Maybe he could also learn Flemish in those two years too, given he wants to govern over there?

There is actually an open salon talk in the evening as well — everyone welcome! fullcircle.eu/event-6467216

🧠 Cool to see @leorzmigrod.bsky.social is coming to Brussels and to give a talk! Sad it’s only for EU staff (which I’m not) as I loved reading The Ideological Brain, but hopefully those attending take learnings from it! If you are an EU staffer, you can sign up here: fullcircle.eu/event-6587987

I couldn’t find the methodology of this study. Based on the Bruzz articles there are some things I’d object to: criticism of Israel is not hatred of Jews. Even so: there are some terrible numbers in here about Brussels and antisemitism, which we should be ashamed of. www.bruzz.be/actua/samenl...

Imagine if the US was instead giving that money to Ukraine

Die EU muss gegen die hohen Öl Preise vorgehen. Die EU Kommission muss Marktmissbrauch der Öl Konzerne untersuchen und die Übergewinnsteuer für Öl Konzerne wieder einführen! presse-augsburg.de/gruene-draen...

As several EU countries send hardware to Cyprus in order to defend the island, I can’t help but wonder what the feeling is on the ground about the presence of UK bases? They’re a colonial remnant, and now a security threat. Are Cypriots on board with the Brits being there, or do they want them out?

A very nice and illuminating interview with the new head of the EU’s testing lab, the Benelux Union over on @brusselstimes.com. www.brusselstimes.com/belgium/2007...

Anti-Shahed drones, being produced by volunteers here in Brussels. For Ukraine! www.bruzz.be/actua/samenl...

If Fico does this – article 7? kyivindependent.com/slovakia-to-...

We’ve got a new episode tonight at 11:11pm on HBO Max! Join us! And by “join us,” we mean turn on your TV. You cannot technically “join us.” But when you think about it, you can’t technically join anyone, can you? We enter this world alone, and we leave it alone. Ok! See you tonight!

Nice explainer by @lapatina.bsky.social of Ukraine’s drone defence system, which is now in demand across the Middle East (and beyond)! open.substack.com/pub/yoursukr...

Some sad - but not as surprising as it should be - reading this International Women’s Day. And then there’s the graffiti on the photograph… www.brusselstimes.com/brussels-2/2...

📚 A weekend of reading :-)

Kinda nuts to think just how close Trump’s pleasure palace is to Cuba. Like – surprised he didn’t go for them earlier. And – wouldn’t be surprised if they could fire back at him where it hurts.

Russia has provided Iran with information that could help Tehran strike American warships, aircraft and other assets in the region, @apnews.com reports.

So Axel Springer has bought the UK’s Telegraph? Makes sense.

Just announced: Iceland has urgently moved up its referendum to join the European Union - to 29 August. A reminder: 🇮🇸 is in many ways already a non-voting 🇪🇺 member because of the EEA. This would give them voting power to shape the laws they have to follow.

Belgium’s Africa Museum has been making the news lately because of American machinations to get hold of more cobalt deposits. I’ve read about and written about cobalt, but couldn’t have said what it looks like in a rock. Here we go 💎

1000 more users within the last 24h 🚀

La Matinale Européenne est sortie @werlych.bsky.social rentre dans les « Amis de la Matinale » et nous offre un grand angle: « Jusqu'à quand la Suisse pourra danser avec l'Union européenne (et vice versa) ? » Le reste (Iran, Orban, migration) avec @cspillmann.bsky.social rt @grimmse.bsky.social 👇

Poland’s ‘sovereign’ alternative to SAFE loans, to be spent mostly on foreign defence products. 🤪 The best bit: Poland’s president Karol Nawrocki, from PiS, who proposed the alternative, calls it “Polish SAFE 0%”. I don’t think I read it how he intended! 😂 notesfrompoland.com/2026/03/04/p...

🍦 ☀️ Belgium’s, maybe Europe’s, best ice cream! Gaasbeek, just outside Brussels :-)

Great issue of Belgium in Brief by @brusselstimes.com today covering everything from shadow fleet, to the effect of the US-Israel war on Iran on our energy prices, and more. us8.campaign-archive.com?e=349ef79e27...

It also echoes his call for the EU to crack on with unifying capital markets so that companies can scale up, something he mentions in his latest book Over Welvaart (on prosperity) www.belganewsagency.eu/europes-digi...

Plugging the €30bn Ukraine funding gap expected to be worked through at the March European Council. No mention of the reparations loan, which was being re-floated just last week. But I imagine it would take some time to articulate a real proposal that Belgium could agree to on that!

Good to see this Flemish editorial: Spain vs Trump: Sànchez shows Europe that there’s another way besides submission. Europe must have its own voice. It was sad to see von der Leyen scrambling to echo Trump over the weekend. She could, should, have held back for 2 mins and thought it through..

The Schuman roundabout works keep coming up in conversation, about when it will end – later this year it seems. In the meantime, though it’s still very disrupted, it’s nice to have so much more pedestrian space around the cafes there. www.brusselstimes.com/belgium/2004...

It’s good that more and more European politicians, across the spectrum, are acknowledging the US-Israeli attack on Iran is against international law. Slow to do so, but better late than not at all. www.brusselstimes.com/belgium/2005...

Some very promising numbers on the rise of cycling in Belgium, with the change in Brussels truly transformative – in large part thanks to e-bikes. Positive news :-) vrtnws.be/p.QABRpxqXG

Taiwan’s FM calls for Taipei to be part of 'first island chain' security framework. Looking at a map, it’s nuts they aren’t part of it already! www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/03...

A much-needed bit of good news!

Just in: Emmanuel Macron has called Pedro Sánchez to "express France's European solidarity in response to the recent threats of economic coercion, of which Spain was the target yesterday," says l'Élysée.

About time.

We reaffirm our firm commitment to the principles of international law and the rules-based order everywhere in the world.

I have just held a call with President Pedro Sánchez to express the EU’s full solidarity with Spain. The EU will always ensure that the interests of its Member States are fully protected.

Was talking about Belgium's Africa Museum and the battle with Kobold over its maps (which can point to sources of critical minerals) literally this morning and then I see a write-up of it over on @eurcorrespond.bsky.social – very good! newsletter-cdn.europeancorrespondent.com/go/ptc1miu5g...

Good rapporteur this morning from @eddywax.bsky.social & @nicolettaionta.bsky.social. Was bemused reading that anyone would still fear falling foul of WTO rules. Given the US & China have ripped up the world order, maybe time for those officials to recognise that and build something new(?).

Interesting development ec.europa.eu/commission/p...

🚨🚨 Unusual with such moral integrity for a European political leader: Spanish PM Pedro Sanches insists that #Spain won't temper criticism of #Trump's attacks on #Iran over fear of reprisals and commercial pressure. 👇 www.politico.eu/article/pedr...

Another very helpful issue of la Matinale Européenne this morning to get a handle on what's going on: lamatinaleeuropeenne.substack.com/p/aucun-pour... Everything from EU mutual defence, through to the Hungary-Ukraine dispute, and the Industrial Accelerator Act (being unveiled today). V.useful!

It wasn't looking good for European bison when the last wild individual was shot in 1927. The wisent, as it is also called, was declared extinct in the wild. Its last survivors were kept in zoos.

Headline from Russia’s Tsargrad gloats: “Japan has paid the price for sanctions on Russia after Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.” The accompanying image is amusingly OTT. m-chita.tsargrad.tv/news/japonij...

It's a shame on the West that it/we couldn't just give Ukraine sufficient air defences. But given that is the case, this move by Zelenskyy is what the Scottish would call "canny" (as a compliment). kyivindependent.com/zelensky-flo...

Nicely done article over on @kyivindependent.com about Viktor Orbán and his playing of the Ukraine card to try and win in the election over there. kyivindependent.com/trailing-in-... I spoke with three Hungarians in Brussels this week. They hope for the best, but still seem worried.

Validation at last sagt er! And Merkel agreed.

Baby-Turbo @verena-hubertz.de ? 😀

The fact that Iranian drones are striking targets across the Middle East and reaching even Cyprus (btw. Hallo, Fidias) while facing 8 countries with highly advanced Air Force’s and air defense assets underlines how skilled Ukrainian air defense has become.

Tervuren on a day like this just does not disappoint!

At the confererence ‘rebuilding Ukraine, reinforcing Europe: critical infrastructure and security’ organised by Teneo here in Brussels. The third instalment of this annual event, focused on getting more into Ukraine: scale, private capital, structuring it, and sharing risks.