Tim Ross

Okay then

Google AI still going well. Happy Friday everyone

Happy Friday everyone (except Google AI obviously)

Israel wants peace (with Brussels) Presented by PPC By TIM ROSS with ZOYA SHEFTALOVICH PRESENTED BY Send tips here | Tweet @NicholasVinocur @swheaton | Listen to Playbook and view in your browser GOOD MORNING. It’s Wednesday and I’m…

After Ursula von der Leyen calls Israel’s Gaza operation “abhorrent”, the Israeli ambassador to the E.U. tells me Brussels should stop wielding the “stick” if it wants to be “a player” in the Middle East. Interview in Playbook here:

www.politico.eu/newsletter/b...

18 hours in the making of a president: Inside Nicușor Dan’s election win Romania’s new leader told POLITICO how he will approach international affairs and what he will do to rebuild trust in a democracy battered by corruption, economic strife and Russian meddling.

What did Nicușor Dan’s 9-year old daughter tell him when he said he would run for President of Romania? find out in this @politico.com portrait of the common sense candidate who bucked the trend of populism. @timross1.bsky.social @andreipopoviciu.bsky.social

www.politico.eu/article/nicu...

For Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Victory Day and Europe Day provide a joint lesson for the Age of Trump: Europeans must join forces so they can stand up for themselves.

Today's Brussels Playbook has more: ow.ly/E5J750VP14o

This seagull will be the first living creature to know there's a new Pope outside of the Conclave.

The Romanian mathematician trying to stop Putin and Trump wrecking the West Elon Musk and JD Vance don’t know enough to judge the country’s election crisis, and Trump should be tougher on Putin, says Bucharest Mayor and presidential candidate Nicușor Dan.

Why Romania really matters, and one man’s mission to save it from the cynicism that Putin exploits. Interview with Bucharest mayor and presidential candidate Nicusor Dan. By @andreipopoviciu.bsky.social and me

www.politico.eu/article/roma...

29 times Donald Trump did what Putin wanted Whose side is he on? It’s hard to keep up, so here’s a handy guide to America’s new policy of close alignment with the Kremlin.

There was this one as well, which could do with an update, though the tally might now be too high to count.

www.politico.eu/article/dona...

No problem!
Strange how many media outlets still struggle to see the point, despite lots of evidence.

Trump’s America is Putin’s ally now Europe and Ukraine are learning how little the U.S. cares, as the new president aligns himself with their greatest enemy.

This piece made the point in almost exactly those words: www.politico.eu/article/dona...

UK-EU defense pact really does depend on fish, European minister warns Countries including France are said to want to tie a new post-Brexit security deal to more beneficial access to British waters, potentially holding up military cooperation.

The brilliant @timross1.bsky.social has an interview with Sweden's Europe minister on how fish and security interact

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

Ukraine’s phony peace has begun. Only Trump still believes it’s real. Donald Trump’s talks with Vladimir Putin have paralyzed Ukraine’s allies in Europe. Nobody is ready for peace.

Trump keeps calm as Putin carries on: Ukraine is trapped in a phoney peace (and the EU is stuck too).

www.politico.eu/article/ukra...

Putin plays for time, dazzling Trump with talk of glory days ahead Russia is delaying a full ceasefire in Ukraine. But that didn’t stop Trump and Putin planning hockey matches for the future.

ANALYSIS: It was the least he could get away with.

After a phone call with Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin gave the smallest possible concession to easing Russia’s war against Ukraine with a promise to swap some prisoners and stop attacking power plants and other “infrastructure” for 30 days.

How Starmer saved Ukraine’s ceasefire as Trump and Zelenskyy raged The U.K. prime minister and his top security adviser worked intensively to rescue the broken relationship between Kyiv and Washington, drafting a truce plan that might one day pave the way for peac…

Starmer is a “diplomatic power player,” one US source says. Here’s the story of how Britain’s PM and his NSA Jonathan Powell saved the ceasefire and overcame Trump and Zelenskyy’s feud.

www.politico.eu/article/keir...

‘Free world needs a new leader’: Europe defends Zelenskyy after Trump attack France, Germany and Poland all make prompt declarations of support, as Europe fears Trump’s alignment with Putin.

🚨 BREAKING: European leaders rallied to defend Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance subjected him to a tirade of withering and infantilizing abuse in the Oval Office.

Full story:

Trump’s America is Putin’s ally now Europe and Ukraine are learning how little the U.S. cares, as the new president aligns himself with their greatest enemy.

If Trump can go from being Starmer’s buddy to Zelenskyy’s enemy in 24 hours, how reliable would any security “guarantee” from this US administration ever be?
Today’s Oval Office beating isn’t a surprise. It was clear enough where things stood 10 days ago: www.politico.eu/article/dona...

Macron’s told-you-so moment Trump vindicated the French president on self-reliant defense. But with Putin looming, the hard work starts now for Europe.

Trump vindicated long-standing French warnings — dating back to the legendary Charles de Gaulle — about the risks and strings attached to US dominance.

@laukaya.bsky.social & I take you back to WWII, Suez and more.

Macron's I told you so moment

www.politico.eu/article/emma...

Starmer to walk Trump tightrope Sky News’ deputy political editor Sam Coates and Politico’s Tim Ross have their guide to the day ahead in British politics. Keir Starmer is in Washington today to meet Donald Trump to d…

Fun to join @samcoatessky.bsky.social this morning on the Politics at Jack and Sam’s podcast, filling in for Anne. Obvious big talking point today is Starmer in the US, even if American media (ahem) don’t much care, as Sam brutally revealed… www.politico.eu/podcast/poli...

We are all Emmanuel Macron

German election: Will the far-right AfD break through the firewall and take power? With international politics in flux, three leading historians give their views on the most consequential election in a generation for Europe’s most powerful country.

The rise of the AfD over the past decade has triggered deep soul-searching in the political establishment in a country still wracked with guilt over its Nazi past.

Could German history repeat itself?

Here is what three leading historians had to say 👇

Europe targets homegrown nuclear deterrent as Trump sides with Putin Germany’s Merz says Britain and France may need to “share” their nuclear weapons as America can’t be relied on to defend NATO.

Does Europe need its own nukes, because Trump is so flaky on NATO? Politicians in Germany, France and the U.K. are interested in expanding their nuclear cooperation.
Latest on the Trumpnado: www.politico.eu/article/euro...

Trump’s America is Putin’s ally now Europe and Ukraine are learning how little the U.S. cares, as the new president aligns himself with their greatest enemy.

The Cold War never felt more like history

www.politico.eu/article/dona...

Ukraine balks at signing Trump deal to hand over its mineral wealth The U.S. and Ukraine are back-and-forthing on a deal to exploit Kyiv’s rare earths in return for Washington’s support.

Trump likes to make deals. But like Putin, he’s finding Ukraine to be tougher opponents than maybe he expected. Great story here by my Politico colleagues at Munich Security Conference

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

Romania’s pro-Europeans fear Putin is pushing them back to dictatorship Far-right NATO-skeptic Calin Georgescu is on track to win the Romanian presidency, thanks to a Russia-influenced campaign.

NEW STORY: Big street demo in Bucharest amid fears that Romania’s presidential election could see an EU and NATO member slip back towards dictatorship... Thanks to a massive interference op by Russia, the U.S. says.

www.politico.eu/article/buch...

Bucharest tonight. Big pro-European rally, “Romania Hopes”. Thousands have turned out in the cold in University Square, with EU & Romanian flags. A lot is riding on Sunday’s 2nd round presidential election, with far-right EU & NATO critic Calin Georgescu the favourite to win.

The Ukraine war could be over in 7 weeks.
My latest here for POLITICO on how Trump 2 is focusing minds on both sides and why that could get dangerous.

www.politico.eu/article/seve...

Thank you very much Tim! So glad you liked it

Congratulations to @timross1.bsky.social and @rewearmouth.bsky.social Just finished reading this from cover to cover. I've trawled through a lot of election books in my time (and have even contributed to a few myself). This was one of the best, I thought - hence all my little stickies!

Inside Keir Starmer’s election night whirlwind From Waheed Alli’s sofa to the Cabinet Room inside No. 10: a new book details the tumultuous 24 hours that propelled the Labour leader into power.

‘Inside Keir Starmer’s election night whirlwind’

More from our book Landslide in Politico this morning

www.politico.eu/article/keir...