Tara Varma

INTERVIEW: Europe’s armies at ‘50% of what we need’, says defence commissioner - Euractiv The commissioner sat down with Euractiv to discuss EU defence policy priorities

Lots in this interview with EU Defense Commissioner Kubilius. Says EU spending on US weapons down from 60% to 40% of EU procurement. “If we manage to incentivise member states also to spend more on European products, it means less for American products, slowly.” www.euractiv.com/section/defe...

I, like many others, sincerely struggle to discern any (economic) China strategy from the Trump administration.

Some of his advisors are in the decoupling camp but US president Trump is, well, somewhere else. And mainly all over the place.

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An excellent update and deepening of prior statements and undertakings (Chequers déclarations, Lancaster House treaties)

Trump, l'engrenage autoritaire ? En mettant de côté les alliances internationales, et en affaiblissant le rôle des contre-pouvoirs aux États-Unis, Donald Trump mène une politique intérieure et extérieure qui met en lumière la force d...

Ravie d’être intervenue aujourd’hui dans les Matins de @franceculture.fr aux côtés de @fheisbourg.bsky.social et @astriddevillaines.bsky.social pour parler États-Unis, admin du Trump, OTAN et sécurité européenne :

Trump, l'engrenage autoritaire ?
www.radiofrance.fr/francecultur...

Beyond the NATO summit, key questions remain for European security | Brookings After the NATO summit, Europeans must understand that they are now responsible for defending Ukraine as well as themselves.

Now, that the NATO summit is over, Europeans must focus on unresolved key security issues I write for the @brookings.edu :
www.brookings.edu/articles/bey...

The end of the “imperial republic” and the future of the transatlantic alliance The end of the "imperial republic" might be lasting, transforming the transatlantic alliance; it could also be a moment in a cycle.

The end of the “imperial republic” and the future of the transatlantic alliance. My “Raymond Aron lecture” @brookings.edu is now available online as a paper. www.brookings.edu/articles/the...

lynnkuok.bsky.social

lynnkuok.bsky.social

On 10 June, I testified before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific at a hearing titled ‘Building Bridges, Countering Rivals: Strengthening U.S.–ASEAN Ties to Combat Chinese Influence’.
@houseforeign.bsky.social

Deux jours après, les 3 interventions de @hfayet.bsky.social dans l'émission de C dans l'air post 1ère attaque israélienne restent une bible : opérations de décapitation commdt aéroterrestre et défenses sol-air, opérations destruction prod balistique, opérations anti-nuc mais "de surface" seulement.

Merci, encore et toujours de ce soutien précieux 🙏🏽

Nouvel épisode de « Zone de turbulences » avec @alexjubelin.bsky.social où l’on évoque notamment le défilé militaire du jour.
À écouter ci-dessous:

J'allais dire que comme d'hab, on enregistre un épisode deux jours à l'avance et on se fait prendre en traître par l'actualité au Moyen-Orient, mais enfin l'épisode avec @taravarma.bsky.social se termine sur la mention de sénateurs qui ont peur pour leur personne, et depuis il s'est aussi passé ça.

NATO chief Mark Rutte warns Russia could use military force against alliance in five years In his Chatham House speech the Secretary General said he expects NATO states to commit to spend 5 per cent of GDP on defence, arguing ‘America has carried too much of the burden for too long’.

To add to my list. Mark Rutte says today in London: “Russia could be ready to use military force against NATO within five years”. 2030 is certainly at the lower end of the estimate for Russian force reconstitution- and depends on what scenario.
www.chathamhouse.org/2025/06/nato...

YouTube video by Brookings Institution The end of the Imperial Republic and the future of the trans-Atlantic alliance

« The end of the Imperial Republic and the future of the trans-Atlantic alliance », my @brookings.edu Raymond Aron lecture and the following conversation with @constelz.bsky.social Peter Rough and Mara Karlin is now available online. Special thanks to @taravarma.bsky.social youtu.be/74oUR7wsFFA

The Raymond Aron Lecture with @camillegrand.bsky.social starts at the @brookings.edu now:

www.brookings.edu/events/the-e...

