We are going to hear a lot of disinformation today about new RU offensive in Kharkiv region. I only know three things:

1) they don’t have the men to take Kharkiv
2) nobody in Kharkiv is panicking
3) Russia is to blame but so is Western complacency to Ukrainian deaths

Exactly one year ago Jim Townsend and I called for a 'strategic reconciliation' among Europeans in an op-ed for POLITICOEurope.
One year on, we are still far from it, but way better off, thanks to at least three factors 1/
politico.eu/article/the-ne…

With erosion of the liberal economic order and an increasingly hostile external environment, the EU needs a permanent fiscal capacity or a fiscal union to become a relevant geopolitical actor.

Read the latest report by Max Bergmann and Federico Steinberg: csis.org/analysis/europ…

This is a big reason I can’t relate to Gen Z’s negativity — I think our problems today are relatively modest compared to where we were as a country in 2005-08.

Ukrainian officials say attacks on border areas in Kharkiv Oblast have begun. Is this the beginnings of a new front, limited incursion ('sanitary zone'), or harassment? Where does this lead? Threat= capability x intent, so let's consider both below. 👇
x.com/archer83able/s…

Today's Geopolitical Europe Pulse is out!

One day after Europe Day, it brings you a roundup on all things strategic autonomy - featuring pieces by Tara_Varma, Max Bergmann & Federico Steinberg, Sophie Meunier & Sarah Bauerle Danzmann, and Josep Borrell Fontelles.

geopoliticaleurope.substack.com/publish/posts/…

Russian forces launched an attack overnight on Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region. The Defense Ministry said Russian units tried to break through Ukrainian lines across the border after artillery and guided aerial bomb strikes around Vovchansk. Reserves were sent in. Russia…

New apartment buildings in U.S. all look really similar to each other.

One reason: U.S. regulations dictate an oddly-specific layout that's hostile to families and limits light/ventilation.

THREAD:

The Georgian police, for which the West invested an enormous amount of money to enhance its capacity, has transformed into a Russian-style OMON over the past few weeks, serving regime to undermine what is left of Georgian democracy.

'This is their real attitude toward peace,' — Zelenskyy in response to an air raid siren that interrupted the press conference for Europe Day in Kyiv.

Here is a recent peer-reviewed publication showing that fiscal consolidations are robustly related to the rise of right-wing parties: direct.mit.edu/rest/article-a…

For🇩🇪audience: how fiscal consolidation in early 1930s was an electoral boost for the Nazi party: cambridge.org/core/journals/…

#NEW : On this week's ep of The Eurofile, Max Bergmann & Donatienne Ruy unpack 🇫🇷Macron’s Sorbonne speech, the 🇪🇺 Parliamentary elections, & 🇨🇳Xi’s visit to Europe. Then Rebecca Christie joins to discuss the Enrico Letta report & the European single market 👇
csis.org/podcasts/eurof…

#NEW : As part of our Project on the Future of Europe, Max Bergmann & Federico Steinberg take the pen in 'Europe’s Fiscal Crossroads', assessing Europe's fiscal terrain and outlining potential paths forward for the 🇪🇺 to become a stronger geopolitical actor.
👇
csis.org/analysis/europ…

My latest for Real Instituto Elcano!

“Beyond Strategy? Industrial Strategy and the Future of European Defence”

realinstitutoelcano.org/en/analyses/be…

Reports flood social media: activists, journalists, opposition figures, and NGO reps opposing the 'foreign agents bill' receive threatening calls.

Posters plastered with their faces brand them “traitors” and “enemies of the people”.

Happy Europe Day!

And congratulations to the EU, which is (all things told) so successful that we forget what an achievement it is for countries to be able to coexist in peace and prosperity.

This T-34, the legendary Soviet tank from World War II, was the only Russian tank on display at the Victory Day parade in Red Square today. The others must all be busy somewhere!

GREAT PROGRESS: EU ambassadors agreed next step on using profits from frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine.
Once formalised, we need to get funds to 🇺🇦 ASAP.
First €1 bln should be transferred by summer, mainly for military support.

Russia will pay directly for its crimes.

Three members of the Habsburg family, a handful of right-wing American Catholics, and a Benedictine Abbott from Clear Creek, Oklahoma recently came to Plano, Texas. Shit got weird: thebaffler.com/latest/feeling…

I have to do this same thing almost every week to prevent CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program from mutinying