Anders Östlund
@andersostlund.bsky.social
Pinned
Anders Östlund
@andersostlund.bsky.social
· Nov 15
The Russo-Ukrainian war started at 4.30 AM on February 27th 2014 when Russian troops took control of the Crimean Parliament building in Simferopol. The invasion of Crimea was followed by the invasion of Donbass in March 2014. The war has been going on ever since.
Reposted by Anders Östlund
A few reflections on the US in the darkness of Trump:
1. The US is unable to defend any values.
2. The US lacks all checks & balances.
3. The US establishment is cowardly & ineffective.
Shut up about the free & brave!
They are elsewhere, in Ukraine for example.
1. The US is unable to defend any values.
2. The US lacks all checks & balances.
3. The US establishment is cowardly & ineffective.
Shut up about the free & brave!
They are elsewhere, in Ukraine for example.
January 17, 2026 at 9:33 PM
A few reflections on the US in the darkness of Trump:
1. The US is unable to defend any values.
2. The US lacks all checks & balances.
3. The US establishment is cowardly & ineffective.
Shut up about the free & brave!
They are elsewhere, in Ukraine for example.
1. The US is unable to defend any values.
2. The US lacks all checks & balances.
3. The US establishment is cowardly & ineffective.
Shut up about the free & brave!
They are elsewhere, in Ukraine for example.
In Ukraine people protested, lost everything, were tortured, imprisoned and died. In Belarus people protested, lost everything, were tortured, imprisoned and died. In Iran people protested, lost everything, were tortured, imprisoned and died.
It's about priorities.
It's about priorities.
January 17, 2026 at 9:34 PM
In Ukraine people protested, lost everything, were tortured, imprisoned and died. In Belarus people protested, lost everything, were tortured, imprisoned and died. In Iran people protested, lost everything, were tortured, imprisoned and died.
It's about priorities.
It's about priorities.
Obviously Europe should stop buying any American weapons as soon as possible, if not needed for Ukraine.
Additional cancel all orders of F35 immediately.
They don't help if they can be blocked on the ground.
They don't help if they can be blocked on the ground.
January 17, 2026 at 9:32 PM
Obviously Europe should stop buying any American weapons as soon as possible, if not needed for Ukraine.
Europe should share its escalation plan tomorrow.
Tariffs on US goods, taxes on tech companies, dumping US stocks, currency and treasuries. That's the order of escalation. That should set US markets in motion on Monday and maybe get some sane Americans to call their senators and congressmen.
Tariffs on US goods, taxes on tech companies, dumping US stocks, currency and treasuries. That's the order of escalation. That should set US markets in motion on Monday and maybe get some sane Americans to call their senators and congressmen.
January 17, 2026 at 9:05 PM
Europe should share its escalation plan tomorrow.
Tariffs on US goods, taxes on tech companies, dumping US stocks, currency and treasuries. That's the order of escalation. That should set US markets in motion on Monday and maybe get some sane Americans to call their senators and congressmen.
Tariffs on US goods, taxes on tech companies, dumping US stocks, currency and treasuries. That's the order of escalation. That should set US markets in motion on Monday and maybe get some sane Americans to call their senators and congressmen.
Reposted by Anders Östlund
The only way to stop the spiral is to hit the US hard with escalating economic weapons from Europes side.
The goal is to raise political costs for Trumps imperial project. Europe can win this game of chicken as there’s real opposition in the US to this Trump hobby.
The goal is to raise political costs for Trumps imperial project. Europe can win this game of chicken as there’s real opposition in the US to this Trump hobby.
Tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral. Europe will remain united, coordinated, and committed to upholding its sovereignty.
January 17, 2026 at 8:20 PM
The only way to stop the spiral is to hit the US hard with escalating economic weapons from Europes side.
The goal is to raise political costs for Trumps imperial project. Europe can win this game of chicken as there’s real opposition in the US to this Trump hobby.
The goal is to raise political costs for Trumps imperial project. Europe can win this game of chicken as there’s real opposition in the US to this Trump hobby.
Please inform me again when there is some action and not just talk.
January 17, 2026 at 8:52 PM
Please inform me again when there is some action and not just talk.
Reposted by Anders Östlund
White House decision-makers seem to see Europe in the same way Russia does: as weak, corrupted, and easy to coerce. They are going to keep pushing because they think they can, until they find they can't. They are not going to turn the US back into an ally of the rest of NATO.
