Watch | @maxbergmann.bsky.social discusses the current role of the U.S. military in Europe’s ability to defend itself, the vulnerabilities that could result from a significant reduction of U.S. forces, and what must be done to address them. www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhQj... 

At some point constant "minilateralism" just creates chaos. This strikes me as very bizarre and somewhat performative.

Have you beat Christian. November 2021... in response to Afghanistan... and... www.foreignaffairs.com/europe/europ...

This! Just do the Eurobonds already. Do it now!

The economist in me loves this. European 10y gov bonds have a yield of 3.2%. They assume 4%. Fine. Should Euroclear not be able, with some prodding, to generate above 4% nominal returns?

Story: Taiwan’s No 2 leader Hsiao Bi-khim makes shock speech at European Parliament

How are Russia and Ukraine adapting their strategies entering a new phase on the battlefield? What's the current state of play on the frontlines? ICYMI: @maxbergmann.bsky.social @msnegovaya.bsky.social @massdara.bsky.social + Kateryna Bondar break it down ⬇️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlNk...

🚨🚨🚨 The jury has reached a verdict. Sean Dunn, aka the DC Sandwich Guy, has been found NOT GUILTY of assault.

Defense comes out blazing in closing argument, attacks agent Lairmore's credibility. "This case is about a sandwich. A sandwich that, according to agent Lairmore, somehow both exploded on his chest in a spray of onions and mustard, but also landed intact on the ground still in its Subway wrapping."

The defense team presses Lairmore on whether the sandwich really 'exploded.' They return to the photo of the sandwich and wrapper on the ground. "That sandwich hasn't exploded at all, has it?" defense asks. "It looks like a little bit is coming out towards the bottom," Lairmore replies.

Defense tells judge they want to question Lairmore about 'gag gifts' he received from fellow officers after the alleged assault, including a Subway sandwich plush toy and a patch that (unless I misheard) said 'Felony Footlong.' Prosecutors object. Defense argues they reflect CBP 'state of mind.'

Border Patrol agent Lairmore testifies that he was not injured by the sandwich, but he felt the impact through his ballistic vest. The sandwich came apart and "kind of exploded" on his chest upon impact, he says. "I could smell the onions and mustard."

This was such an enlightening conversation.

How's this for energy abundance? Millions of Aussies will start receiving three hours of free power each day in 2026. This is what happens when you make rooftop solar less than a buck a watt!! "Rooftop solar installations cost about $840 (U.S.) per kilowatt of capacity before rebates." 🤯 🔌💡

A new piece from Armida and myself on the political and economic outlook for the Netherlands after the elections.

Need 10,000 op-eds on the lessons Democrats can learn from Jacob Frey

This is the obvious next step. Drop the "reparations loan" and just do Eurobonds. Frankly, it's way better for Ukraine. The rep loan effectively prevents the Russian assets from being used by Ukraine b/c now claimed by EU. Eurobonds+seizing RF assets is way better! www.euractiv.com/news/exclusi...

🚗 Bruegel (Clean) Tech Tracker Tuesday: September marked a new record for electric vehicle deployment in Europe, with the share of total car registrations reaching 29%. With impressive accelerations in Poland, Spain, Latvia, Portugal. 📊 Explore our European Clean Tech Tracker here: lnkd.in/eUjxjFKC

European Parliament's foreign affairs committee has a new draft China position paper. Recommendations for Council / Commission "Regard China as a decisive enabler of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and strongly reiterate condemnation of China’s support"

Australia to introduce power cuts... no, wait, free power for 3 hours a day, as the solar boom has reached its, what's the new word?, abundance phase. HT @volts.wtf www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...

Finished reading Fishman’s Chokepoints over the weekend. Strongly recommend as a companion piece to what's unfolding in real time with Nexperia, rare earths etc. But a sometimes depressing reminder of how little Europe has done to become competitive or resilient in the meantime.

The European mind can’t comprehend Halloween on the Hill.

I've been beating the Eurobond drum for the last five years (post-Afghan withdrawal it was clear Europe needed more air enablers; ie a European defense public good). It's an idea whose time has long past come. Why? You don't fund a war effort from your regular budget! You finance them. 1/

I have just written a Substack piece with some scenarios of what would have happened in the recent Dutch election if there had been 4% electoral threshold (with apologies to my Dutch friends for banging on about this!) substack.com/home/post/p-...

