Thor Erik Skarpen

Fun fact: export taxes are actually forbidden by the US constitution

🇺🇦‼️ The Nordic-Baltic G8 countries have issued a statement warning against peace talks with Russia without taking into account Ukraine's position and Europe's security.

NB: This time around, Europe didn’t even demand a seat at the table because no one takes this seriously enough or thinks that this will change the game fundamentally.

Also no appetite to sit next to Trump and look dumb when he gets played by Putin

‘Earned on the battlefield’?
You sorry ignorant son of a b***h!

Ikke stem taktisk! Tiden er inne for min faste provokasjon: Det er ikke din stemme som vil avgjøre valget. Ikke denne gangen heller.

Vurderer du å stemme "taktisk" i år? Her argumenterer jeg for en mye enklere løsning: Stem på det partiet du er mest enig med. snoen.substack.com/p/ikke-stem-...

Russian state media says that agreeing to meet with Trump in Alaska (which they call “Russian America”) is Putin’s goodwill gesture. In reality, the US president welcoming a genocidal authoritarian is an unwarranted freebie and encourages future attacks and invasions.

Have agreed to meet Donald for his first 1-1 employee review of 2025.

Like firing the weather man if you don’t like the weather

Good article.

I have been banging on about this for years. The GDP targets are utterly arbitrary, and have very little relevance to actual capability or effect. Especially considering how inefficient and wasteful most European (inc. UK) defence spending is.

Mirroring his own personality. No talent. Ruins what was once great

Nordic Solidarity on the Northen Flank With persisting uncertainty about future US role and commitment to NATO, Europeans are ramping up their presence in the northern part of the Alliance.

Apart from Nordic solidarity, also note France's 🇫🇷 growng attention for the Artic.

France has recently strategically reoriented towards Northen Europe & increased its presence significantly in the new NATO members 🇫🇮 🇸🇪

Great views from @alanderminna.bsky.social

open.substack.com/pub/minnalan...

ISW: Russia is “burning the candle at both ends”—bankers quietly brace for bailouts Russia’s top financial execs reportedly fear a growing debt crisis despite Central Bank claims of stability.

Russia is burning the candle at both ends. 💸 Military payouts are exploding. Bankers fear bailouts. And Putin still pretends it’s fine. Here’s how ISW says the Kremlin is collapsing its own economy.

euromaidanpress.com/2025/07/18/i...

EU lowers the Russian oil price cap despite US not doing same, sanctions Chinese banks dealing with Russia despite Chinese warnings.

Geopolitical Commission in action.

Russian drone strikes car of Kherson chief rabbi The Russian troops attacked the car of Kherson’s chief rabbi, Yosef Wolf, using an FPV drone, Ukraine's chief rabbi, Moshe Reuven Azman, wrote on Facebook late on July 17.

Russian drone attacks the car of the Kherson rabbi
english.nv.ua/nation/russi...

Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania agreed to establish a Historians’ Forum to deprive Moscow of the opportunity to manipulate history

The forum is a response to Russia’s attempts to fuel tensions between the countries amid its war against Ukraine
euromaidanpress.com/2025/07/17/u...

That’s what it’s about for him. STOP him. Syria’s rebirth doing well, Netanyahu is not

At least 93 Gazans killed in past day, local health ministry says ***

curious headline: "Netanyahu's testimony in his corruption trial cut short due to Syria clashes"
www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...

Trump has not guaranteed that he will put sanctions on Russia in 50 days, he has offered Putin protection against additional sanctions for 50 days. And he can always extend beyond that.

👀🇩🇪 Merz: "In the coming years, we will take on a leading role in strengthening NATO's European pillar. Our government, by deploying additional financial resources, will do everything to make the Bundeswehr the most powerful army in the EU, as our allies rightly expect of us."

This is happening because we - Australia, America, Europe and others, politicians and citizens - do not want to do what needs to be done to stop it. We are unwilling risk our lives or too much treasure to help #Ukraine resist Putin now. 1/2

Huge signal. Well done

Ukraine just pulled off the first confirmed robotic capture of a fortified Russian position — and took POWs.

No infantry, no gunfire. Just drones. Watch and read what the drone team said:
euromaidanpress.com/2025/07/09/f...

Finally figuring it out…

IN PARIS with my whole entourage: travel coordinator, driver, security manager, photographer, advisor and mental support. | Nicolai Tangen IN PARIS with my whole entourage: travel coordinator, driver, security manager, photographer, advisor and mental support. All in one! Grete Borchgrevink Starheim | 91 comments on LinkedIn

Hopeful that Oslo are «bonding» with Paris. Financing European security:

www.linkedin.com/posts/nicola...

Money: Chief of Norway’s vast oil fund is now in Paris, after Macron paid him a visit two weeks ago. Will Norway buy french bonds, bonding with European rearmament?

Inside Trump's Patriot missile plans for Ukraine "Getting a Patriot missile isn't like going to Walmart and picking 10 off the shelf and going home," one Trump adviser told Axios.

So Trump snatched 30 Patriot missiles away from Ukraine at the last minute--and is now agreeing to hand over 10. Its a strategy of death by little cuts for Ukraine. It’s a derisory move, meant to appease pro Ukraine voices in the GOP. www.axios.com/2025/07/08/t...

Three men found guilty of Wagner-linked arson attack on London warehouse Attack targeted warehouse units of a company shipping humanitarian aid to Ukraine

Three men found guilty of Wagner-linked arson attack on London warehouse https://on.ft.com/44BDbJ8

😆😆😆

Sure, Japan selled off US bonds the last time he threatened with tarrifs. He chickened.

NATO’s New Defence Spending Pledge Is a Distraction ...from what really matters: capability development. Minna Ålander argues in the Europe Dispatch that the new NATO defence spending pledge is unhelpful.

Hi All, Latest Europe Dispatch by @alanderminna.bsky.social is out. She, once again, moves the focus back to what European states are doing--and tried to inject a little optimism into the discussion. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...