I very much agree with your comments as quoted here. It is fascinating to see the shifting roles of Germany and France in EU debates. But at least they were able to come together on a solution to Ukraine financing. My question is how will the UK contribute to the overall effort on this new basis?

The EU faces many challenges. Paradoxically, at a moment when the Union has never felt more French — with member states leaning into security and industrial policy — France’s positive & catalysing influence is absent. Highly recommend this excellent @financialtimes.com: www.ft.com/content/99d2...

How can the EU build stronger resilience amid global power shifts & unprecedented threats to its democracy, economy, security? Join us on 10 Dec for a discussion w/ excellent speakers @dschwarzer.bsky.social @shahinvallee.bsky.social @georginaewright.bsky.social www.delorscentre.eu/en/events-at...

Is it though? It had been on the cards though during negs - until UK refused dynamic alignment/SPS. Remember Barnier's staircase? EU's position has always been "full access = accept EU rules" or "partial access = mix of EU rules + financial contribution". Just ask Switzerland.

A curious approach from people who don't like the concept of immigration

The US’ proximity to Russia &, I assume, its decision to rewrite some of its intelligence gathering away from Europe to focus on other parts of the world, will inevitably lead to stronger European intelligence coordination. But I still don’t see the EU ever playing that role of coordinator.

🔴 Voici le nouveau #gouvernement 👇

Lecornu may well get a budget through. But the damage for French politics is… real.

IMHO, Macron should not have named Lecornu PM tonight.

Annnnnd… He’s back 🤣. President names Sébastien Lecornu PM (again).

Hmm. French MEPs aren’t huge fans of VDL — and they certainly don’t like her style of leadership. So I think this has less to do with Macron, and more to do with VDL herself.

Great to contribute to this weeks TTP. I make the point France's political permacrisis is bad news for European rearmament efforts. I'm in excellent company too @georginaewright.bsky.social @dschwarzer.bsky.social.

Outgoing French PM Sébastien Lecornu gave an interview this evening on French TV. Main points: 1. Macron cd nominate a new PM in next 48h (it won't be Lecornu). This also means no elections. 2. He thinks a budget can be adopted (enough common ground) 3. Thinks no budget by end of yr wd be dramatic

I did not see Macron asking Lecornu to try and form another government as a 4th option — but here we are. On Wednesday, Lecornu will inform Macron whether this has been possible…

What France's collapse means for EU trade policy - my quick take: www.politico.eu/article/fran...

French PM resigns & no-one shd be surprised. Majority of MPs saw his appointment as lacking legitimacy (Macron party is far from biggest in parliament). Lecornu took several weeks to appoint a government - which, upon announcement last night, was almost identical to last. Huge anger in response.

Interesting: www.nytimes.com/2025/09/26/w... My sense is that progressive parties don't necessarily lack ideas (though some do) -- but that they tend to be quite (/really) bad at communicating those ideas.

The German Chancellor calls on Europeans to massively step up their support to Ukraine, sets out how this can be done (new common borrowing) & why it matters to do this now. The German leadership we’ve been long been looking for: www.ft.com/content/3aac...

🤯

Ridiculous claim — and even more ridiculous that Sadiq Khan continues to be such a point of focus for President Trump.

What to think of Trump's 2nd state visit? In my latest piece for @gmfus.bsky.social, I argue that it was a success -- but that doesn't mean the UK and US relationship will always be smooth. Thread: www.gmfus.org/news/calcula...

I can also think of some political appointees who did a truly excellent job as ambassadors. But often, they had experienced government before their appointment.

Shocked I tell you, shocked. www.politico.eu/article/pete...

💥 Scoop! - Trump crashed a meeting of US & EU officials to make the demand, according to three people briefed on the discussion. “We’re ready to go, ready to go right now, but we’re only going to do this if our European partners step up with us,” said one US official

With my colleagues Martin Quencez and @gesineweber.bsky.social, we analyse what the fall of the Bayrou government — and the appointment of Lecornu as the new PM — mean for France’s domestic and international politics. Spoiler: France’s problems aren’t going away. www.gmfus.org/news/frances...

Macron has just named former Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu 🇫🇷 PM. Lecornu, known for his clear-eyed talk, has overseen France’s defence spending hikes and support to Ukraine. Problem: he’s from Macron’s majority. It’s unclear whether his straight talk will bridge factions.

