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The deal, signed by Greek prime minister Mitsotakis and French president Macron, is partly intended to promote European military cooperation. France in particular is pushing for more cooperation at the European level to improve Europe's position vis-à-vis the United States and China. According to Macron, the agreement contributes, among other things, to European peace and security, Mitsotakis said the deal would connect the two countries "for decades to come".

The Communist Party has won municipal elections in Austria's second city, Graz, securing 29% of the vote. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurtz admitted that he was very surprised by this result. "The fact that the communists can win elections in Austria, albeit regional ones, should make you think," he said.

Germans woke up this morning to a changed political landscape. It is difficult to call it a political earthquake, but change is in the air, and the prospect that by Christmas the country will have a chancellor from the Social Democratic Party (SPD) is likely.

The establishment of AUKUS, and subsequent submarine dispute, has exposed once more the EU's strategic vulnerability. At present the EU has no common foreign policy and no European armed forces capability, and strategic autonomy remains an illusion. But it is not a wrong goal to pursue, argues Maximiliaan van Lange in this op-ed.

The European Union and its Member States strongly denounced malicious cyber activities against it originating in Russia. "We urge the Russian Federation to adhere to the norms of responsible state behaviour in cyberspace", the EU and its member states said in a statement on Friday,

"The EU and the US are unique partners in addressing global challenges. Their closer cooperation, based on shared values, will contribute to international peace and security", an EU statement said after the meeting.

"The EU is determined to explore further ways of cooperation with the GCC and its members, both on regional and global issues, including green and digital transition and post-Covid-19 recovery", said a statement issued by the European External Action Service after the meeting.

Leaders of the EU Mediterranean countries met in Athens on Friday to discuss climate change and regional security. The summit of southern EU states was established in 2016 by Cyprus, France, Portugal, Greece, Italy, Malta and Spain. This year, Croatia and Slovenia joined for the first time to discuss issues ranging from the pandemic response to migration and the crisis in Afghanistan.