Henning Hoff
@henninghoff.bsky.social
Executive editor INTERNATIONALE POLITIK QUARTERLY @ipq.bsky.social / Editor-at-Large @internationalepolitik.de, published by the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP); International Fellow @congeostrategy.bsky.social; lapsed Londoner.
Pinned
Henning Hoff
@henninghoff.bsky.social
· Oct 21
It was a great pleasure hosting yesterday‘s Special @ipq.bsky.social Debate on “Defending Europe‘s Economic Security“ with @luukvmiddelaar.bsky.social as the keynote speaker and a stellar panel of Oliver Rentschler (AA), Katharina Neckel (DIHK) & Filip Medunic (DGAP). (Pictures by Tim Hofmann)
Reposted by Henning Hoff
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
German foreign minister @aussenminister.diplo.de Johann Wadephul opens #BerlinForum & calls deterrence of Russia one of his priorities: “Russia wants to have the option of waging war against NATO by 2029”
November 25, 2025 at 9:01 AM
German foreign minister @aussenminister.diplo.de Johann Wadephul opens #BerlinForum & calls deterrence of Russia one of his priorities: “Russia wants to have the option of waging war against NATO by 2029”
Reposted by Henning Hoff
Rubio told senators that the so-called Ukraine peace plan, which reads like a list of Russian demands. was actually given to the Trump team by Moscow, according to a Republican senator. Now Rubio's denying it and insisting it really is a US plan. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/u...
Rubio Insists U.S. Authored the Ukraine Peace Plan
www.nytimes.com
November 23, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Rubio told senators that the so-called Ukraine peace plan, which reads like a list of Russian demands. was actually given to the Trump team by Moscow, according to a Republican senator. Now Rubio's denying it and insisting it really is a US plan. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/u...
DOGE is gone. So it was only a Trumpian gimmick after all, costing potentially hundreds of thousands of lives around the world and destroying US soft power.
Exclusive: DOGE 'doesn't exist' with eight months left on its charter reut.rs/4abeTdx
Exclusive: DOGE 'doesn't exist' with eight months left on its charter
The Department of Government Efficiency claimed to have slashed tens of billions of dollars in expenditures, but it was impossible for outside financial experts to verify that because the unit did not provide detailed public accounting of its work.
reut.rs
November 23, 2025 at 2:41 PM
DOGE is gone. So it was only a Trumpian gimmick after all, costing potentially hundreds of thousands of lives around the world and destroying US soft power.
Reposted by Henning Hoff
New: @koerber-ip.bsky.social's Nora Müller explores how architecture is used for (geo)political purposes today—from autocratic countries’ preference for gigantic projects at home and abroad, to democracies’ focus on transparency, citizen participation, and openness.
ip-quarterly.com/en/power-hou...
ip-quarterly.com/en/power-hou...
Power Houses
Architecture has always been an expression of how countries see themselves. Autocratic countries focus on gigantic projects at home and abroad, while democracies question their architectural styles.
ip-quarterly.com
November 20, 2025 at 4:17 PM
New: @koerber-ip.bsky.social's Nora Müller explores how architecture is used for (geo)political purposes today—from autocratic countries’ preference for gigantic projects at home and abroad, to democracies’ focus on transparency, citizen participation, and openness.
ip-quarterly.com/en/power-hou...
ip-quarterly.com/en/power-hou...
The backstory of the “peace plan”. A Trumpian White House adopted it, a forceful, self-assured European response will eventually bury it.
Reflexive control “is the psychological trick by which the Russians get their enemies to allow the Russians to do their thinking for them, at their own expense.” @michaeldweiss.bsky.social on how a Russian operative used the American media to force a risible “peace deal” into existence.
“He Must Have Got This From K.”
How a Russian operative used the American media to force a risible “peace deal” into existence
macspaunday.substack.com
November 22, 2025 at 6:30 PM
The backstory of the “peace plan”. A Trumpian White House adopted it, a forceful, self-assured European response will eventually bury it.
