Ukraine's Odesa. Fifth day without electricity and heating. Residents of the city continue to live without power and heat. The “Davaite” Foundation is providing assistance. You can support the fundraiser here:

'The evidence proves that the West's current strategy – arming Ukraine, imposing sanctions, hardening critical infrastructure – is fracturing Russia's military, economic and political cohesion' write William Dixon and Maksym Beznosiuk. https://t.co/Ab0WFjCOUg

Epstein was curious about linguistics, that's all.

Great conversation, for sure. But a future Ukraine as a pro-Russian voice in Brussels? Not sure. Maybe if they had let Yanukovych sign that EU association agreement back in November 2013. Much happened since.

nostalgia becomes reactionary when it takes on a sense of entitlement: this was taken from me, and I want it back. But you can never get it back! There is a strange self-infantalization happening, everyone wants to go back to being a child and it's awful

Sleigh the season with the most personal gift around. Get them a Cameo video!

Most of 🇪🇺 aid to Ukraine - eg the original €50bn 2024-7 Ukraine facility - has been financed in the same way, via headroom in the EU budget. So the common borrowing angle isn't new re this €90bn loan. The goal re reserves wasn't money (it was never in doubt) but geopolitical

Two themes: (1) de-risking away from the US despite (or because of) the framework agreement struck by Trump and VdL, and (2) EU threading fine line between rules (WTO, green standards) & pragmatism (trade is politicised/securitised).Worth a listen! More:

Great episode of @CSIS 's Eurofile podcast. Insightful conversation between @MalmstromEU & hosts @DonatienneRuy / @maxbergmann on the nature of EU geoeconomic power - esp. trade agreements w/ Mercosur (recent setback aside), India, Indonesia, CPTPP etc

Plus using enhanced cooperation sidelines the EU's pro-Putin lobby - veto threats have suddenly lost their potency

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Fourth recognition of Kosovo's independence this year. They have serious momentum. And Vučić just looks weaker and weaker.

1/ After months of research, a new paper with Mariya Levonova at @CarnegieEndow examines how the war is redistributing people, capital, infrastructure, and political influence across Ukraine—not only on the battlefield, but deep within its society and economy.

As far as I know, Hungary, Slovakia and Czechia got an opt out. So no long-term consequences for those three I guess.

If the decision to issue Eurobonds had been taken in, say, 2011-12, it would've been hailed as a leap forward to the EU becoming a consequential global player. But in 2025, commentators shrug off the EUR 90bn to Ukraine backed by joint borrowing as a sign of weakness and discord

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Not agreeing the loan backed by Russian assets sounds like a defeat for the EU. But the alternative funding method - Eurobonds - is better. It doesn’t carry legal risk; it’s easier to repeat; it keeps Ukraine solvent. And it shows that collective EU borrowing is here to stay

Ukraine gets $105 billion in funds it doesn’t have to repay, Russian assets remain frozen indefinitely, the EU finds ways of sidelining the Orban club. All in all, not something the Kremlin should be celebrating.

Silver lining to the EU saga over raising money for Ukraine and the Belgian debacle: common fiscal policy gets a boost with eurobonds. Was an anathema a decade ago, but COVID changed that. Now the war. Charles Tilly once said war makes states, not the other way round.

Even the most elegantly planned strategic policy-making usually becomes just an obscure footnote if it doesn't find a way through at the end. The EU gets ad hoc results that then over time evolve into a wider integration strategy.

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russia saying the west is a bunch of degenerates but still sending all the elite's children to live and study there remind me of the magas who despise multiculturalism but love their tacos and pho; enjoying the fruits of liberal society while railing against its existence

20% of Russians would welcome troop withdrawal from Ukraine, prioritize social spending over military, and do not express clear support for the «special military operation» (i.e. say they do not support it, don’t know, or refuse to answer) @RiddleRussia https://t.co/TpcrG77sDh

Periodically, they flash up on screen the main themes raised by callers, by region. The more common topics seem to be: - Pensions - Health care - Transport - Family and Kids In other words, grumbles about state not delivering what meant to deliver...