Kristof Bender

The US vs Canada in one graph

8000 dead or missing in 2025! Like in a war! We need to address the systematic brutality at the EU's external borders and show that it is possible to manage external borders in a humane, legal & effective way, through partnership agreements. This is about human lives. And about saving democracy.

‘No to war’: Sánchez doubles down after Trump threat to cut off trade with Spain PM says his country will not be complicit in growing conflict in Middle East ‘simply out of fear of reprisals from someone’

Spanish foreign minister Albares refutes Leavitt claims that Madrid now backs US / Israeli attacks on Iran

"She may be the White House press secretary, but I’m the foreign minister of Spain and I’m telling her that our position hasn’t changed at all.”

Offer the four freedoms to Ukraine, Moldova and the Balkans The EU should offer membership in the Single Market, including the four freedoms, as a credible and reachable interim goal to Ukraine, Moldova, and any of the six Western Balkan nations interested in ...

Y-day the idea of "reverse enlargement" (accession, conditions & benefits later) was killed by EU member states. Pressure to make an attractive offer to #Ukraine and reluctance among EU MS have collided. The #EU looks weak. It urgently needs to square this circle:
www.esiweb.org/proposals/of...

The UK, Iceland, of course Ukraine, Moldova and the Balkans ... the EU is attractive and still the best political invention the continent has ever seen.

After months of wrangling and an epic list of delays, the Commission has finally released its Industrial Accelerator Act.

This could turn into one of the EU’s most consequential industrial policy files in years - and the proposal is honestly not a bad place to start.

Some quick thoughts:

Hungarian veto proves EU needs less unanimity, says new Dutch PM "The Netherlands is back," Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten declared on his first trip to Brussels since taking office. #EuropeNews

Hungary's veto on the €90 billion loan to Ukraine proves the European Union needs less unanimity, says Rob Jetten, the new Dutch prime minister.

"We cannot explain to our constituents that Europe is sometimes way too slow," Jetten said on his first trip to Brussels since taking office.

Q: Commercial air travel is severely restricted in the Middle East. Thousands of Americans are stranded. Why wasn't there an evacuation plan?

TRUMP: Because it happened all very quickly

Von der Leyen, Kallas and a growing EU foreign policy turf war The EU’s top leadership is responding in parallel rather than tandem — as the bloc scrambles to find a united front amid war in the Middle East.

How disappointing and harmful to see VDL fighting and competing so much internally (also on tech competition) while she should make sure team Europe is strong and united in this instable world ↘️ www.politico.eu/article/iran...

Iran executes Khamenei’s plan to spread regional war Strikes on energy facilities and targets across Middle East form strategy devised to sow chaos in retaliation for US and Israeli attack

“This will continue, and there will be further escalation,” the regime insider said. “What did they expect? If the head of the Islamic republic is targeted, do they think nothing will happen?”

giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...

We could have used these missiles to protect Ukraine. We chose not to. @anneapplebaum on the "To the Contrary" podcast.

Let's go!

Good piece in FT detailing Macron's speech on French nuclear deterrence. Confirms that FR will:
1) Increase arsenal (without providing exact numbers as per FR doctrine)
2) For 1st time, talks of deploying strategic assets abroad (but as @hfayet.bsky.social notes: priority is on aircraft...) 1/3

Allocating funds for new member states in the next EU budget is essential to the credibility of the accession process. Without it, grand speeches and ceremonious announcements remain empty words, writes Kristof Bender from the European Stability Initiative: shorturl.at/6CSKC

Opinion | Trump’s Strikes on Iran Were Unlawful. Here’s Why That Matters.

I wrote about the US strikes on Iran in June for @nytimes.com. It seems that we're about to watch a replay, but this time it could be far worse.

Like the June strikes, new strikes would be blatantly illegal under the U.S. constitution and international law.
1/

www.nytimes.com/2025/06/23/o...

Hungarian opposition groups quit to make way for Orbán challenger Péter Magyar is calling on remaining parties not to ruin chance for regime change

I understand the idea. If smaller parties step aside, Magyar’s Tisza party has better chances for a supermajority to dismantle Orban’s system. But isn’t it spooky, practically handing, if it works, absolute power from one guy to the next? @martapardavi.bsky.social
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...

One Democratic congressman said the Department of Justice appeared to have broken a law requiring disclosure of all unclassified material by withholding files in which a minor accused the US president of sexual abuse. ft.trib.al/gPwQvBa

More - unsurprising, but nevertheless disgusting - details about the brutality of the Russian way of war and systemic contempt for human lives (towards their own troops, too).

The most mind-boggling thing is that tens of thousands still sign up monthly to go die in Ukraine

Call for Applications: Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence 2026 - BIRN We are offering 8 to 10 fellowships to journalists from Central and South Eastern Europe with compelling story ideas that require on-the-ground reporting, in-depth research, dedicated editorial suppor...