January 17, 2026 at 7:57 PM
White House decision-makers seem to see Europe in the same way Russia does: as weak, corrupted, and easy to coerce. They are going to keep pushing because they think they can, until they find they can't. They are not going to turn the US back into an ally of the rest of NATO.
Reposted by Anders Östlund
1-6
My hot take on Trump's tariffs against European countries:
1: they constitute economic aggression in order to acquire territory. Europeans will remember this for decades to come. They mean very serious damage to the transatlantic bond on all time horizons.
My hot take on Trump's tariffs against European countries:
1: they constitute economic aggression in order to acquire territory. Europeans will remember this for decades to come. They mean very serious damage to the transatlantic bond on all time horizons.
January 17, 2026 at 8:01 PM
1-6
My hot take on Trump's tariffs against European countries:
1: they constitute economic aggression in order to acquire territory. Europeans will remember this for decades to come. They mean very serious damage to the transatlantic bond on all time horizons.
My hot take on Trump's tariffs against European countries:
1: they constitute economic aggression in order to acquire territory. Europeans will remember this for decades to come. They mean very serious damage to the transatlantic bond on all time horizons.
If Trump is not stopped now we will have another Hitler-Putin on our hands. Maybe finally time to learn something from history. And since Americans seems to be totally unwilling to do anything to stop him it will be up to Europeans.
January 17, 2026 at 8:31 PM
If Trump is not stopped now we will have another Hitler-Putin on our hands. Maybe finally time to learn something from history. And since Americans seems to be totally unwilling to do anything to stop him it will be up to Europeans.
Since the American institutions meant to provide checks and balances seem to have folded to MAGA there is only street protests left. Better get out now when there is still a slim chance to succeed without violence. It becomes harder with time.
January 17, 2026 at 8:27 PM
Since the American institutions meant to provide checks and balances seem to have folded to MAGA there is only street protests left. Better get out now when there is still a slim chance to succeed without violence. It becomes harder with time.
Americans, you own this mess. Fix it!
Again, I’m going to keep banging the drum that the fact we are threatening the territorial sovereignty of our closest allies is not only a gross violation of our UN & NATO treaty obligations & poses a massive threat to national security & world order but also should immediately end this presidency.
French troops deploying to Greenland because the United States might try to take it over.
Today in 2026 sentences.
Today in 2026 sentences.
January 17, 2026 at 4:05 PM
Americans, you own this mess. Fix it!
Reposted by Anders Östlund
Again, I’m going to keep banging the drum that the fact we are threatening the territorial sovereignty of our closest allies is not only a gross violation of our UN & NATO treaty obligations & poses a massive threat to national security & world order but also should immediately end this presidency.
French troops deploying to Greenland because the United States might try to take it over.
Today in 2026 sentences.
Today in 2026 sentences.
❗️An initial group of 🇫🇷French mountain troops has arrived in 🇬🇱Greenland to prepare for the reception and deployment of the main contingent. French authorities have stated that additional land, aviation, and naval units will be dispatched in the coming days.
January 17, 2026 at 3:48 PM
Again, I’m going to keep banging the drum that the fact we are threatening the territorial sovereignty of our closest allies is not only a gross violation of our UN & NATO treaty obligations & poses a massive threat to national security & world order but also should immediately end this presidency.
Reposted by Anders Östlund
Bouie is right that Trump neither has state capacity or strategic skill to stop the mid-term elections. But there is a pretty high risk of a potentially violent confrontation between legislative and executive branches of the US system if Trump claims fraud after mid-terms
bsky.app/profile/jame...
bsky.app/profile/jame...
posted a video on the “canceled election” stuff on my youtube and it is unbelievable how many people on the ostensible left believe that trump is an all-powerful god king whose words shape reality. “buh buh but what if he says the election is fraud?” okay. he says the election is fraud. and?
January 17, 2026 at 3:52 PM
Bouie is right that Trump neither has state capacity or strategic skill to stop the mid-term elections. But there is a pretty high risk of a potentially violent confrontation between legislative and executive branches of the US system if Trump claims fraud after mid-terms
bsky.app/profile/jame...
bsky.app/profile/jame...
Armed resistance and liberation is the way to go for Iranians now. Unfortunately they need to kill as many oppressors as they can until they have control over the country.
January 17, 2026 at 1:03 PM
Armed resistance and liberation is the way to go for Iranians now. Unfortunately they need to kill as many oppressors as they can until they have control over the country.