Lots of good points in this take by @maxbergmann.bsky.social
My cynical gut reaction to US-Russia negotiated deal is that the Kremlin was very smart. This is a play to divide not just the US and Ukraine but the US and Europe. They made what look like concessions, so they look reasonable. They also threw US some money. But they know Ukraine/EU can't say yes.1/
November 21, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Lots of good points in this take by @maxbergmann.bsky.social
Quite literally a Russian diktat. Has there ever been a lower point in US diplomacy? @lukeharding1968.bsky.social
November 21, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Quite literally a Russian diktat. Has there ever been a lower point in US diplomacy? @lukeharding1968.bsky.social
Reposted by Henning Hoff
All the rape, torture, and murder will be brushed under the carpet, a great lesson for any future war criminals.
November 21, 2025 at 7:08 AM
All the rape, torture, and murder will be brushed under the carpet, a great lesson for any future war criminals.
Is Trump coming to Munich to sign it?
Ukraine banned from Nato, Russia readmitted to the G8 and territory ceded: what’s in Trump’s draft plan www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Ukraine banned from Nato, Russia readmitted to the G8 and territory ceded: what’s in Trump’s draft plan
Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he expects to discuss the plan – which was reportedly drafted by Russian and US officials – with Trump
www.theguardian.com
November 21, 2025 at 6:43 AM
Is Trump coming to Munich to sign it?
Reposted by Henning Hoff
I think the American public has the right to see the secret protocols of the Witkoff-Dmitriev pact. What business deals have been agreed?
November 20, 2025 at 6:29 PM
I think the American public has the right to see the secret protocols of the Witkoff-Dmitriev pact. What business deals have been agreed?
Reposted by Henning Hoff
BREAKING🧨: Trump's team is negotiating peace plan for Ukraine with Russia. Just Russia. Not Ukraine. Not the Europeans (who will need to implement it). “We don't really care about the Europeans,” one White House official tells Politico. With friends like these... www.axios.com/2025/11/19/u...
Scoop: U.S. secretly drafting new plan to end Ukraine war
"We feel the Russian position is really being heard," Russia's envoy told Axios.
www.axios.com
November 19, 2025 at 3:41 PM
BREAKING🧨: Trump's team is negotiating peace plan for Ukraine with Russia. Just Russia. Not Ukraine. Not the Europeans (who will need to implement it). “We don't really care about the Europeans,” one White House official tells Politico. With friends like these... www.axios.com/2025/11/19/u...
Reposted by Henning Hoff
Read @henninghoff.bsky.social's latest Berlin Cable: ip-quarterly.com/en/germanys-...
November 17, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Read @henninghoff.bsky.social's latest Berlin Cable: ip-quarterly.com/en/germanys-...
The end of Germany’s “Huawei saga“ it seems. Good step.
A strong new signal from Merz: “We have decided within the government that everywhere it’s possible we’ll replace components, for example in the 5G network, with components we have produced ourselves. And we won’t allow any components from China in the 6G network.”
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Germany to Ban Huawei From Future 6G Network in Sovereignty Push
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Chinese suppliers such as Huawei Technologies Co. will be excluded from the country’s future telecommunication networks on security grounds as he pushes for more ...
www.bloomberg.com
November 13, 2025 at 7:56 PM
The end of Germany’s “Huawei saga“ it seems. Good step.
Reposted by Henning Hoff
![[Scene is a kitchen - a middle aged woman called JANET is boiling peas at the stove. A younger more colourfully dressed woman named LIZ approached her.]
JANET:
Ugh...
LIZ:
What's up?
JANET:
I am so bored of cooking peas!
LIZ:
Have you tried...
AI peas?
JANET:
AI peas?
LIZ:
They're peas with AI!
[Liz holds up to us a packet of peas labelled: Pea-i AI - Peas with AI].
LIZ:
Al-powered peas harness the potential of your peas
JANET:
What
LIZ [Now a voiceover as we cut to a whizzy technology diagram of peas all connected by meaningless dotted lines]
Why not take your peas to the next level with Al Peas' new Al tools to power your peas?
[Show a techno diagram of a pea with a label reading 'AI' pointing to a random zone in it]
LIZ:
Each pea has Al in a way we haven't quite worked out yet but it's fine
[Show Janet and Liz now in a Matrix-style world of peas]
LIZ:
With Al peas you can supercharge productivity and make AI work for your peas!
JANET:
What
LIZ:
Shut up
LIZ:
Our game-changing Pea-Al gives you the freedom to unlock the potential of the power of the future of your peas workflow
From opening the bag of peas
to boiling the peas
to eating the peas
To spending millions on adding Al to the peas and then having to work out what that even means.
JANET:
Is it really necessary to-
LIZ [Grabbing Janet by the collar]:
THE PEAS HAVE GOT AI, JANET
[Cut to an advert ending screen, with the bag of peas and the slogan:
AI PEAS: Just 'Peas' for god's sake buy the AI peas.
[Ends]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4m3we4apbjayclzcnhwe3pfp/bafkreiayqa37f7kik7l7s7fbtfp2sir5ckb662ry2lylinyjrfa2rkvvka@jpeg)
There’s a gaping hole now between Manfred Weber @eppgroup.bsky.social |s rhetoric and action. Hard to bridge, really. And a shocking precedent contravening the Merz government‘s coalition treaty when it comes to voting with the AfD.
6/ Manfred Weber talked about the “European way” in his keynote speech in Berlin on Monday. If this is to mean anything, he and his EPP must finally stand up for what the EU stands for – not just in words, but in action.
November 13, 2025 at 6:07 PM
There’s a gaping hole now between Manfred Weber @eppgroup.bsky.social |s rhetoric and action. Hard to bridge, really. And a shocking precedent contravening the Merz government‘s coalition treaty when it comes to voting with the AfD.
Great interview by @lukeharding1968.bsky.social
My exclusive interview with Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He told me that unlike other western leaders he wasn't "afraid" of Trump and said reports their last Oval Office meeting was stormy were untrue. He revealed King Charles had urged the US president to back Ukraine www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Volodymyr Zelenskyy: why should I be afraid of Donald Trump?
Exclusive: Ukraine’s leader dismisses reports his last Washington meeting was volatile, and praises King Charles for helping build ties with US president
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Great interview by @lukeharding1968.bsky.social
Inescapably true. And yet, the German economy ministry and the political party in charge of it is struggling with this insight.
One of the most self-destructive things Germany could do is to reverse the green transition now.
Renewables expansion has been on a tear but Germany has seen reversals before, unfortunately. And the country still does not have oil or gas and isn’t getting any anytime soon (ever).
Renewables expansion has been on a tear but Germany has seen reversals before, unfortunately. And the country still does not have oil or gas and isn’t getting any anytime soon (ever).
November 10, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Inescapably true. And yet, the German economy ministry and the political party in charge of it is struggling with this insight.
Reposted by Henning Hoff
NEW from @barnabyjdye.bsky.social: Germany’s relationship with India is slowly improving, and so is Europe’s at large. President Donald Trump’s torpedoing of US-India ties offers an opportunity to enhance this relationship even further.
ip-quarterly.com/en/us-india-...
ip-quarterly.com/en/us-india-...
The US-India Breakdown Creates an Opening for Europe
Germany’s relationship with India is slowly improving, and so is Europe’s at large. President Donald Trump’s torpedoing of US-India ties offers an opportunity to enhance this relationship even further...
ip-quarterly.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:48 AM
NEW from @barnabyjdye.bsky.social: Germany’s relationship with India is slowly improving, and so is Europe’s at large. President Donald Trump’s torpedoing of US-India ties offers an opportunity to enhance this relationship even further.
ip-quarterly.com/en/us-india-...
ip-quarterly.com/en/us-india-...
Reposted by Henning Hoff
So let me get this right. We had to leave the EU to control immigration, and we are going to control immigration by emulating the stringent immigration system of Denmark, which is a proud and happy member of the EU.
