Timothy Garton Ash

👇 an elegant review essay by a scholar deeply familiar with both the Chinese & Russian settings of the two books—cc @fromtga.bsky.social & @leaypi.bsky.social

The polarising power of Andriy Yermak, Ukraine’s other wartime leader President Zelenskyy’s right-hand man is fuelling concerns over creeping authoritarianism

If you want to understand how Ukraine is governed today, read this superbly informative article about @AndriyYermak - by @christopherjm.ft.com of @FT www.ft.com/content/4d61...

El Reino Unido y Europa: no basta con ir tirando Por mucho que Starmer haya reiniciado la relación con el continente, a largo plazo la única opción es volver a la UE

"Ir tirando es casi una especialidad británica. Hace algunos años leí un artículo sobre Reino Unido en una revista alemana que hablaba de die Philosophie des Durchmuddelns. (Solo Alemania es capaz de convertir el “ir tirando” en una filosofía)..."
Por @fromtga.bsky.social
elpais.com/opinion/2025...

Good that Zelensky u-turning on this but he/@AndriyYermak
must see *Ukraine's strongest supporters won't stand for authoritarian protection of corruption*. Nor will Ukrainians. Protest photo thanks to @ol_ignatenko. @timothysnyder.bsky.social @mylovanov.bsky.social @mcfaulmike.bsky.social

Resetarea de succes a lui Starmer cu Europa: incoerență strategică profundă Descoperă incoerența care roade Marea Britanie și viziunea către o nouă direcție geopolitică. Articolul detaliază evoluțiile recente și provocările întâlnite,

So what's the Romanian for 'muddling through'…?
romanialibera.ro/la-zi/marea-...

Britain is muddling through... ... but with no idea where it's heading.

open.substack.com/pub/timothyg...

Britain is great at muddling through. But imagine if its leaders knew where they were heading | Timothy Garton Ash Starmer’s successful ‘reset’ with Europe highlights an underlying incoherence. The only rational long-term strategy is to rejoin the EU, says Guardian columnist Timothy Garton Ash

Britain is muddling through. Could do better if it knew where it wanted to go. My latest commentary:
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

I'm disappointed but not done with Putin, Trump tells BBC Trump says he trusts

Congratulations to Gary O'Donoghue @BBCBlindGazza
on a fascinating interview. I'm a great admirer altogether of your work, as well as how you have overcome an obstacle that would defeat most of us.

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

The teacher who fled Russia after refusing to tell pupils ‘Kremlin lies’ Natalya Taranushenko’s stance over the war in Ukraine led to a seven-year prison sentence in absentia, as Putin steps up propaganda efforts in schools

'one word of truth…'
www.thetimes.com/article/9fd2...

Тімоті Ґартон Еш: боротьба за майбутнє Європи | Український тиждень Європа переживає перші роки нової доби. Європейці стають свідками великої боротьби між двома Європами: ліберальною й антиліберальною, інтернаціоналістською й

tyzhden.ua/timoti-garto...

Well spotted…

The Israel-Gaza tragedy and Europe's responsibility Reflections on European double standards and German cognitive dissonance

I addressed precisely this point here:
timothygartonash.substack.com/p/the-israel...

In @financialtimes.com Weekend @fromtga.bsky.social writes a new chapter for #Homelands A personal history of #Europe 🇪🇺: The fight for #Europe’s future.

Fair enough… although see also Guardian membership model…

The fight for Europe’s future Timothy Garton Ash on the shocks that fuelled a populist challenge — and how the liberal centre could yet hold

Where is Europe in this Year 4 of a new historical era? Will liberal or anti-liberal Europe prevail? What will become of the Zeitenwende? We have until 2029 to shape the answers. My weekend essay for the @FT
@ftweekend (£, I'm afraid)

9 years ago today, a narrow majority of Brits voted for #Brexit. Even bigger than economic cost is that to Britain's soft power, international clout & sense of strategic direction.
How can you be a 'bridge' with no firm foundations on either the EU or (now) the US river bank?