Perhaps. But that new mural is not on the side of the same building. In fact, "The Future is Europe" was torn down because it had to make way... for...Europe, a new European Commission building to be precise. The EU needed more space.

New: Trump cancelled his Budapest summit with Putin after a Russian memo to Washington holding firm to hardline demands on Ukraine was swiftly followed by a tense call between Rubio and Lavrov. Moscow would not negotiate. w/ @maxseddon.bsky.social @a-mackinnon.bsky.social www.ft.com/content/d665...

We also compiled an online dossier with thought-provoking analyses by @robertbenson92.bsky.social, @haidhaid22.bsky.social, @stollmeyer.bsky.social, @maxbergmann.bsky.social &@ottosvendsen.bsky.social, @sangeetamahapatra.bsky.social & @hendrikpsimon.bsky.social. Explore: www.boell.de/en/25th-fore...

New satellite imagery shows that construction of the new Russia-North Korea Tumangang-Khasan road bridge has made significant progress in the past six months. See the full analysis from @korea.csis.org: beyondparallel.csis.org/significant-...

Getting the numbers right on Ukraine‘s funding needs is … tricky. I tried anyway, as part of our cover package. economist.com/internationa...

Our cover this week. economist.com/leaders/2025...

I agree with @gspataf95.bsky.social The direction of travel is clear. Let's just hope that any cuts to other contingents on the eastern front are kept to a minimum.

Huzzzahhhhh!!!!

D66 gives one of four important wins for liberals in the last few months together with Romania, Moldova and the surprising success of Neos in Austria. Of course far right populism hasn’t been defeated - it’s not a flash in the pan that wl go away. But it shows liberalism can win 🧵

7/ But a major West European state will have a liberal-led government that reflects the extremely strong liberal tradition of tie country. And that has to be a good thing. ENDS

If true… also exposes flaws in private sector and a pure free market approach. Not like it was impossible to see rising China tension as potentially impacting supply chains and yet

Big difference in Trump's demeanour and eagerness to impress when meeting Xi than when meeting, say, a European leader x.com/AP/status/19...

Big loser of the night is the perpetual "Europe doomed" narrative. Great win for Center/center left parties, while far-right got dinged but remains part of the political landscape. The notion of the far-right always rising and it being 1933 in Europe has just grown really stale.

Question: who does the Draghi report for Europe on defense??? That is is hard to think of a comparable figure on defense points to the problem!

Berlin, really one of the underrated global cities. Combines old and new, history and hip

Spox confirms commission will come up with a proposal for its "RESourceEU" plan for shoring up critical minerals supply before the end of the year Said the new plan is complementary to the critical raw materials act - it will be "quicker and go further" due to supply crisis

No one takes the EU seriously, especially in Washington. General assumption in DC is we can bully Europe and it would cave. EU desperately needs to show its strength to change global perception. It was neutered on US-EU trade b/c of US security guarantee. Punching China less risky than punching US.

"Dutch voters eye return to centre after far-right experiment fails". Whether the election results produce a potential coalition with a workable majority will be a more difficult question. www.ft.com/content/1275...

🎧 New Russian Roulette episode! @maxbergmann.bsky.social & I talk with CSIS Energy Security Sr. Fellow Clayton Seigle about how the Trump admin’s long-awaited sanctions could hit 🇷🇺 energy revenues—and how 🇺🇦 drone strikes are reshaping Russia’s refineries. @erep.csis.org

Ah Berlin... a city where you still need to carry cash on you.

On the latest episode of The Eurofile, @maxbergmann.bsky.social and @donatienneruy.bsky.social discuss the ongoing negotiations over the EU’s next long-term budget, establishing a common European stock market, and how European leaders have approached Trump. Listen: www.csis.org/podcasts/eur...

Germany's unlikely new China hawk - president of central bank, has found his wings. Nagel says EU should be ready to retaliate against Beijing If retaliation is a last resort, “I would say, okay, we have to be strong and have to take a bold decision"

VDL calls time on the current order: "Europe is facing up to another seismic change in the way the global economy works..." "We may be approaching a shift in the international order – one increasingly defined by power, whether economic, technological, or military."

VDL on China joining WTO "In a number of ways, this did deliver for a time – even if the benefits from it were not shared or spread evenly. But the cooperative world order we all expected or at least hoped for 25 years ago is being replaced by a confrontational global economy"

Also has a hardline section on China that goes further than I recall on the trade impact of it joining the WTO... "When China joined WTO... most of us hoped a new dawn of low tariffs and shared security and prosperity would emerge....