UK to announce plans to emulate stringent Danish immigration system
Shabana Mahmood’s proposals draw scorn from some Labour MPs, while others want government to go further
www.theguardian.com
November 8, 2025 at 2:48 PM
So let me get this right. We had to leave the EU to control immigration, and we are going to control immigration by emulating the stringent immigration system of Denmark, which is a proud and happy member of the EU.
Reposted by Henning Hoff
Two very telling graphs on the effects of social media on the public conversation - one from @skynewsrss.bsky.social showing how X is amplifying right-wing politics in the UK, one from Germany showing how TikTok is enhancing far-right _and_ far-left content.
November 7, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Two very telling graphs on the effects of social media on the public conversation - one from @skynewsrss.bsky.social showing how X is amplifying right-wing politics in the UK, one from Germany showing how TikTok is enhancing far-right _and_ far-left content.
A year ago, the Scholz government fell apart. This is what I wrote then. Some things have since changed for the better: Germany is now spending big on defense and infrastructure. Other aspects of 🇩🇪 foreign and security policy remain a work-in-progress #BerlinCable ip-quarterly.com/en/underwhel...
The Underwhelming Scholz Government Meets an Untimely End
The break-up of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’ coalition government was expected, but is still taking place at an extremely critical time. Its successor will have to set clearer priorities—and find greater f...
ip-quarterly.com
November 6, 2025 at 4:44 PM
A year ago, the Scholz government fell apart. This is what I wrote then. Some things have since changed for the better: Germany is now spending big on defense and infrastructure. Other aspects of 🇩🇪 foreign and security policy remain a work-in-progress #BerlinCable ip-quarterly.com/en/underwhel...
And this is just the UK…
The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that there have been 187 drone sightings near high-security military establishments across the UK since the start of 2025.
ukdefencejournal.org.uk/nearly-200-d...
ukdefencejournal.org.uk/nearly-200-d...
Nearly 200 drone sightings near UK military sites this year
The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that there have been 187 drone sightings near high-security military establishments across the UK since the start of 2025.
ukdefencejournal.org.uk
November 5, 2025 at 5:13 PM
And this is just the UK…
Reposted by Henning Hoff
How should 🇬🇧 cultivate the Coalition of the Willing?
We asked 7 experts in today’s #BigAsk
✍️ Dr Przemyslaw Biskup, @mariapiechowska.bsky.social, @henninghoff.bsky.social, @philippelefevre.bsky.social, Dr Victoria Vdovychenko, @rgwhitman.bsky.social, @stefwolff.bsky.social
#BritainsWorld
We asked 7 experts in today’s #BigAsk
✍️ Dr Przemyslaw Biskup, @mariapiechowska.bsky.social, @henninghoff.bsky.social, @philippelefevre.bsky.social, Dr Victoria Vdovychenko, @rgwhitman.bsky.social, @stefwolff.bsky.social
#BritainsWorld
How should Britain cultivate the Coalition of the Willing?
The Big Ask | No. 44.2025
www.britainsworld.org.uk
October 31, 2025 at 12:04 PM
How should 🇬🇧 cultivate the Coalition of the Willing?
We asked 7 experts in today’s #BigAsk
✍️ Dr Przemyslaw Biskup, @mariapiechowska.bsky.social, @henninghoff.bsky.social, @philippelefevre.bsky.social, Dr Victoria Vdovychenko, @rgwhitman.bsky.social, @stefwolff.bsky.social
#BritainsWorld
We asked 7 experts in today’s #BigAsk
✍️ Dr Przemyslaw Biskup, @mariapiechowska.bsky.social, @henninghoff.bsky.social, @philippelefevre.bsky.social, Dr Victoria Vdovychenko, @rgwhitman.bsky.social, @stefwolff.bsky.social
#BritainsWorld
Reposted by Henning Hoff
From our new issue, by @randeurope.org's Francesca Ghiretti: ip-quarterly.com/en/return-ec...
October 28, 2025 at 11:21 AM
From our new issue, by @randeurope.org's Francesca Ghiretti: ip-quarterly.com/en/return-ec...