Subsea cables carry 95% of the world’s data but are largely invisible in global policy debates. @ibkardon.bsky.social, Jane Munga, and @sophiabesch.bsky.social discuss the geopolitics, economics, and risks surrounding undersea data infrastructure on #TheWorldUnpacked: www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJIq...

🎯discussion on European security today @sophiabesch.bsky.social w/ unvarnished truth on the 🇺🇸 view of Europe @nathalietocci.bsky.social novel/provocative points & @georginaewright.bsky.social's advice: every ally needs its own PA strategy for more defense spending www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Izb...

I’m fine. I've always preferred marriage analogies.

On Tuesday, global leaders will converge on the Hague for the NATO summit Join our online panel as they discuss the summit and whether UK & EU defence policy is fit for purpose With @nathalietocci.bsky.social, @sophiabesch.bsky.social & @georginaewright.bsky.social

After years framing the transatlantic defense relationship in parental terms ("kicking the teen out of the basement") none of you get to complain about "daddy" now.

I very much enjoyed taking part in this event on Gaullist strategic thinking and current debates over European strategic autonomy at the French embassy with the great Julian Jackson and the terrific Léonie Allard, @sophiabesch.bsky.social @michaelshurkin.bsky.social and Aaron MacLean (1/2)

New piece out for @brookings.edu this week: www.brookings.edu/articles/how...

No easy way out on Europe’s nuclear dilemmas, yet plenty to do, @claudmajor.bsky.social & I conclude. Are we too hopeful & unambitious? Tell us! Thanks to @constelz.bsky.social @brookings.edu for the initiative & opportunity. Look also at the great papers by @sophiabesch.bsky.social & Thomas Wright.

Next week's NATO summit comes at a critical moment Join our online panel as they discuss the summit and whether UK & EU defence policy is fit for purpose With @nathalietocci.bsky.social, @sophiabesch.bsky.social, @georginaewright.bsky.social & @anandmenon.bsky.social ukandeu.ac.uk/events/ukice...

Es ist gut, dass die deutsche Politik plötzlich deutliche Worte zur israelischen Kriegsführung in Gaza findet. Diesen Worten müssen Taten folgen. Die bisherige deutsche Politik ist das Gegenteil einer interessengeleiteten Außenpolitik. Mit drei @prif.org-Kolleginnen:👉 blog.prif.org/2025/05/28/k...

“The two main alliances of European states, the European Union and NATO, are too often paralyzed,” write @sophiabesch.bsky.social and @richardyoungs.bsky.social. To prepare for a new, more challenging era, Europe must embrace a different regional order.

Finally, SAFE - the €150bn loan initiative for defence - is not mentioned in the SDP itself, but in the agenda for future EU-UK relations. The SDP as such will enable the UK to participate in EU common procurement, whereas a future, deeper agreement will be required for UK defence industry.

Great piece from @sophiabesch.bsky.social and @richardyoungs.bsky.social on the limitations of coalitions of the willing and the need for a new—institutionalized yet flexible—format for intra-European cooperation. bit.ly/3RSsqwg

What does yesterday's drama mean for Merz's chancellery? What to expect on Ukraine, USA, EU, China, Defense? Can he deliver on Zeitenwende? New piece for @foreignpolicy.com with @lianafix.bsky.social - Gift link: foreignpolicy.com/2025/05/07/f...

This is an ambitious and interesting proposal for a new order of cooperation in Europe, especially on security and defense, from @sophiabesch.bsky.social and Richard Young.

Brilliant piece by @sophiabesch.bsky.social and @richardyoungs.bsky.social - sums up basically everything about the tectonic shifts and cooperation in the European security order.

New @foreignaffairs.com piece out now with @richardyoungs.bsky.social Coalitions of the willing are no silver bullet, nor is EU reform. Increasing defense budgets is not enough. This is not the time to muddle through, its the time for a new regional order. www.foreignaffairs.com/ukraine/euro...

For Germany, President Trump’s upheaval of the global order isn’t just a betrayal of trust. It’s a “brutal, multipronged assault,” writes @sophiabesch.bsky.social. How is Germany's new government responding? More in our series on Trump 2.0’s first 100 days: carnegieendowment.org/emissary/202...

This was great - have a listen!

New paper: lessons learned and what should come next for Europeans seeking to protect their subsea cables. For @lawfaremedia.org with @erikbrown.bsky.social

With threats to subsea cables increasing, European countries need to step up to secure their interests, write @SophiaBesch.bsky.social and @erikbrown.bsky.social. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/euro...

Very interesting exchange between @sophiabesch.bsky.social and @oliverstuenkel.bsky.social about Latin America and the Trump adm.. One of the arguments is that Latin America (for now) is opting for laying low and not confronting #Trump. Can #Europe learn from Latin America's history with the U.S.?

This dialogue unpacks how Berlin’s rearmament plans, spurred by the Zeitenwende promise, could reshape European defense—but warns that tensions within the EU and new transatlantic dynamics may test unity and strain alliances. With @sophiabesch.bsky.social buff.ly/KTmpP3U

President Trump’s style may be familiar in Latin America, but his tactics are causing alarm throughout the region. @oliverstuenkel.bsky.social explained what Latin America can expect from the U.S. with @sophiabesch.bsky.social on The World Unpacked:

From advocating for the “resettlement” of Palestinians from Gaza to negotiating directly with Hamas, the Trump administration has upended U.S. policy in the region, says @zaha-hassan.bsky.social. Zaha’s conversation with @sophiabesch.bsky.social: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoP3...

