"The right to asylum is a credit to our continent, but it is precisely in order to prevent this right from being abused that we must be able to guard our borders", Macron stated whilst presenting his country's priorities during its six-month presidency of the EU which starts in January. For this purpose, France wants to take the initiative to reform the Schengen zone.

The new Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, made his first overseas trip on Friday, visiting Paris for a meeting with French president Emanuel Macron, and later making his first official visit to Brussels as the new leader of Germany to meet with the heads of the EU institutions

Strong leadership in and by Germany is necessary if Europe is to succeed in meeting the challenges of the future. Tomorrow Mr Scholz will travel to Paris and Brussels for meetings with the French President and with the EU leadership.

Amongst supporters and detractors of Lukashenko alike, the tone in the Belarusian news was far from sympathetic towards the migrants, writes Maryia Ditchkowska in this op-ed for commonspace.eu