Graham Lanktree

European allies ‘frustrated’ by UK defense paralysis The U.K. rearmament efforts are hobbled by the country’s fiscal difficulties, which is angering the arms industry.

The U.K.’s failure to finalize budgets for key defense programs is beginning to impact international partnerships, impinging on London’s effort to project solidarity with European partners.

www.politico.eu/article/euro...

Lindsey Graham to allies: Get over Greenland The South Carolina Republican offered a fairly optimistic take on a NATO alliance that's been battered by the dispute over Greenland.

“Who gives a shit who owns Greenland,” Graham said. “The point is Greenland is going to be more fortified because Donald Trump, once he feels like it’s his brand or his buy-in, is going to go big.”

www.politico.com/news/2026/02...

Europe’s China shock worsens as trade deficit widens The EU’s trade deficit in goods with China grew to €359B last year, new figures show.

Chinese goods continue to flood into the European Union as the bloc’s manufacturing base struggles to cope.

Just in: Wang Yi meeting Marco Rubio on the side-lines of Munich Security Conference - their second meeting.

Last year there was no high-level US-China talks here. Comes ahead of Trump's expected China trip in early April. (pic from Reuters wire)

Russia is not winning this war.
Its casualty rates are surging, and its economy is struggling.

Today, Ministers will discuss how we can further support Ukraine.

On the table are proposals to establish two training facilities inside Ukraine and to mobilise additional private capital.

Rebuilding EU ties ‘the biggest prize’ for British economy, Reeves says The U.K.’s chief finance minister backs alignment with the bloc only when it’s in Britain’s “national interest.”

Rebuilding EU ties ‘the biggest prize’ for British economy, Reeves says

www.politico.eu/article/rach...

Ministers have two months to save Britain’s steel industry, says Tata executive U.K. urged to follow the EU in imposing higher tariffs on imported products.

British ministers have two months before an influx of cheap foreign imports wipes out the domestic steel market, an executive at Britain’s largest steel producer has warned.

www.politico.eu/article/mini...

Leaked technical documents show China rehearsing cyberattacks on neighbors’ critical infrastructure Internal files describe a training platform as part of a large integrated system designed to allow attackers to practice hacking replicas of “the real network environments” of China’s “main operationa...

Leaked technical documents show China rehearsing cyberattacks on neighbours’ critical infrastructure –The Record: ‘part of a large integrated system […] practice hacking replicas of “the real network environments” of China’s “main operational opponents […] South China Sea and Indochina directions.”’

NEW

Three reasons why the Mandelson disclosure exercise will be a shock for the government

Ministers and officials usually are in control of disclosure exercises - but here they will not be - and why that matters

A detailed post by me:
emptycity.substack.com/p/three-reas...

My initial take here: Canada, don’t take the bait. Trump would get torn apart at home in a midterm year over this and would be seeking an off-ramp.

POLITICO Pro: Trump-Xi summit set for first week of April The summit could be the first of four meetings this year between the two leaders.

SCOOP: President Donald Trump will travel to Beijing the first week of April for a long-anticipated summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. And Taiwan's on the menu. @politico.com @meganmesserly.bsky.social @arihawkins.bsky.social subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026...

Russia’s sabotage campaign is becoming bolder Hacks against Polish energy plants suggest the FSB is involved

I wrote on Russia's cyber-attack against Poland's energy system in December, why it suggests a more aggressive Russian approach to disrupting critical infrastructure in Europe, and why the involvement of the FSB, Russia's security service, is bad news. www.economist.com/europe/2026/...

France and Germany’s next-generation fighter jet project is ‘dead’ An official familiar with French President Emmanuel Macron’s thinking said a failure is more likely than a relaunch.

The long-troubled Future Combat Air System (FCAS) being developed between France, Germany and Spain is on the verge of collapse, four European officials in Paris and Berlin told POLITICO.

Hate-filled fake videos about London are everywhere. We've obtained a recording of a TikToker confessing to secretly filming Londoners in their homes for clicks.

He says it's not political. He just wants to make money from far-right anger.

Read what he says: www.londoncentric.media/p/london-tik...

Foreign Office to review Mandelson's US ambassador pay-off No 10 sources have called for Mandelson to return the money or give it to a charity that supports victims.

Foreign Office to review Mandelson's US ambassador pay-off

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

China warns US arms sales to Taiwan could threaten Trump visit in April Washington is poised to authorise sale of Patriots and other weapons systems to Taipei

Beijing warns US arms sales to Taiwan could threaten Trump visit in April – FT: ‘The US is compiling a large arms sale of Patriot missiles and other weapons for Taiwan that Beijing has privately warned could jeopardise President Donald Trump’s state visit to China in April.’