Here we go: France is already signaling it won’t stick to EU fiscal rules because of the trade war. And with the Commission already bending over backwards to invent flexibility for defense spending, it’s going to be a real challenge to push back on this one. 1/2 www.politico.eu/article/fran...

🥁 www.reuters.com/world/us-off...

Great piece. "The American agenda aims at turning Europe into a vassalised market in which tech & climate regulations lose their effectiveness under the threat of commercial coercion". Revisionists like Orban are acting as Trump's agents. Europeans need to hang together, lest they hang separately.

In this new paper for Survival, we take a long term view and outline how a new transatlantic alliance of revisionists could threaten the European political project. When we first presented the idea last Dec, it seemed far-fetched to many. Very interested to see how it lands today!

Really good and important conversation with the excellent @zaha-hassan.bsky.social - you can listen now @carnegieendowment.org

In two recent proposals, the European Commission appeared to hand responsibility for Europe’s tenuous security to its member states. Can they deliver? Read more from @sophiabesch.bsky.social and @erikbrown.bsky.social: carnegieendowment.org/emissary/202...

VANCE: I just hate bailing Europe out again. HEGSETH: I fully share your loathing of European free-loading. It's PATHETIC. ... MILLER: ..we soon make clear ...what we expect in return....if Europe doesn't remunerate, then what?...there needs to be some further economic gain extracted in return.

My commentary on the EU‘s defense white paper out now - instead of leaning in, in this moment of crisis the Commission is choosing a light touch and passing the buck back to member states - for @carnegieendowment.org with @erikbrown.bsky.social carnegieendowment.org/emissary/202...

I don’t disagree, but it also has to be so. Commission has offered an ambitious, creative and flexible platform from which member states can collaboratively and substantially (re)build European defence. Its credibility and effectiveness can only be in the hands of the Member States.

My commentary on the EU‘s defense white paper out now - instead of leaning in, in this moment of crisis the Commission is choosing a light touch and passing the buck back to member states - for @carnegieendowment.org with @erikbrown.bsky.social carnegieendowment.org/emissary/202...

Because I keep getting asked if the Germans mean it this time. First Zeitenwende was about Russia. This one is about the US. And it sure looks like the Americans mean it this time.

New EU defense white paper is out today. ICYMI - my study for @boell.de laid out the challenges the EU faces in getting member-states to buy in: eu.boell.org/sites/defaul.... And, if you're interested, our webinar discussion starts soon ⬇️

re: UK participation in EU defense

In truth the greens should get a huge amount of credit. For pushing back against the original CDU/SPD candy-handout. For ensuring the spending also provides the future-oriented investments Germany so badly needs. And for ultimately agreeing despite not governing - putting country and the EU first.

A pleasure to contribute to this!

... to publish a series of forward-looking essays on these topics, with contributions from @sophiabesch.bsky.social, Angela Stent, @aylinmatle.bsky.social, Loyle Campbell, @mephenke.bsky.social... (2/3)

Brussels proposes collective weapons purchases for #EU member states. 🥁🎺🥁🎺🥁🎺🥁🎺🥁🎺🥁🎺🥁 www.ft.com/content/2914...

While the EU cannot become Europe’s security provider, it can support the funding and organization of 🇪🇺's rearmament efforts. Tensions and disagreements - about many different things related to defense - require work. But Trump 2.0 may provide the momentum. @sophiabesch.bsky.social explains ⬇️

How are Trump's foreign policy decisions shaping the war in Ukraine, & what's at stake for European security? @sophiabesch.bsky.social & @massdara.bsky.social break it down in the latest #TheWorldUnpacked ⏬ the-world-unpacked.simplecast.com/episodes/aba...

I reported this in mid-Feb. But I did not know that the threat came from Trump himself. "He told Trudeau that he did not believe that the treaty that demarcates the border ... was valid &...wants to revise the boundary. He offered no further explanation." www.nytimes.com/2025/03/07/w...?

🟢 Trump 2.0 crucially changes Europe’s security outlook & provides momentum to unlock sufficient rearmament funding & shape a useful role for the EU. 💡 New e-paper by @sophiabesch.bsky.social on EU defence industrial policy's way forward 👉 eu.boell.org/en/EU-defenc... #EUCO @carnegieendowment.org

“all signs point to the idea that Greenland will remain a preoccupation.” “appeasement will only convey weakness and whet his appetite for more. (NATO is now finding that meeting the 2 percent of GDP defense spending threshold has only increased Trump’s demands to 3 percent and even 5 percent.)”

"We strongly support your right to determine your own future(...) and I think we’re going to get it — one way or the other, we’re going to get it." (www.nytimes.com/2025/03/04/u...) How Europe should respond to Trump's obsession with Greenland, with @jyshapiro.bsky.social for @lawfare.bsky.social

As always, Germany takes a long time to move, but when it moves it does so radically. This is Zeitenwende for real.