Denmark quits the Frugal Four to focus on rearming Europe If Europe fails to rearm itself, "then it's game over", Mette Frederiksen said as she called for defence spending to be the "number one" priority.

If Europe fails to rearm itself, "then it's game over", Mette Frederiksen said as she called for defence spending to be the "number one" priority.

#EuropeNews

Macron says Asia & Europe joined in pursuit of strategic autonomy.

“We live the same challenge: revisionist countries to that want to impose … spheres of coercion, countries that want to control areas on the fringe of Europe to the archipelagos in the South China Sea”

Macron: “France is a friend and an ally of the [US], and is a friend—and we do cooperate, and if sometimes we disagree and compete with China…We don’t want to be instructed on a daily basis what is allowed & how our life will changed based on the decision of a single person”

Listening to Macron at IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. Criticises “double standards” & “equidistance between Russia & Ukraine” in LatAm, Africa, Asia. If Russia allowed to take territory what happens in Taiwan, Philippines? Also cites risk of “free pass” to Israel

Ursula von der Leyen proposes a "new form of Pax Europaea for the 21st century – one shaped and managed by Europe itself."

"It is time for Europe to rise up once again," she says. "Our next great era – our next great unifying project – must be building an independent Europe."

Sortie demain !

Trump’s Vision: One World, Three Powers?

NEW: Trump's recent actions and statements suggest he sees the world carved up among three powers — the US, Russia and China. It's a throwback to the 19th century, when empires established their "spheres of influence." Gift link to @nytimes.com story: www.nytimes.com/2025/05/26/u...

EU ministers approve the SAFE defence fund in Brussels this morning. Their communique mentions involving third countries and those with an SDP, including (specifically noted) the UK. Encouraging, and a big step forward from just months ago.

The end of the Imperial Republic and the future of the trans-Atlantic alliance On June 4, the Center on the United States and Europe at Brookings will host Camille Grand for the 20th annual Raymond Aron Lecture.

Join us @brookings.edu on June 4 for the 20th *Raymond Aron Lecture* where @camillegrand.bsky.social will be delivering a lecture on "The end of the Imperial Republic and the future of the trans-Atlantic alliance"
Send us your questions beforehand & register here:

www.brookings.edu/events/the-e...

Need a readout from the EU-UK summit? Look no further, two of the best minds - one on each side of the channel - have your back: 🇪🇺🇬🇧

Hungarian media, activists protest against crackdown on foreign-funded groups Dozens of news outlets, think tanks and rights groups published an open letter on Thursday protesting against planned legislation that they said is meant to silence criticism of the government.

Dozens of news outlets, think tanks and rights groups published an open letter protesting against planned legislation that they said is meant to silence criticism of the Hungarian government.

3.5% is a relatively easy win for the US, 5% might be harder... but looks increasingly like Europeans are going in this direction.

I just wonder whether the US will also actually walk the walk and not just pressure Europeans to do it.

NEW Secretary General Mark Rutte confirms that NATO leaders will issue a defense investment plan (not just a pledge) at next month’s summit in The Hague including both core defense capabilities & infrastructure/resilience.He didn’t confirm figures but they’re likely to be 3.5%+1.5%=5% of GDP by 2032

La France et la Pologne signent un traité de défense réciproque « qui tire les leçons de l’histoire » Les deux pays s’engagent, l’un envers l’autre, par une clause d’assistance mutuelle en cas d’agression armée sur leur territoire. Emmanuel Macron a précisé que cette disposition conviait « l’ensemble des composantes » militaires.

La France et la Pologne signent un traité de défense réciproque « qui tire les leçons de l’histoire »

We find ourselves in a unprecedented moment where France, Germany, Poland, and the UK are converging on defence and security : building a path for a geopolitical Europe 👇🏽

What could this week’s developments mean for both India and Pakistan – and does the conflict have an off-ramp? @pstaniland.bsky.social explained.