„We have a land war on European continent. We are fully dependent on US. None of the EU members was ready to risk further escalation“. The way @sabineweyand.bsky.social explains EU-US-deal is exactly right. She explains EU‘s trade-offs & rationale — and doesn‘t put lipstick on a pig. (SZ-Dossier)

The US and the EU have just published a joint statement -- basically confirming & qualifying the EU-US July agreement struck in Scotland. Key takeaways from EU press conference (thread):

💥 "Il est bien trop tôt pour enterrer l'Europe qui a gardé des munitions pour d'éventuelles ripostes ultérieures." ➡️ trib.al/aTYogZj ✍️ Une tribune signée @georginaewright.bsky.social.

Rather remarkable to see the French government go from "US-EU deal is a humiliation" to - essentially - "US-EU deal avoided the worst, but the next steps are what matter". Exactly what other EU governments have been saying. (And yes, I know why the French said what they did. But still...)

A more realistic French take on the US-EU deal: www.lesechos.fr/idees-debats...

Really good piece by Sam highlighting some of the finer details of the EU-US deal only trade experts will be able to spot, and putting some of the criticism in perspective - including instances where the 15% tariffs on EU goods may be lower than the 10% one on UK goods:

For the love of God, Radio 4, the EU will NOT pay a 15% tax. US consumers will.

A successful trade deal requires 2 things: first, good content. On this, US-EU deal is probably as good as it cd have been, especially in absence of escalation and compared to full-blown trade war; second, a good sell. On this, the EU is not fairing well at all... 1/3

Trade alert - @aslak.bsky.social has done an excellent job at highlighting key aspects of the US-EU deal so I/others don’t have to (especially when on holiday ☀️).

'this summit showed what can be done when pragmatism prevails over posturing. After years of estrangement, the UK and France have found common ground...The opportunity is real. The challenge now is to sustain the momentum.' @georginaewright.bsky.social on the 🇬🇧🇫🇷 summit ukandeu.ac.uk/the-franco-b...

Given it was designed to respond to Trump 1, that’s not a bad shout (And yes, I know it was never intended to actually be used — but needs must, etc etc).

@georginaewright.bsky.social on the money, as usual.

My new piece on yesterday's Franco-British summit for @ukandeu.bsky.social : ukandeu.ac.uk/the-franco-b...

"This summit showed what can be done when pragmatism prevails over posturing. After years of estrangement, the UK and France have found common ground, and Europe is stronger for it." @georginaewright.bsky.social on the Franco-British relationship after Macron's visit ukandeu.ac.uk/the-franco-b...

“It feels like a first step towards a European nuclear umbrella, it really does.” Georgina Wright, Special Advisor to the German Marshall Fund, assesses the move by Britain & France towards greater nuclear cooperation. #Newsnight

On US-EU trade talks: unlikely there will be a fully-fledged deal. But I suspect there is an agreement to carry on talks (with certain conditions, à la UK-US deal). Question now is whether that is satisfactory for Trump — and for EU27. #trumptariffs

The President and the world’s richest man are ripping up businesses contracts over social media. Let that sink in.

No one could have predicted this fallout. No one.

"So we will be tough, but being a part of the Frugal Four is no longer the right place for us," Quite a statement from Danish Prime Minister, also with a view towards their upcoming EU Council Presidency. Given changes in Sweden and Finland on defence, the frugals might become quite a small club.

Let's watch the bond markets. EU may have to create a wide and deep sage haven (via EU wide bond issuance) to accommodate the flight from US Treasuries

President Trump has just threatened a 50% #tariff on imports from the EU starting 1 June (not clear whether this replaces, or comes on top of existing 10%). Why? He is unhappy with the slow progress in negotiations. What next? 1/2

On Monday 19 May, the UK and EU held their first summit -- five years after the end of Brexit negotiations. It is too early to call it a reset, but I do think it is a step in the right direction. My thoughts for @gmfus.bsky.social : www.gmfus.org/news/channel-narrows#

The UK and the EU have reached a new agreement which, both sides argue, will make it easier to trade, travel and defend the continent. Still need to wait on details, but some quick thoughts on why compromise ≠ necessarily loss of sov: thread 1/7

Note that the agreement on SAFE - the 150bn loan facility - comes in parallel to the EU-UK agreement, signalling that questions on how to integrate partners were central to the negotiations amongst member states: