Conference | Europe’s strategic choices 2025 At our second plenary session in Berlin this week, Marialena Athanasopoulou, Matthew Houlihan, Janka Oertel and Katrin Schallenberg joined Chatham House Chair @simonfraser00.bsky.social to discuss how Europe can compete in a US-China dominated world ⤵️

The UK should work with European countries, notably France and Germany, but also Italy and Poland to protect our common security, writes @simonfraser00.bsky.social, the Chair of Chatham House, for the @financialtimes.com.

Spot on article by @simonfraser00.bsky.social on.ft.com/4id6bf9 Britain should embrace European and other middle powers

Day by day it increasingly feels as if #JDVance is calling the shots.

It’s a diplomatic minefield ahead, but #KeirStarmer & his advisers have played a blinder in recent days. Clearly differentiated UK policy from US without antagonising Trump, avoided shrill public reactions, put substantive #UK offer on the table, mediated & convened with skill.

Have a listen to this…

Why Trump is selling out Ukraine - and what Europe should do. My Inside-Out column. philipstephens.substack.com/p/trump-hand...

Headlines from today: Vice President Vance Accuses European Leaders of Censoring Free Speech White House Bars Associated Press From Spaces Like Oval Office and Air Force One

Interesting that Britain signed. High stakes from the EU. Quite likely that Trump and Putin will simply ignore their demand to be part of the negotiations

Fraser, the spin-off www.civilserviceworld.com/in-depth/art...

Podcast🎙️| How dangerous are Trump’s trade threats? Creon Butler, @lindayueh.bsky.social and Julian Ventura join the podcast to discuss the impact of Donald Trump’s trade tactics. Apple: apple.co/414MiS8 Spotify: spoti.fi/3WTw8Zl

A classic story of the importance of country-company negotiations. Just as important as those between countries, but like regulatory policy receiving far less attention. www.ft.com/content/ffa4...

Perfect economic logic but no mention as to where precisely the axe should fall on "suffocating" regulations. River pollution? Food safety? Public transport? Roads? Pensions/Savings products? Building standards/fire prevention? Football grounds? Children's toys? www.ft.com/content/6eae...

“The risk is that we become complicit in acts by Donald Trump which unravel the international system and rule of law, and we end up on the wrong side of that fence…” @simonfraser00.bsky.social tells John Pienaar on Times Radio www.thetimes.com/radio/show/2...

“The deeply embedded relationship in sharing intelligence matters to the United Kingdom and indeed to the United States.” Flint's @simonfraser00.bsky.social discussing #Trump’s nominee for Director of National Intelligence on @cnn.com

“The challenge for Britain is how do we advance our own interest - working with the world as it is without abandoning our principles and the values that matter to us.” Flint Founding Partner @simonfraser00.bsky.social discussing #Trump on @bbcradio4.bsky.social www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Event | The Director’s Annual Lecture 2025 Join @bronwenmaddox.bsky.social as she presents her perspective on the prospects for global governance and international order in 2025. Date 📅: 14 January Time⌚️: 18:00 Find out more🔽

"Borders must not be moved by force. This principle applies to every country, whether in the East or the West. In talks with our European partners, there is an uneasiness regarding recent statements from the US. It is clear: We must stand together." - Chancellor Olaf Scholz

do you think anyone in the near future will explain to Trump that if he wants other countries to up their spending on defence (in absolute terms!) then adopting policies that lower everyone's growth rate is not all that smart?

Big and brilliant news for all of us @flint-global.com as we enter into a new strategic partnership with Michael Pedroni and his colleagues at Highland Global Advisers. Working together we will further extend the reach of our global services to US clients.

“If you stand back and look at the issues, Mandelson is very well qualified; he’s a big political hitter, well-connected in our government, and I think that’s what we need with the Trump administration.” Flint Founding Partner @simonfraser00.bsky.social on BBC R4 Today this morning. bbc.in/4gJwFER

Do listen! BBC #WeekInWestminster 🇸🇾Syria @simonfraser00.bsky.social @sarahchampionmp.bsky.social 🏡 Planning @dantomlinson.bsky.social #GregSmithMP 👑 Lords reform #LordKinnoull 🗳️Five years since 2019 #DehennaDavison @profjanegreen.bsky.social www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

The fall of the Assad regime in #Syria is welcome. But Iraq and Libya taught us to beware of what follows among factions when the grip of brutal dictators is removed. Syria is internally fractured and vulnerable to external forces. A hard road ahead.

Back in 2011 to 13 one of the big deterrents to Western intervention in Syria was the strength of the Syrian airforce and air defences - honed over years against Israel. Has this regime capability, and Russian support, now been totally eroded?

If anything, it’s a tepid bath of mismanaged decline, and the mismanagement is down far more to politicians than civil servants. Many of us hoped that this government would change this….

Conference | Europe’s Strategic Choices 2024 Author and journalist @johnkampfner.bsky.social joined the Chair, Chatham House Council @simonfraser00.bsky.social at our Berlin conference last night to discuss the many challenges facing Europe.

Conference | Europe’s Strategic Choices 2024 Chair, Chatham House Council @simonfraser00.bsky.social offers his closing remarks at the end of our tenth annual Berlin conference. A big thank you to all who participated and to all who made it possible.

After the abysmal showing of last week on X I am finally activating my hitherto dormant account here on Bluesky…