“I would say that currently power is moving away from Paris and Berlin it isn’t moving anywhere in particular.” with @euractiv.com I talked about what a recalibration of (economic) power of Germany means for 🇪🇺 www.euractiv.com/news/germany...

Though enlargement was not prominantly #EuCo, happy to share a piece I wrote for Euractiv: EU urgently needs to prepare for being a bigger Union 📍Public discourse: Anticipate fears and proactively discuss a bigger 🇪🇺, its advantages (&challenges) 📍Institutions: Make sure EU is itself fit to enlarge

Mit WELT TV habe ich über die heutigen Verhandlungen gesprochen 👇 Zur Headline würde ich gerne noch hinzufügen "Deutschland zahlt mit Abstand am meisten, bekommt aber auch meisten heraus" 🙃 www.welt.de/videos/video...

!!!! This is ridiculous indeed. Again: how did they screw up the cancellation announcement so badly when they were preparing it for months?! #FCAS (Translation: we STILL don’t have the official FCAS jet cancellation announcement even though officials already talk about it)

Heute beginnt der Staatsbesuch von Bundespräsident Steinmeier in den Niederlanden. Dazu habe ich heute im @deutschlandfunk.de.web.brid.gy in #EuropaHeute gesprochen: share.deutschlandradio.de/dlf-audiothe...

My new weekly Notes on Europe. open.substack.com/pub/geoecono...

Yesterday, Germany and France published a Non-Paper on how to drive the enlargement process with the Western Balkans and Moldova. First of all: Good to have a joint proposal from 🇩🇪 & 🇫🇷 after the single-handed letter from Chancellor Merz on associated membership for 🇺🇦. Some first thoughts 👇

Wahrscheinlich eine unpopular Opinion, aber wäre nicht jetzt der Moment, dass Deutschland sich gemeinsam mit Partnern für einen EU-Sitz im Sicherheitsrat einsetzt?

You just gotta love the snarky sense of humour - in a country where the catholic church still holds major influence

As Brad notes: China didn't respond to Germany's "engineering" surplus by sitting on its hands -- it had a rather active industrial policy to substitute Chinese production for German imports (including by buying and digesting Kuka), and now it turbocharges its exports with a weak currency

So it's not Ukrainian grain, it's the good old German potato destroying the Polish market www.euractiv.com/news/poland-...

Super excited that we @dgap.org @ipq.bsky.social are launching a new article series on the intersection of EU enlargement and reform! We aim at looking at Berlin's stance but also how other member states perceive this debate 🇪🇺💪

FREDERIKSEN: Problem for us Europeans is we still think and behave as if we're in peacetime. We're no longer in peacetime, so we have to change our mindset. If we don't do that, Russia is going to win. Because their mindset has never been in peacetime. They're always in wartime.

I am wondering, why the German government is still proposing the E3 should take a more prominent role in potential ceasefire negotiations with Russia and not including Poland in those crucial discussions on future security on the European continent www.welt.de/politik/ausl...

The dilemma on EU reform in two strategic documents: FM Wadephul in his first major EU speech yesterday, advocating for more #QMV esp. in #CSDP, whilst the new Polish Foreign Policy Strategy underlining that unanimity is a "matter of principle" for Poland.

This report on the transparency of NGEU funds will likely have an impact on how the question of a move towards a more targets-based approach in the MFF will be discussed euobserver.com/215124/where...

🇭🇺 Hungarian elections Hungary will once again be a strong ally in the EU and NATO, Péter Magyar said in his victory speech. “Europe, Europe, Europe,” chanted the crowd. “We will rebuild our international relations and put our relations with our neighbors in order”, he added.

🧵 Thread of European leaders reacting to Péter Magyar's victory and Viktor Orbán's defeat. Ursula von der Leyen: "Hungary has chosen Europe. Europe has always chosen Hungary. A country reclaims its European path. The Union grows stronger."

"So long and thanks for the fish" (from Victor Orban's concession speech, via 444.hu)

This is momentous! Although the Polish example shows how hard it will be to dismantle an illiberal system by liberal democratic means.

🇺🇸🇵🇱🗳️ We really need JD Vance to visit Poland just before the 2027 vote and endorse PiS.

Now it's on: Will #Tisza profit from a seemingly high voter turnout in #Hungary? Even if Tisza would win the question would be if a supermajority is possible to reverse some parts of the Orban System.

The oil price hike *ought* to be a chance for European railways In 🇩🇪 for example 99% of long distance and 80% of regional rail passenger-km are on ⚡️ railways No transport mode is better sheltered from price hikes Can the rail sector seize the opportunity? jonworth.eu/rising-fuel-...

Yes, the “people” are the problem… not the energy-wasting businesses and the politicians who protect and subsidize them, of course. This is the second major fossil fuel crisis in 5 years. If this is not a wake up call to transition to renewable energy, I don’t know what is.

Präsident Steinmeier bei #75Jahre @diplo.de: Von den vier Konstanten der deutschen Außenpolitik: - Überwindung der deutsch-deutschen Teilung, - Westbindung, - Aussöhnung nach Osten, - Europäische Integration ist eine nicht mehr vorhanden, sind zwei hinweggefegt, bleibt die 🇪🇺 Integration

In #Marseille wurde der rot-grüne #Bürgermeister #Payan gegen den #RassemblementNational wiedergewählt!

Very positive (and given the polls ahead) rather unexpected election result in #Slovenia

🎤 Im „Nachgefragt bei…“ unseres #EBDnewsletter spricht EBD-Ehrenpräsidentin Dr. @linnselle.bsky.social, Alfred-von-Oppenheim Leiterin des Europa-Zentrums der @dgap.org, mit uns über aktuellen Debatten um Erweiterung, Sicherheit & Handlungsfähigkeit der #EU #EBDnewsletter #EUSky

Do we see diplomatic overreach by COM Pres von der Leyen as Politico hinted to today in case of Iran? 👇

Isn't everyone in this so called "board of peace" just an observer anyway? Italy joins. As observer. Good luck, Meloni - this isn't chess, it's macho politics with balls of fire. Careful what you juggle. #ITinEU www.bernama.com/en/world/new...

Remarkable

Berliner Winter, Symbolbild

Is this also the case in medical training in Germany? www.belganewsagency.eu/belgian-medi...

Rita Süßmuth, die "Unbeugsame". Bis ins hohe Alter so neugierig und intellektuell auf der Höhe zu sein - ein Geschenk. Sich in gesellschaftliche Debatten einzumischen und weiter streitbar zu sein - ein Vorbild. Danke, Rita, für die Gespräche und den klaren Kompass. Mögest du in Frieden ruhen.

I don't often share my own emotions here.I mostly stick to facts&reason. But I'm actually a very emotional person. The situation in #Kyiv with freezing people in cold homes that are left without electricity,heating &water during the cold winter after deliberate Russian attacks is simply terrible⤵️

Some notes on what the new Dutch govt agreement says about peace and conflict www.kabinetsformatie2025.nl/documenten/2... Items most interesting to me personally: * pro European nuclear deterrent * establishing a Dutch DARPA with up to 10% of def budget

Let me translate this: stop whining and get your act together, Europe www.politico.eu/article/euro...

Greenland, European defence, strengthening the 🇪🇺 and arctic governance. Town hall meeting with 🇩🇰 PM Frederiksen @dgap.org @daenemark.bsky.social Very clear words on a united European response as future receipe, respecting alliances that move forward in the EU and forging new alliances worldwide

And it still is a gap that Germany is not pooling projects, together with partners (and yes, I know, 🇩🇪 is financially not dependent on the loans, while EU partners are)

Well done, @jpuglierin.bsky.social 🌟💪🇪🇺 Und was für ein nicht auszudenkendes Timing! In diesem Sinne: für mehr Hoffnung, Erfahrung und kluge Stimmen in 2026

One could call french European policy Simby - Strategic autonomy; not in my own backyard

Great allies think alike. #FreedomForBelarus

"We need to ask ourselves if we want to live in a world where democracy is recast as weakness, truth as opinion and justice as an option." Strong piece by @coe.int' SG @alain-berset.coe.int www.nytimes.com/2026/01/19/o...

A narrative, the European Union (as a whole! not only few member states) should embark on: Sovereignty is not for trade. Translates not only into territorial sovereignty but also in sovereignty of using the means at ones disposal.

Europe should hold a competing football competition in Denmark at exactly the same time - and call it the Viking Freedom Supercup.

An in person #EuCo would indeed be an important sign of European assertiveness and unity, given the gravity of the situation. A potential launch of the Anti-Coercion instrument against the US should be deliberated and decided on the highest political level.

Wie sich Diskurse drehen... Bei der Umstellung belächelt von Vielen ist Schleswig-Holstein heute Vorbild und Labor für digitale Unabhängigkeit (und spart pro Jahr 15 Mio € Lizenzzahlungen)

These are not "normal" trade tariffs. For the first time, US economic pressure on Europe is explicitly tied to brutal political demands: surrender territory or face economic punishment. This is a historic test for Europe. www.cnbc.com/2026/01/17/t...

How often can one mention "NATO territory" in one interview? Defence minister Pistorius: hold my 🍺 #greenland #usa www.tagesschau.de/ausland/nato...