Heavy fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan has claimed dozens of lives and caused alarm in Europe.

Deciding on Belarus sanctions and the relationship with Turkey will be front and centre on the agenda for EU leaders who will meet this week in Brussels.

Following reports that accused EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell of sending diplomats to Venezuela in a "clandestine mission," the European People's Party was "alarmed" such move would weaken the EU position.

A new five-day screening of migrants at Europe's external borders is meant to expedite people into either 'asylum' or 'return' tracks. The time-limit is wishful thinking and one that could leave people stranded in make-shift camps or even ghettos.

The loudest applause from MEPs during Ursula von der Leyen's State of the Union speech came for her call to move to Qualified Majority Voting (QMV) in foreign policy - at least on human rights and sanctions implementation.

The EU is expected to soon, perhaps this week, to release its renewed Sahel strategy, which was in dire need of a revamp and which will no doubt reflect some of the words of foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell.