[Scholz and other European leaders] “clinging to an outdated paradigm will not impress Putin, Xi or Trump, freed from the yoke of the old international order.” https://t.co/dKjwvXcZFq via @ft”
President Biden has moved from something that sounded like:
I'm determined to fight the existential threat of the climate emergency
To instead something that sounds a lot more like:
I'm determined that America dominates the industry built to stop climate change
#Priorities
A few thoughts on the 3 key Russian government changes.
1. Patrushev is as dumb as they come, believing every conspiracy theory. His sacking suggests that Putin wants some reality (which I had not expected).
One ironic consequence of the intensive coverage of campus protests about Gaza is that it seems to have crowded out coverage of what is actually happening in Gaza itself. All sides in the west much more comfortable when the story is mainly about us
I’ve never seen this clip, from a few years ago. The best articulation of simple geopolitical reality I’ve seen in a long time. Even a simpleton could understand it, if only they’d listen.
God I miss grown up, well-read, pragmatic and convincing leaders.
The fact that 🇷🇺 will receive 28% less for its gas in 🇨🇳 than in Europe, but still seeks to expand gas sales to China, illustrates a dilemma Moscow faces in economic relations with Beijing. Simply put: amid war in 🇺🇦, there is no alternative to dependency on China. 🧵1/14
Maksim Samorukov: “It is not the gravity of Russia’s problems but how the Kremlin deals with them that has positioned the regime permanently on the brink of collapse.” https://t.co/KyCUHAGPJ1
“Putin’s inflexibility and obduracy have been strengthened by his many years spent surrounded by toadies and yes men. Shielded from negative feedback and objective counsel, he is susceptible to tunnel vision, muddled priorities, and emotional outbursts…” https://t.co/KyCUHAGPJ1
Now more than ever, the Kremlin makes decisions in a personalized and arbitrary way that lacks even basic quality controls…The political elite have grown more pliant in implementing Putin’s orders and more obsequious in pandering to his paranoid worldview https://t.co/KyCUHAGPJ1
🚨🗣️ Jamie Carragher: “I think that result today has just cost a Manchester United manager his job. I don't see how Erik ten Hag stays. It's just performance after performance. I would imagine that is probably the most embarrassing dressing room of a team that has just won a big game.” [Sky Sports]
Unfortunately, very hard to disagree.
#MUFC
It's rare to see such a well-written piece to end up with such disappointing inferences from its own analysis. Kotkin is very knowledgeable of Russian history, and the five potential futures he outlines all make sense. But then...
1/10
https://t.co/DM6GRA769E
Simone Taglipietra: Europe is about to face a sort of impossible triangle. On the one hand, we want to accelerate the green transition and be competitive while doing that, on the other hand, we want to ramp up defense spending and be fiscally conservative. https://t.co/sPlAwqZuTh
Today, so-called industrial policy and protectionism are partially closing the country not just to rivals but also to U.S. allies, partners, friends, and potential friends. American policy has come to resemble China’s—right when the latter has hit a wall. https://t.co/DREE0UQ7KP
“Russia’s foreign policy delivers at best tactical gains, not strategic ones: no enhanced human capital, no assured access to leading-edge technology, no inward investment and new infrastructure, no improved governance,” and no willing treaty allies. https://t.co/DREE0UQ7KP
“Putin’s regime wields the threat of chaos and the unknown to ward off internal challenges and change. But while keenly sowing chaos abroad, from eastern Europe to central Africa and the Middle East, Russia itself could fall victim to it.” https://t.co/DREE0UQ7KP
“Russia could become something of a gigantic North Korea: domestically repressive, internationally isolated and transgressive, armed with nuclear weapons, and abjectly dependent on China but still able to buck Beijing.” https://t.co/DREE0UQ7KP
Analysts speak of Russia as China’s vassal.
“A shared commitment to render the world order safe for their respective dictatorships and dominate their regions is driving a de facto vassalage that neither fancies.” https://t.co/DREE0UQ7KP