Steven Everts
@sbeverts.bsky.social
Thoughts on Europe and the world. Director of @EUISS.bsky.social - the EU think tank on foreign and security policy. Views here are strictly personal - but we can share them.
The Draghi speech is well worth your time. He is right to openly call for deeper integration because that’s what it takes to survive in a hostile world.
But then he ends on this, a message of hope. What Europe needs above all is self confidence and pride.
But then he ends on this, a message of hope. What Europe needs above all is self confidence and pride.
"What began in fear must continue in hope. As we act together, we will rediscover something that has long been dormant: our pride, our self-confidence, our belief in our own future. And on that foundation, Europe will be built."
February 2, 2026 at 10:41 PM
The Draghi speech is well worth your time. He is right to openly call for deeper integration because that’s what it takes to survive in a hostile world.
But then he ends on this, a message of hope. What Europe needs above all is self confidence and pride.
But then he ends on this, a message of hope. What Europe needs above all is self confidence and pride.
The word IF is the operative one here.
IF the democratic middle powers banded together, they would be a major force in global politics.
And they *are* more united than the BRICS which lack mortar.
So power to the ‘Carney coalition’!
IF the democratic middle powers banded together, they would be a major force in global politics.
And they *are* more united than the BRICS which lack mortar.
So power to the ‘Carney coalition’!
If these countries could act together, they would be a superpower in their own right. The “Eurasia bloc” (the great democracies of Europe and East Asia) has a population of nearly 900 million, GDP of $39.5 trillion, defense spending of $830 billion and 3.1 million soldiers. wapo.st/3LXtW0R
Opinion | Americans may come to regret alienating the ‘mighty middle powers’
If Europe and Asian democracies coordinate, they can reshape the global balance.
wapo.st
February 2, 2026 at 12:49 PM
The word IF is the operative one here.
IF the democratic middle powers banded together, they would be a major force in global politics.
And they *are* more united than the BRICS which lack mortar.
So power to the ‘Carney coalition’!
IF the democratic middle powers banded together, they would be a major force in global politics.
And they *are* more united than the BRICS which lack mortar.
So power to the ‘Carney coalition’!
"This is not about changing the security bargain between the US and Europe. This is about Europe essentially finding itself alone with a partially hostile America.”
Good piece by @benhallnews.bsky.social and @henryjfoy.ft.com. The Greenland crisis may be over (for now) but trust has gone. Now what?
Good piece by @benhallnews.bsky.social and @henryjfoy.ft.com. The Greenland crisis may be over (for now) but trust has gone. Now what?
Nato without America: Europe ‘thinks the unthinkable’
After the stand-off over Greenland, European leaders are having to consider what would happen if Washington leaves the military alliance
www.ft.com
January 30, 2026 at 3:28 PM
"This is not about changing the security bargain between the US and Europe. This is about Europe essentially finding itself alone with a partially hostile America.”
Good piece by @benhallnews.bsky.social and @henryjfoy.ft.com. The Greenland crisis may be over (for now) but trust has gone. Now what?
Good piece by @benhallnews.bsky.social and @henryjfoy.ft.com. The Greenland crisis may be over (for now) but trust has gone. Now what?
Reposted by Steven Everts
America’s NATO allies have shifted from fearing US abandonment to fearing US hostility, and are now confronted to a new existential question: can the US security guarantee be trusted at all? @sbeverts.bsky.social rts.bsky.social in the @financialtimes.com
Nato without America: Europe ‘thinks the unthinkable’
After the stand-off over Greenland, European leaders are having to consider what would happen if Washington leaves the military alliance
www.ft.com
January 30, 2026 at 3:16 PM
America’s NATO allies have shifted from fearing US abandonment to fearing US hostility, and are now confronted to a new existential question: can the US security guarantee be trusted at all? @sbeverts.bsky.social rts.bsky.social in the @financialtimes.com
Another interesting idea is to strengthen intelligence cooperation among a subset of European countries:
New Dutch coalition floats European version of ‘Five Eyes’
Incoming government says rising threats require faster and more proactive intel services.
www.politico.eu
January 30, 2026 at 2:54 PM
Another interesting idea is to strengthen intelligence cooperation among a subset of European countries:
Freedom is not free, the slogan goes,
Note that new Dutch govt intends to fund part of its defence and security ramp up with a "freedom contribution”, ie income tax levy, raising more than €3 billion a year.
That is brave for modern politics. But the right choice IMHO.
Note that new Dutch govt intends to fund part of its defence and security ramp up with a "freedom contribution”, ie income tax levy, raising more than €3 billion a year.
That is brave for modern politics. But the right choice IMHO.
Next Dutch gov’t will be a “cabinet of collaboration”: Jetten www.dutchnews.nl?p=262956
Next Dutch gov’t will be a “cabinet of collaboration”: Jetten
www.dutchnews.nl
January 30, 2026 at 1:15 PM
Freedom is not free, the slogan goes,
Note that new Dutch govt intends to fund part of its defence and security ramp up with a "freedom contribution”, ie income tax levy, raising more than €3 billion a year.
That is brave for modern politics. But the right choice IMHO.
Note that new Dutch govt intends to fund part of its defence and security ramp up with a "freedom contribution”, ie income tax levy, raising more than €3 billion a year.
That is brave for modern politics. But the right choice IMHO.
Thanks for all this. Short version of the piece is indeed that we must have realistic expectations and be open eyed about where each is coming from. Then build on FTA to develop modular forms of cooperation around tech and security esp.
Given everything else going on, this makes a LOT of sense
Given everything else going on, this makes a LOT of sense
January 30, 2026 at 1:09 PM
Thanks for all this. Short version of the piece is indeed that we must have realistic expectations and be open eyed about where each is coming from. Then build on FTA to develop modular forms of cooperation around tech and security esp.
Given everything else going on, this makes a LOT of sense
Given everything else going on, this makes a LOT of sense
Reposted by Steven Everts
💬 For Trump, the transatlantic relationship is no longer one between allies, but a US-dominated order based on coercion rather than consultation and rules.
@sbeverts.bsky.social in @standaard.be on why Europe must detach from a worldview that no longer exists. www.standaard.be/economie/ste...
@sbeverts.bsky.social in @standaard.be on why Europe must detach from a worldview that no longer exists. www.standaard.be/economie/ste...
![Quote by Steven Everts in De Standaard: "This is not just about Trump. He is both a symptom and an accelerator of an America that is fundamentally changing anyway. [...] The ancestral ties with Europe grow weaker with every generation."](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:fwx4jzdj4fhgnw44aphg3hmv/bafkreig6c5qfebwb36lmqwazb3qxv3tua3jzuaia7pjsr4fkssdc57bpdy@jpeg)
January 28, 2026 at 3:03 PM
💬 For Trump, the transatlantic relationship is no longer one between allies, but a US-dominated order based on coercion rather than consultation and rules.
@sbeverts.bsky.social in @standaard.be on why Europe must detach from a worldview that no longer exists. www.standaard.be/economie/ste...
@sbeverts.bsky.social in @standaard.be on why Europe must detach from a worldview that no longer exists. www.standaard.be/economie/ste...
You have heard about that EU-India FTA? Read this Brief to understand that trade isn’t per se the main vector driving the partnership. The real action and potential are elsewhere. But unless we dive deeper into who wants what and why, we will not get far.
The world has changed, and so has the strategic context of EU-India relations. Expecting alignment won't work. A modular partnership, focused on practical cooperation in defence and innovation, is the way forward, argues Lizza Bomassi. ow.ly/14it50Y3KbM
January 27, 2026 at 8:30 AM
You have heard about that EU-India FTA? Read this Brief to understand that trade isn’t per se the main vector driving the partnership. The real action and potential are elsewhere. But unless we dive deeper into who wants what and why, we will not get far.
Reposted by Steven Everts
The world has changed, and so has the strategic context of EU-India relations. Expecting alignment won't work. A modular partnership, focused on practical cooperation in defence and innovation, is the way forward, argues Lizza Bomassi. ow.ly/14it50Y3KbM
January 26, 2026 at 2:25 PM
The world has changed, and so has the strategic context of EU-India relations. Expecting alignment won't work. A modular partnership, focused on practical cooperation in defence and innovation, is the way forward, argues Lizza Bomassi. ow.ly/14it50Y3KbM
Reposted by Steven Everts
Europa is niet zwak maar heeft wel een mentaliteitsverandering nodig. We moeten onze krachten omzetten in macht.
Mooi om na de stress-test van deze week met @standaard.be te praten over wat Europa nu moet doen: (€)
Mooi om na de stress-test van deze week met @standaard.be te praten over wat Europa nu moet doen: (€)
Steven Everts kent Europa van binnenuit: “We moeten een nieuwe wereldorde opbouwen. Wat een verbindend idee”
Het meest memorabele van deze dolle week waren niet de dreigementen van Donald Trump, maar het forse antwoord van Europa. “Wat wij Europeanen moeten onthouden, is dat tegendruk werkt”, zegt Steven Everts, een man die gepokt en gemazeld is in de Europese buitenlandse politiek.
www.standaard.be
January 24, 2026 at 9:14 AM
Europa is niet zwak maar heeft wel een mentaliteitsverandering nodig. We moeten onze krachten omzetten in macht.
Mooi om na de stress-test van deze week met @standaard.be te praten over wat Europa nu moet doen: (€)
Mooi om na de stress-test van deze week met @standaard.be te praten over wat Europa nu moet doen: (€)
Issuing threats is almost cost free for Trump. That’s why he does it all the time
For the rest of us, it’s exhausting. That’s why we all look so tired….
Read the whole thread.
For the rest of us, it’s exhausting. That’s why we all look so tired….
Read the whole thread.
10/ This all means we have a situation where the President of the United States can relentlessly, ceaselessly and at least somewhat costlessly trigger one crisis response after another all over the world at the tapping of his thumbs.
That's why everyone looks so tired.
/end
That's why everyone looks so tired.
/end
January 24, 2026 at 3:12 PM
Issuing threats is almost cost free for Trump. That’s why he does it all the time
For the rest of us, it’s exhausting. That’s why we all look so tired….
Read the whole thread.
For the rest of us, it’s exhausting. That’s why we all look so tired….
Read the whole thread.
Eens. Maar het is ook dat door samen op te treden en resultaten te boeken, je meet eenheid creëert.
Nothing succeed like success.
Nothing succeed like success.
January 24, 2026 at 11:50 AM
Eens. Maar het is ook dat door samen op te treden en resultaten te boeken, je meet eenheid creëert.
Nothing succeed like success.
Nothing succeed like success.
Europa is niet zwak maar heeft wel een mentaliteitsverandering nodig. We moeten onze krachten omzetten in macht.
Mooi om na de stress-test van deze week met @standaard.be te praten over wat Europa nu moet doen: (€)
Mooi om na de stress-test van deze week met @standaard.be te praten over wat Europa nu moet doen: (€)
Steven Everts kent Europa van binnenuit: “We moeten een nieuwe wereldorde opbouwen. Wat een verbindend idee”
Het meest memorabele van deze dolle week waren niet de dreigementen van Donald Trump, maar het forse antwoord van Europa. “Wat wij Europeanen moeten onthouden, is dat tegendruk werkt”, zegt Steven Everts, een man die gepokt en gemazeld is in de Europese buitenlandse politiek.
www.standaard.be
January 24, 2026 at 9:14 AM
Europa is niet zwak maar heeft wel een mentaliteitsverandering nodig. We moeten onze krachten omzetten in macht.
Mooi om na de stress-test van deze week met @standaard.be te praten over wat Europa nu moet doen: (€)
Mooi om na de stress-test van deze week met @standaard.be te praten over wat Europa nu moet doen: (€)
Wat doe je als Trump je aandacht monopoliseert en zijn aanval politiek en ideologische van aard is?
Meebewegen of terugslaan?
En wat kan diplomatiek handwerk nog bereiken?
Groepsinterview in @nrc.nl
Meebewegen of terugslaan?
En wat kan diplomatiek handwerk nog bereiken?
Groepsinterview in @nrc.nl
‘De rol van diplomaten is onder Trump uitgespeeld’, zeggen oud-diplomaten
Internationale betrekkingen: Door de komst van Donald Trump werken de vertrouwde diplomatieke spelregels niet meer, zeggen oud-diplomaten. „Bij de Amerikaanse regering bestaat weinig respect of liefde...
www.nrc.nl
January 24, 2026 at 8:48 AM
Wat doe je als Trump je aandacht monopoliseert en zijn aanval politiek en ideologische van aard is?
Meebewegen of terugslaan?
En wat kan diplomatiek handwerk nog bereiken?
Groepsinterview in @nrc.nl
Meebewegen of terugslaan?
En wat kan diplomatiek handwerk nog bereiken?
Groepsinterview in @nrc.nl
Mooi om met andere ex diplomaten het fenomeen Trump onder de loep te nemen - en vooral hoe Europa de rug recht moet houden en investeren in zelf denken en handelen ↘️
‘De rol van diplomaten is onder Trump uitgespeeld’, zeggen oud-diplomaten
Internationale betrekkingen: Door de komst van Donald Trump werken de vertrouwde diplomatieke spelregels niet meer, zeggen oud-diplomaten. „Bij de Amerikaanse regering bestaat weinig respect of liefde...
www.nrc.nl
January 23, 2026 at 8:57 PM
Mooi om met andere ex diplomaten het fenomeen Trump onder de loep te nemen - en vooral hoe Europa de rug recht moet houden en investeren in zelf denken en handelen ↘️
Reposted by Steven Everts
Mette Frederiksen appears to have excellent handwriting
January 22, 2026 at 9:40 PM
Mette Frederiksen appears to have excellent handwriting
Reposted by Steven Everts
January 22, 2026 at 9:01 PM
Reposted by Steven Everts
Leave it to the EU to turn what should have been a pr victory lap on a major trade deal in answer to Trump’s tariff bullying campaign into a spectacular self-own. It really is a deeply unserious union.
Germany, chief backer of the EU's Mercosur trade deal, today called on Brussels to go ahead and implement it even after lawmakers voted for judicial review, setting up a major clash between the EU and its two largest economies - Germany and France.
Germany calls to ram through Mercosur deal as EU Parliament throws up roadblock
Major clash looms after European lawmakers send Latin American trade deal for a judicial review that could take two years.
www.politico.eu
January 21, 2026 at 2:01 PM
Leave it to the EU to turn what should have been a pr victory lap on a major trade deal in answer to Trump’s tariff bullying campaign into a spectacular self-own. It really is a deeply unserious union.
Reposted by Steven Everts
Thanks to the European Parliament for reminding us that at this time of global crisis, what we need is pointless gestures delivered by the an alliance of anti-Europeans and vested interests.
(Is the Mercosur deal perfect? I'm sure it's not. But read the room, MEPs)
(Is the Mercosur deal perfect? I'm sure it's not. But read the room, MEPs)
January 21, 2026 at 1:55 PM
Thanks to the European Parliament for reminding us that at this time of global crisis, what we need is pointless gestures delivered by the an alliance of anti-Europeans and vested interests.
(Is the Mercosur deal perfect? I'm sure it's not. But read the room, MEPs)
(Is the Mercosur deal perfect? I'm sure it's not. But read the room, MEPs)
Major act of European self-harm ↘️
In a shock result, the European Parliament has just voted to refer 🇪🇺President @VonDerLeyen's signature of the #Mercosur agreement to the EU's high court by razor-edge vote on 334 to 324.
A heavy blow to the EU's geopolitical ambitions.
A heavy blow to the EU's geopolitical ambitions.
January 21, 2026 at 1:54 PM
Major act of European self-harm ↘️
What Trump does above all is control our most precious asset: attention.
This afternoon, he will make all sorts of pronouncements - creating a frantic search among Europeans on how to react. Usually divided
It would be better if we stuck to thinking for ourselves and focusing on our own plans.
This afternoon, he will make all sorts of pronouncements - creating a frantic search among Europeans on how to react. Usually divided
It would be better if we stuck to thinking for ourselves and focusing on our own plans.
January 21, 2026 at 11:54 AM
What Trump does above all is control our most precious asset: attention.
This afternoon, he will make all sorts of pronouncements - creating a frantic search among Europeans on how to react. Usually divided
It would be better if we stuck to thinking for ourselves and focusing on our own plans.
This afternoon, he will make all sorts of pronouncements - creating a frantic search among Europeans on how to react. Usually divided
It would be better if we stuck to thinking for ourselves and focusing on our own plans.
Reposted by Steven Everts
👉 @sbeverts.bsky.social introduces the event by outlining the difficulties inherent to understanding the current period of geopolitical upheaval: "It feels like a world of everything, everywhere, all at once."
January 20, 2026 at 3:41 PM
👉 @sbeverts.bsky.social introduces the event by outlining the difficulties inherent to understanding the current period of geopolitical upheaval: "It feels like a world of everything, everywhere, all at once."
Reposted by Steven Everts
For 50 years, the dollar has been America’s ultimate weapon. But Trump is eroding the rules that sustain it. Europe’s deep entanglement with the US financial system is now a strategic vulnerability, warns @sbeverts.bsky.social.
Read the analysis🔗 ow.ly/nMXF50XZy6h
Read the analysis🔗 ow.ly/nMXF50XZy6h
January 19, 2026 at 10:45 AM
For 50 years, the dollar has been America’s ultimate weapon. But Trump is eroding the rules that sustain it. Europe’s deep entanglement with the US financial system is now a strategic vulnerability, warns @sbeverts.bsky.social.
Read the analysis🔗 ow.ly/nMXF50XZy6h
Read the analysis🔗 ow.ly/nMXF50XZy6h
Reposted by Steven Everts
💥 What are Europe’s top security threats in 2026?
@vanghel.bsky.social & @gspataf95.bsky.social analyse the findings of the Global Risks to the EU survey & what they reveal about Europe’s security environment.
Read 🔗 ow.ly/Xqvt50Y002s
@vanghel.bsky.social & @gspataf95.bsky.social analyse the findings of the Global Risks to the EU survey & what they reveal about Europe’s security environment.
Read 🔗 ow.ly/Xqvt50Y002s
January 20, 2026 at 11:23 AM
💥 What are Europe’s top security threats in 2026?
@vanghel.bsky.social & @gspataf95.bsky.social analyse the findings of the Global Risks to the EU survey & what they reveal about Europe’s security environment.
Read 🔗 ow.ly/Xqvt50Y002s
@vanghel.bsky.social & @gspataf95.bsky.social analyse the findings of the Global Risks to the EU survey & what they reveal about Europe’s security environment.
Read 🔗 ow.ly/Xqvt50Y002s