Max Bergmann

Not only is Robert Karem one of the most respected Capitol Hill NatSec staffers (both parties), but he was also a DoD appointee of… Donald Trump.

Starmer's authority is now crumbling. But even those most committed to a new Prime Minister should pause for thought about what it means for Britain in the world. For all his many, many domestic missteps, Keir Starmer has genuinely led on Ukraine, make tough calls with Trump and rebuilt relations with Europe by working intensely with President Macron and Chancellor Merz. Labour in government was shocked at how quickly it was swamped by foreign affairs from Gaza and Ukraine, to Trump and Iran. This isn't going to change. However Starmer's challengers have no foreign policy experience, no geopolitical worldviews, no foreign affairs teams and no experience in explaining our place in the world and its tumult to the public. But if they succeed that will be half their job. What's the plan for a geopolitical pivot to Europe? What's the strategy to deal with Trump and our fragmenting Western alliance as China's Axis of Authoritarians deepens? What's next for Britain's extensive diplomatic and security role when it comes to Ukraine? Who will be maintaining key connections to the White House? Changes at the top are often necessary. But they are delicate and not cost free internationally. In diplomacy so much is bound up in personal connections and trust built up over time. Building since 2016, these musical chairs at the top have now become so intense, with Prime Ministers lasting roughly two years and Foreign Secretaries now annuals, our allies and partners are frustrated. I've heard from European and Gulf leaderships first hand it is hardly worth investing diplomatically in a counterpart who's suddenly gone and thus hardly worth investing in Britain.

If only there was a streetcar that went to the stadium

Quite aside from the Starmer drama, it is remarkable how utterly absent the realities of today's EU are from current UK debates about reset/rejoin etc. Both neo-remainers and neo-leavers are peddling a "back to 2016" button that doesn't exist.

Lots of ways to think about today. The culmination of Starmer’s individual failures, sure. But it is now clearly more than that. Much more. 2020-2026 — Post pandemic crisis 2016-2026 — Post Brexit chaos 2007-2026 — Post GFC decline 2000-2026 — 21st century collapse We have had a disastrous 21st century.

Three-and-a-half years of uncertainty and strange plot twists over Brexit in the world of quantitative easing was possible; three-and-a-half months of this melodrama to replace the Prime Minister in the post-2022 monetary world will not be.

I did a lecture on what Brexit has done to British politics youtube.com/watch?v=ztqL7Z…

Sweden wants the full ban on maritime services to be triggered as part of the 21st package of EU sanctions against Russia, which is in early stages. The ban is currently on hold pending an agreement at the G7 level.

There it is at last, the admission that it was Ukraine’s wish to join the EU that led Putin to invade - nothing to do with NATO. Always blindingly obvious but denied for years by anti-European Putin apologists in Europe including Farage and Johnson in Britain

A genuine question for Russian strategists is to deliberate on why no one wants to join or remain with Russia (except Belarus). In post-Putin times , the strategic elite have to grapple with this reality and do something about it. While many examples could be given — but if people are any marker- what would he say about the thousands that have been taking to streets in Georgia for so perhaps a year or more every single day !

Czasem niedostrzegana, a jednak niezwykle ważna. Unia Europejska jest częścią codzienności milionów Polaków. W Dzień Europy warto o tym przypomnieć. Korzystajmy z tego – Unia to my. 🇵🇱🇪🇺

I giovani d’Europa illuminano Roma! 🇪🇺🇮🇹 #GiornatadellEuropa #EuropeDay

5/5 - Metro drives regional economy whether you use it or not (societal value vs micro individual value) - I’ve never called Fire Dept, no kids in school etc, but want all of these critical services funded & well run for a better community - Happy to discuss more w WaPo just ask

Should just parents pay for schools? Only bill crime victims for police? This is a 10th grader's approach to diffuse costs and concentrated benefits

Great chatting with @maxbergmann, @mariademertzis, and @EFischberger. We take a close look at the message POTUS' announcement to pull US troops from Europe sends, the prospect of a renewed US-EU trade war, and pull back the curtain on "Clash Report" - a Turkish media operation.

Hungary’s parliament sings “Ode to Joy” — the anthem of Europe — after Péter Magyar is sworn in as prime minister. Hungary is once again a proud member of the European Union.

Zelensky is “allowing” Russia to hold a Victory Day parade on Red Square. Absolutely hilarious.

EXCLUSIVE: The Netherlands is seeking to restart talks on using up to €210 billion in frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine keep defending itself next year. politico.eu/article/nether…

In the latest episode of The Eurofile, @maxbergmann and @DonatienneRuy talk about the Trump administration’s announced withdrawal of 5,000 troops from Germany while simultaneously delaying a planned deployment of Tomahawk missiles. More from @csiserep: csis.org/podcasts/eurof…