The long-troubled Future Combat Air System is on the verge of collapse, officials in Paris and Berlin told POLITICO. “An announcement that [the project] is over is more likely than a relaunch,” said one of them. With Chris Lunday, Clea Caulcutt More for subscribers pro.politico.eu/news/212697

Tracking Trump's Trade Deals | Council on Foreign Relations The president has set out to rewrite the rules of trade, one deal at a time.

Want to know what's in all of Trump's trade deals? We combed through all of them, so you don't have to. Our tracker will be updated as more texts are released.

Check it out here on @cfr.org:

www.cfr.org/articles/tra...

UK diplomats fear Mandelson files ‘damaging’ for Trump relationship U.K. officials say the former ambassador to Washington Peter Mandelson downloaded his thoughts in “real time,” and they fear “damaging” messages will be made public.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s carefully built relationship with Donald Trump could be torpedoed by the disclosure of Peter Mandelson’s communications as ambassador, U.K. officials fear.

www.politico.eu/article/uk-d...

Britain signs critical minerals deal with Trump administration The two countries have agreed to use economic policy tools and coordinated investment to secure supplies of critical minerals.

Britain signs critical minerals deal with Trump administration

www.politico.eu/article/brit...

Britain is unprepared to combat Chinese economic coercion and an influx of state-subsidized imports, according to an influential cross-party committee of British lawmakers.

www.politico.eu/pro/uk-unpre...

Q: What did you mean when you said you should 'nationalize elections' & which 15 states are you talking about?

TRUMP: If a state can't run an election, I think the people behind me should do something about it. Look at Detroit, Pennsylvania, Atlanta -- horrible corruption on elections

Mandelson crisis puts Starmer in his moment of greatest peril The ratchet of climbdowns and drama is speeding up for British PM Keir Starmer and his chief of staff Morgan McSweeney.

For Keir Starmer, the crises and climbdowns just keep getting faster.

The PM is facing questions about his judgment in appointing Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to Washington despite his Jeffrey Epstein links.

The Trump administration on Wednesday announced agreements to work with Mexico, the European Union and Japan to develop critical minerals supply chains, as it hosts more than 50 countries in Washington in a push to reduce global reliance on China for the metals.

www.politico.eu/pro/us-unvei...

EU parliament chief calls for ‘exorcism’ of ghosts in UK ties The “ghosts of the past” cannot be allowed to derail future cooperation, said Roberta Metsola.

The EU and U.K. must overcome historic gripes and “reset” their relationship to be able to work together in an increasingly uncertain world, the bloc’s top parliamentarian said.

www.politico.eu/article/eu-p...

German police detain 2 men suspected of warship sabotage Lawmaker Roderich Kiesewetter tells POLITICO the attack “fit a Russian pattern of using targeted acts of sabotage against militarily relevant and critical infrastructure.”

German authorities today detained two men accused of attempting to disable German Navy vessels, amid a broader wave of suspected sabotage incidents across Europe since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Former prince discussed with Jeffrey Epstein ways to get round investment rules Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor shared official documents while serving as a UK trade envoy

FT exclusive

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor discussed ways round restrictions on his making investments while an official UK trade representative and shared official documents from the role with Jeffrey Epstein, files released by the US Department of Justice show

www.ft.com/content/6b2f...

POLITICO Pro: Trump announces long-awaited trade deal with India The U.S. will lower its duty on India from 25 percent to 18 percent as part of the agreement, the president said in a social media post.

The bromance is back: "Modi confirmed a trade deal that reduces tariffs on Indian imports to 18%. It creates 'immense opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation,' Modi said @politico.com Doug Palmer @arihawkins.bsky.social @ddesrochers.bsky.social subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026...

U.S. Will Cut Tariffs on India to 18% in Trade Deal, Trump Says President Trump said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to stop buying Russian oil and boost American purchases.

Trump says US will reduce his tariffs on India from 50% (25% Russian oil tariff + 25% reciprocal tariff) to 18%.

(NB: 18% is in line with Trump's tariffs on other countries in South Asia)

by Gavin Bade

Mandelson appeared to leak UK government plans to Epstein Then-Business Secretary Mandelson appears to passed on “interesting note” from inside government to the convicted sex offender.

Peter Mandelson appears to have given Jeffrey Epstein access to highly-sensitive British government policy discussions at the height of the global financial crisis, emails disclosed in the Epstein files show.

www.politico.eu/article/pete...