
"
This is a new escalation of the energy crisis
", headlines
El Pais
which reports that "
Germany is preparing for a possible rationing of gas in the event of a complete interruption of Russian deliveries
".
Moscow has already "
largely closed the gas tap, reducing deliveries to 2/3
", further notes the Spanish daily, forcing "
the leading European economy
" to trigger a second emergency plan, and to "
reactivate its old power stations at coal
”.
“
Gas will probably soon be twice as expensive
”, headlines the
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
which does not hesitate to use the war metaphor by writing “
that the alarm sirens are sounding on the gas market and that the impacts are approaching
” .
A dramatization to send "
a signal to the Germans but also abroad on the deterioration of the situation due to the strangulation of supplies by Russia
", says the Frankfurt daily.
"
It's an economic attack led by Putin against all of Europe
," warns German Minister Robert Habeck.
Outcry in the United States, where the Supreme Court struck down the law restricting the carrying of weapons
This made the front page of all the international press.
"
More than a shot, it's a cannon shot
" headlines
Le Temps
, which judges "
that by invalidating a law more than a century old
", the Supreme Court of the United States "
opens the way to widespread gun-carrying on the streets of New York and across the country
.
A judgment which comes while "
the United States is still shocked by the recent killings, in particular that of Uvalde in Texas which, a month ago to the day, left 21 dead, including 19 children in an elementary school
" , laments the correspondent of the Swiss daily.
► To read also: Assault on the Capitol in the United States: how Trump pressured Justice
“
A shocking decision
”, also lambasted on the front page of the
New York Times
which reports that the “
very angry
” governor of New York is preparing “
new legislation to try to thwart the Supreme Court ruling
”.
And it is also a serious "
hard blow for Joe Biden
", explains the
Washington Post.
“
Cruel timing
” also believes the Guardian which “
compromises the breakthrough in the Senate
”.
The Senate which, hours after the Court's decision, passed "
for the first time in 30 years a bipartisan gun violence bill
".
A still timid progress, but a real progress, underlines the British daily which is thus "
eclipsed
" by the judgment of the Supreme Court in favor of weapons.
France and Australia want to reconcile after the submarine crisis
“
Prime Minister Albanese will meet President Macron
in Paris next week ,”
The Australian
announces
.
"
Anthony Albanese promises a
'reset'
with France, to turn the page on the diplomatic crisis after the abandonment of the submarine contract
" by the former government of Scott Morrison, explains the Australian daily.
Expected at the NATO summit on June 27 in Madrid, the Australian Prime Minister will make "
a short detour to Paris
", notes the
Guardian
, which points out that barely elected last month, the Labor government Anthony Albanese has already promised to sign "
a check for 555 million euros
in compensation for the French group Naval Group.
© RFI
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_EN
Ukraine
European Union
Russia
Vladimir Poutine
Volodymyr Zelensky
Germany
Energies
United States
Joe Biden
France
Emmanuel Macron
Anthony Albanian
Australia
NATO
Newspaper