There is only one warmonger on the European stage: Vladimir Putin | Letter Letter: Experts on Russia, Ukraine and international security respond to a letter that criticised Fiona Hill for her assessment of the Russian threat to Britain

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

The Special Relationship

Найкраще, що може статися з Росією – це повна поразка і окупація приблизно на 50 років – історик Тімоті Ґартон Еш Про майбутнє Європи, НАТО, України, свободи слова та важливість памʼяті в історичні часи ми поговорили з Тімоті Ґартоном Ешем у Львові на полях Lviv Media Forum 2025.

Practice your Ukrainian …https://www.pravda.com.ua/articles/2025/06/10/7516386/

The new German government: Challenges and priorities Friedrich Merz, the new German Chancellor, has come into office at a time of political uncertainty and economic stagnation. His coalition of CDU/CSU and SPD is a pragmatic one, but will it prove to b...

#Germany has a new government under Chancellor Friedrich #Merz. What are the challenges it faces, what its priorities?
I will present first insights at the ESC seminar at St Antony’s College @ox.ac.uk today at 5pm, with @fromtga.bsky.social as discussant.
All welcome!
talks.ox.ac.uk/talks/id/5d3...

In Oxford this afternoon? Do join us at the European Studies Centre...

The Israel-Gaza tragedy and Europe's responsibility Reflections on European double standards and German cognitive dissonance

A personal reflection on Europe's historical responsibility for and current deeply inadequate response to the Israel-Gaza tragedy:
open.substack.com/pub/timothyg...

Great to see @anandmenon.bsky.social and @fromtga.bsky.social on the @odi.global pod. This one will be essential listening!

4 June. A pivotal day in history. 4 June 1989: breakthrough semifree election in Poland & Tiananmen massacre in China . On 3 June 1989, western & eastern halves of communist world both saw chances for liberal or anti-liberal evolution. By 5 June 1989, they'd parted ways forever.

Best quote of what is to come:

" Every single move in Polish politics, from both the government and the president, will now be about positioning for that election. The most bad-tempered French ‘cohabitation’ of president and prime minister will look like a miracle of harmony by comparison."

Poland's new president is bad news for Europe A bitterly divided country will be hamstrung just when Europe needs it most

Poland will be politically hamstrung just when Europe most needs it to be strong. My first take on Poland's presidential election in my History of the Present Substack newsletter (subscribe – it's free!).
timothygartonash.substack.com/p/polands-ne...

A later poll points the other way, to a success for Nawrocki. So much hangs on this, but we must wait until the morning….

First Polish presidential election exit poll very tight (50.3 % to 49.7%) but so far looks as if @rafal-trzaskowski.bsky.social has just made it.
If confirmed, this will be a very positive development for Poland and Europe.

A Ucrania le espera una larga lucha En Kiev y Lviv los ucranios son tristemente realistas y nosotros también debemos serlo

"... es imprescindible que haya seguridad militar duradera, recuperación económica, estabilidad política y la integración en Europa de las aproximadamente 4/5 partes del territorio soberano ucranio que todavía controla Kiev. Eso significa años."
Por @fromtga.bsky.social
elpais.com/opinion/2025...

Ukraine: Realität des Krieges und der Suche nach Frieden Niemand will den Frieden mehr als die Menschen in der Ukraine. Doch ein gerechter „Deal“ ist nicht in Sicht. Deshalb muss das Land langfristige Widerstandskraft aufbauen – mit Hilfe aus Europa.

'Mit dem erfrischend nicht-scholzenden neuen deutschen Kanzler Friedrich Merz und dem etwas unerwarteten Churchillismus des britischen Premierministers Keir Starmer ist Europas Koalition der Willigen stark.' Mein Kommentar nach eine Woche in der Ukraine.
www.sueddeutsche.de/meinung/ukra...