The US president said he would carry out of a review of US military presence in Europe after public criticism of the US-Israeli war on Iran

If you are still planning your summer holidays and looking at some of perhaps more original ways of spending your time crossing Europe, you now have a new option in a train between Prague and Copenhagen via Berlin and Hamburg.

The Czech operator, České dráhy, has been somewhat excitedly posting about the latest addition to the growing network of cross-European trains as more passengers turn towards environmentally friendly and picturesque alternatives to flying.

US president’s latest outburst comes a day after he suggested a ‘possible reduction’ in US troops in Germany

• Why does the US have military bases in Germany – and will Trump follow through on his threat?

Donald Trump has again lashed out at Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, saying he should focus on “fixing his broken country” and trying to end the Russia-Ukraine war – and spend less time “interfering” in Iran.

“The Chancellor of Germany should spend more time on ending the war with Russia/Ukraine (Where he has been totally ineffective!),” Trump wrote in a social media post.

US president uses social media post to criticise chancellor over Ukraine, immigration and ‘interfering’ in Iran conflict

The Commission was also asked about yesterday’s meeting of Hungary’s incoming prime minister, Péter Magyar.

But we didn’t get much more than what we saw in yesterday’s social media posts from Magyar and the EU’s Ursula von der Leyen.

Ursula von der Leyen later due to meet new Hungarian leader who is seeking to unlock EU funds in return for reforms

AFP is reporting that so far, officials in Brussels are hopeful that Péter Magyar – who once served under Viktor Orbán, before turning on his former boss – will genuinely launch a new chapter in ties.

But wary of celebrating too soon, they insist they need to see concrete moves and not just kind words.

“A huge mandate, a strong mandate, a great responsibility!

We know our task: we will bring home the EU funds that Hungarians are entitled to. More soon.”

Sakharov prize winner was given eight-year sentence after process widely condemned as politically motivated

The Polish-Belarusian journalist Andrzej Poczobut, the 2025 Sakharov prize winner, has been freed after five years in a Belarusian penal colony as part of a US-brokered multi-country swap deal.

His release has been confirmed by Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, who posted a picture of him on social media, saying: “Andrzej Poczobut is free! Welcome to your Polish home, my friend.”

Sakharov prize winner was sentenced to eight years in a penal colony in Belarus in 2021

Polish-Belarusian journalist Andrzej Poczobut, the 2025 Sakharov prize winner, has been freed from Belarusian prison.

His release has been confirmed by Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk, who posted a picture of him on social media saying: “Andrzej Poczobut is free! Welcome to your Polish home, my friend.”

“Both have paid a heavy price for speaking truth to power, becoming symbols of the struggle for freedom and democracy.”

Across country, at least 14 have been injured as Zelenskyy highlights importance of air defences

Top EU officials and Hungary’s incoming government will discuss on Wednesday the changes Budapest needs to push through to release €17bn in EU funds that have been blocked due to rule-of-law concerns under the outgoing government of Viktor Orbán.

Some of the frozen funds, such as €11bn euros ($13bn) from the post-pandemic Recovery Fund, must be drawn by mid-August, or be irrevocably lost, Reuters noted.

Musician Chris Martin, tennis star Iga Świątek and footballer Robert Lewandowski join Łatwogang in epic fundraiser

A Polish social media influencer has raised more than £50m after a nine-day, nonstop online stream during which he was joined by a parade of celebrity guests to help a charity supporting children battling cancer.

Streaming from a studio flat in right-bank Warsaw, the 23-year-old influencer, known by his nickname Łatwogang, listened to a charity song dedicated to children battling cancer on loop for nine days straight, filling time with entertaining dares and celebrity appearances.

Move comes after Hungary and Slovakia dropped opposition following reopening of the Druzhba oil pipeline

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that Kyiv will seek to receive the first tranche of the €90bn European Union loan by the end of May, or early June.

“This is strengthening of our army,” he told reporters in a WhatsApp chat, reported by Reuters.

European Union formal procedures expected to conclude on Thursday as Druzhba pipeline reopens

During his press conference, Fico also doubles down on his criticism of the incoming Hungarian government led by Péter Magyar, in a further sign that the relations between Bratislava and Budapest could change dramatically in the next few months.

Fico has been close friends with Orbán, often teaming up with him on energy issues, but it doesn’t look like this Slovak-Hungarian partnership will continue under the new management in Budapest.

EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, says there is ‘new momentum’ after Hungarian election as Ukrainian leader says Druzhba pipeline can resume operations

German foreign minister Joseph Wadephul also makes it very clear that he is relieved with the change of government in Hungary, calling it “a breath of fresh air” and a promise of hope for Ukraine.

He urged Hungary to drop its “unusual blockade” for policies for Ukraine “as quickly as possible,” pointing to what he argued was a clear pro-European mandate from the electorate in Hungary (it’s a bit more complicated than that, though).

New Hungarian leader says he could sign a political agreement with the EU in mid-May

The commission also got asked about the Italian proposals for a “wild west-style bounties” that could be paid to Italian lawyers if they successfully convince their immigrant clients to return home.

Our Rome correspondent Angela Giuffrida reported on the controversial proposal over the weekend: