How a little-known French sociologist spotted symptoms war was about to break out (and why that is relevant to us today) My latest for @euobserver.com euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...

This should have been front page news www.ft.com/content/6596...

Niet alleen de nationale democratie moet worden opgelapt, de Europese ook Mijn column in @nrc www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/...

This photo will haunt Keir Starmer for a long time

Swiss exports to the US are beginning to fall. Switserland argued with Trump and got 39% tariffs. www.nzz.ch/wirtschaft/u...

The headline should read: "North-Korea is rather angry with Russia" (because, apparently, it sends lots of weapons and soldiers to Russia without getting much in return) www.faz.net/aktuell/wirt...

Europa-Oekraïne: dit begint te lijken op Lend-Lease Mijn column in @nrc.nl www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/...

Many Europeans think Europe provides security to Ukraine. But the opposite is equally true: Europe increasingly relies on Ukraine for iets security (with Ukraine taking the US’ place)

Europe’s State of the Union address is becoming a political ritual, symbolizing the slow maturing of the EU as a political entity, writes columnist Caroline de Gruyter. foreignpolicy.com/2025/09/09/e...

15 years ago, when the first State of the European Union was held, many thought it was useless and pompous. Now, it is a political ritual, part of a slowly maturing European democracy. My latest for @foreignpolicy.com foreignpolicy.com/2025/09/09/e...

Prachtige tekst van Herman Tjeenk Willink: "Het primaat van de politiek kan alleen gelden als de wetgever ook recht-gever is, en de politieke meerderheid zich aan het recht gebonden weet. Zowel het ene als het andere blijkt steeds minder het geval." www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/...

Europe's Trump-whisperers might get Trump to tighten Russia sanctions, increase aid to Ukraine, and get Hungary and Slovakia more in line too www.ft.com/content/b39a...

Meerdere conflicten omringen en bedreigen het continent Europa, schrijft columnist Caroline de Gruyter. Je voorbereiden op oorlog is één ding, maar begrijpen wat het is verdient evengoed aandacht. buff.ly/rKdond8

Goedzo 👍 Hier hebben we een ombudsman voor.

Trump erobrede Amerika på at drive en eksisterende kulturkrig udi ekstremer. Nu vil hans USA eksportere denne krig til Europa for at vælte regeringer og bringe højrepopulister til magten, skriver Caroline de Gruyter, der er Europa-korrespondent for den hollandske avis NRC Handelsblad.

De polemologie is terug van weggeweest Mijn column in @nrc www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/...

What a surprise! www.politico.com/news/2025/09...

10 years ago today, I took this photo in one of the first trains full of Syrian refugees from Vienna to Munich. Many asked me: was it exciting? Well, no. It was one of the most quiet train rides in my life. Almost all Syrians were exhausted and fell asleep immediately. All I heard was snoring.

Very true, this: voters in Europe are ahead of most governing elites on European integration. The same goes for another once ‘sensitive’ dossier: support for Gaza/Palestine

The de-federalization of America Snubbing Kennedy, States Announce Plans to Coordinate on Vaccines www.nytimes.com/2025/09/03/u...

Twintig jaar geleden zei ongeveer de helft van de Europeanen dat EU-lidmaatschap goed was voor hun land. Nu is dat 74%. Populisten volgen de trend. 📺 Kijk 'Europa Draait Door' hier: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zDy...

Euro zone manufacturing expanded for first time since early 2022 - with Spain and Greece leading the pack, and German manufacturing at its highest since 38 months www.reuters.com/world/europe...

Curious to hear Sefcovic’ explanation

😳

@katjaberlin.bsky.social, always bang-on

Ook Liechtenstein zoekt dekking bij de Europese Unie Mijn column in @nrc.nl www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/...

The Belgian ability to screw up the European neighbourhood is sheer endless...

Remember how mad the Chinese were when NATO hit their embassy in Belgrade in 1999? At least NATO apologized; US secretary Albright even wrote a letter to Beijing. Received any apologies from Moscow already?! I did not get the impression

Excellent thread 👇

Russia hits EU's Ukraine delegation building in Kyiv www.euractiv.com/section/poli...

Meanwhile…

EU responds to Trump's ludicrous attack on EU digital rules: "It is the sovereign right of the EU and its member states to regulate economic activities on our territory, which are consistent with our democratic values." And now, keep going. www.politico.eu/article/eu-r...

Flooding: it stops enemy tanks and is good for nature www.politico.eu/article/russ...

👀

"Moderne Europeanen zijn nergens op bedacht. Net als hun voorvaderen begin twintigste eeuw – ook producten van de ‘lange vrede’ – verwachten zij van de moderne geschiedenis vooral dat ze voortkabbelt. Ze zien geen patronen meer, alleen uitingen. Alles wat er gebeurt, komt als totale verrassing."

Europeanen schieten van alles in paniek Mijn column in @nrc.nl www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/...

“Despite headwinds like US tariffs and general uncertainty, businesses across the Eurozone seem to be coping reasonably well.” www.ft.com/content/86d6...

🇪🇺🫣 “Ahead of #Trump’s inauguration in January, Caroline de Gruyter argued that #Europe’s biggest problem is not Trump, but pessimism. I could not have agreed with her more.“ @alanderminna.bsky.social for @phillipspobrien.bsky.social: phillipspobrien.substack.com/p/pessimism-...

Major fuel shortage spreads in Russia: Queue of cars waiting in line to get to a gas station. Ukrainian drone strikes took out nearly 20% of Russian oil refining capacity in recent weeks.

Hopefully, other dams take note (do they have to be online??)

Very good piece by @ivodaalder.bsky.social: Despite Trump’s efforts, negotiation will only come when both parties believe their interests are better served by talking than fighting. foreignpolicy.com/2025/08/19/r...

A gloomy, hard-hitting article about Donald Tusks' failure to turn Poland around: "Just like Joe Biden squeezed between two terms of Donald Trump, Tusk will also turn out to be the parenthesis, a brief interlude in a wider populist-nationalist reign" www.ft.com/content/d28c...

Young Hungarians are fed up with Orbán, and begin to speak out www.lemonde.fr/internationa...

De Rus zoekt weer erkenning bij de Amerikaan Mijn column in @nrc.nl www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/...

Another view on the same topic by @carolinedegruyter.bsky.social "While large, predatory global powers with imperialistic ambitions are at each other’s throats again, the little ones become prey. Now, suddenly, they feel vulnerable and seek cover in Europe." foreignpolicy.com/2025/07/31/e...

Out of office.

Zwitserland deed alles anders, en kreeg 39 procent Mijn column in @nrc.nl www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/...

"US officials held preliminary conversations with the breakaway province of Somaliland about a wider deal that would also include establishing a US military base in the territory in return for recognition of its statehood" www.ft.com/content/2206...

Kleine landen schuilen steeds meer in Europa Nu in @standaard.be www.standaard.be/opinies/klei...