Now that U.S. foreign policy is for sale to the highest bidder it might be time for the EU to transfer a few billions to get action on its agenda in Washington.
January 17, 2026 at 11:31 AM
Now that U.S. foreign policy is for sale to the highest bidder it might be time for the EU to transfer a few billions to get action on its agenda in Washington.
I wouldn't be surprised if the Trump family now gets a cut from Iranian oil sales in return for not attacking. Trump couldn't care less about the fate of the Iranian people.
January 17, 2026 at 6:30 AM
I wouldn't be surprised if the Trump family now gets a cut from Iranian oil sales in return for not attacking. Trump couldn't care less about the fate of the Iranian people.
Deep inside western leaders never like that Ukraine had the audacity to stand up for independence. All they want is the war to end so they can go back to business as usual. What happens to Ukraine and the millions of Ukrainians who will suffer harsh Russian occupation is less interesting.
But what we should take away from this is that BOTH the United States AND European nations are ENABLING Russian aggression and genocide of Ukrainians. This is undeniable. And these same people, as they coerce Ukraine to surrender to Russia, tell Ukraine "there is no choice".
January 17, 2026 at 6:07 AM
Deep inside western leaders never like that Ukraine had the audacity to stand up for independence. All they want is the war to end so they can go back to business as usual. What happens to Ukraine and the millions of Ukrainians who will suffer harsh Russian occupation is less interesting.
I wouldn't be surprised if the Iranian Islamic regime and the Russians bribed Trump personally to refrain from attacking Iran. Who knows what off-shore accounts the Trump family has.
January 16, 2026 at 7:36 PM
I wouldn't be surprised if the Iranian Islamic regime and the Russians bribed Trump personally to refrain from attacking Iran. Who knows what off-shore accounts the Trump family has.
Probably. So invading an ally would not lead to the ouster of an American president with certainty?
"And on the weird chance he's serious about invading Greenland, I want to let him know it will probably be the end of his presidency."
"And on the weird chance he's serious about invading Greenland, I want to let him know it will probably be the end of his presidency."
Rep. Bacon on Trump's aggression toward Greenland: "I feel like it's incumbent on folks like me to step up and say these threats and bullying of an ally are wrong. And on the weird chance he's serious about invading Greenland, I want to let him know it will probably be the end of his presidency."
January 16, 2026 at 7:04 PM
Probably. So invading an ally would not lead to the ouster of an American president with certainty?
"And on the weird chance he's serious about invading Greenland, I want to let him know it will probably be the end of his presidency."
"And on the weird chance he's serious about invading Greenland, I want to let him know it will probably be the end of his presidency."
Is a system of government okay if it lets somebody like Trump stay in charge?
January 16, 2026 at 6:58 PM
Is a system of government okay if it lets somebody like Trump stay in charge?
Neutral, took in too few jews. Did absolutely not yell at the U.S. Supported Finland a great deal against the USSR.
January 16, 2026 at 4:06 PM
Neutral, took in too few jews. Did absolutely not yell at the U.S. Supported Finland a great deal against the USSR.
Nice level. The U.S. wouldn't even exist if France hadn't supported Washington. Keep that in mind next time you want to debate.
January 16, 2026 at 3:46 PM
Nice level. The U.S. wouldn't even exist if France hadn't supported Washington. Keep that in mind next time you want to debate.
You are a good man, thinking in a good way. If all people were like you we would do better.
January 16, 2026 at 3:09 PM
You are a good man, thinking in a good way. If all people were like you we would do better.
As for demonstrations. Good you do it but the job isn't done until your government stop threatening others. In Iran almost 2M people hit the streets. That means some 6M Americans needs to get out to protest. You are far from that.
January 16, 2026 at 2:54 PM
As for demonstrations. Good you do it but the job isn't done until your government stop threatening others. In Iran almost 2M people hit the streets. That means some 6M Americans needs to get out to protest. You are far from that.
Please don't feed me MAGA propaganda. The U.S. fought WWII because it was in its interest. After the war the U.S. had primary access to both a huge consumer market and to resources from countries that would help the U.S. defend its interests across the globe.
January 16, 2026 at 2:54 PM
Please don't feed me MAGA propaganda. The U.S. fought WWII because it was in its interest. After the war the U.S. had primary access to both a huge consumer market and to resources from countries that would help the U.S. defend its interests across the globe.