Great opportunity for journalists in central and south eastern europe: get funding and editorial support for your longform story. #BIRN @balkaninsight.com.web.brid.gy

More info on the link below:

birn.eu.com/news-and-eve...

Rechtsextreme Jugendkultur: "Es gibt Tage, da höre ich mehrmals pro Stunde das N-Wort" Gymnasiasten, die Hitler feiern oder Waffen bauen. Lehrer, die nicht mehr weiterwissen. An Schulen überall in Deutschland kippt gerade etwas – ins Rechtsextreme.

“Etwa 30 Prozent der 12- bis 25-Jährigen hätten mittlerweile eine gefestigt rechtsextreme Weltsicht oder sympathisierten damit,” sagt Soziologe Hurrelmann.

Rechtsextremismus an deutschen Schulen am Vormarsch, auch im Westen, auch in Gymnasien mit Akademiker-Kindern.

www.zeit.de/2026/07/rech...

Iceland looks to fast-track vote on joining EU A referendum on resuming membership talks had been expected in 2027, but could come as early as this August.

🚨🚨Biggest #EU news of today: #Iceland looks to fast-track vote on joining EU as referendum on EU accession could come as early as August, departing from original plan for 2027 ref. 🧵
www.politico.eu/article/icel...

The US loudly demands from Europe that it takes care of its own security.

The US also loudly supports the outgoing Hungarian government that has for years been sabotaging with its veto the EU's efforts to tackle vital European security challenges.

Could the real US stand up?

The week the EU’s climate foundations started to shake An assault on Europe’s most important climate law, the Emissions Trading System, took the fight against green rules to a whole new level.

NEW: With back-to-back summits bashing carbon pricing, the very foundations of the European Union's climate efforts started creaking under pressure last week.

www.politico.eu/article/eu-c...

It is time for Europe to weaponise its chokepoints China and others have long been adept at using supply chains to their advantage — the EU should do the same

Europe has more cards to play than its leaders often realise. What’s needed is detailed mapping of the chokeholds we have. And above all a willingness to use them - as US, China and others do too.

Great piece citing critical thinking tank work on this incl @joristeer.bsky.social

Olympische Winterspiele in Italien: Vor Ort sieht Olympia so anders aus Die meisten nehmen Olympische Spiele am Fernseher wahr. Unser Fotograf reiste hingegen in alle Austragungsorte – und hat einen ganz eigenen Blick auf die Spiele.

A different perspective on the Olympics - great photos by @sebastianwells.bsky.social! (It does not matter if you don't read German - just look at the pics)

www.zeit.de/sport/2026-0...

This is a great piece. It's perhaps unfair to say that America as a whole has betrayed Ukraine, but US governments since Obama have deferred too much to Putin (to be fair, often with European encouragement), & Trump & his entourage are more or less openly rooting for Russia & against UA & Europe.

„Diese Unterkünfte sind eine Goldgrube“: Das Millionen-Geschäft mit der Wohnungslosigkeit Unterkünfte für Wohnungslose sollen verhindern, dass Menschen auf der Straße landen. Manche Firmen machen damit große Gewinne, während Bewohner zwischen Müll und Ungeziefer leben.

Unterkünfte für Wohnungslose sollen verhindern, dass Menschen auf der Straße landen. Recherchen von Anna Thewalt und mir zeigen, dass aus diesen Wohnheimen in Berlin ein lukratives Geschäft geworden ist. Ein Sozialstadtrat spricht von einer „Goldgrube“. Unsere Recherche im @tagesspiegel.de:

A Worrying Military Build-up in the Western Balkans? Europe’s most fragile region is not sleepwalking toward war, but it is quietly recalibrating for it. Across the Western Balkans, military procurement

Impact of #Russia’s war in #Ukraine on #WesternBalkans: “Militarization does not require aggressive intent to become destabilizing. Misperception, asymmetric capabilities, and narratives that frame force as legitimate can trigger crises...”
warontherocks.com/2026/02/a-wo...

Hungary opposition condemns Fidesz election video with fictitious execution scene Hungarian opposition leader Peter Magyar protested on Thursday after Prime Minister Viktor Orban's ruling Fidesz party aired an emotive campaign video showing a little girl weeping at a window, interc...

The 33-second video depicts a kneeling, blindfolded soldier in Hungarian uniform being shot on a rain-drenched battlefield. A caption reads, in part: "This is only a nightmare now, but Brussels is preparing to make it a reality ... Let's not take risks. Fidesz is the safe choice!"

Marco Rubio just flew to Budapest to deliver a speech in which he provided a full endorsement of Viktor Orbán in the upcoming Hungarian elections.
Here is the letter he signed in 2019 warning about Hungary's "downward democratic trajectory" under Orbán
h/t Carrick Ryan