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Anders Åslund @andersaslund.bsky.social · 1d

Publisher of famous Soviet newspaper Pravda falls to his death from a seventh-floor window
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...

Publisher of famous Soviet newspaper Pravda falls to his death

The secretive head of Pravda publishing house, Vyacheslav Leontyev, 87, plunged 70ft from his home in western Moscow .

www.dailymail.co.uk

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Anders Åslund @andersaslund.bsky.social · 2d

"France’s prime minister resigns less than a month after appointment"
What a disaster!
How can this happen?
Is France completely dysfunctional? Just like the US.
Another verdict against presidential constitutions.
www.ft.com/content/d2d7...

France’s prime minister resigns less than a month after appointment

Sébastien Lecornu quits after rightwing allies indicated they could withdraw from his government

www.ft.com

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Anders Åslund @andersaslund.bsky.social · 3d

My article today for Kyiv Post:
"A New Perspective on Ukraine"
"On a recent visit to attend the Yalta European Strategy conference, the author found Ukrainian attendees surprisingly upbeat even after three and a half years of war."
www.kyivpost.com/opinion/61306

Opinion: A New Perspective on Ukraine

On a recent visit to attend the Yalta European Strategy conference, the author found Ukrainian attendees surprisingly upbeat even after three and a half years of war.

www.kyivpost.com

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Anders Åslund @andersaslund.bsky.social · 4d

I have no idea whether the Democrats will benefit from the government shutdown, but they had no choice.
The Democrats would not appear a political party if they just accepted the republicans' dictate without even being consulted.
Trump is the only culprit.

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Anders Åslund @andersaslund.bsky.social · 6d

"Russian missile upgrade outpaces Ukraine’s Patriot defences"
Until now, Patriot missiles have been the only important US arms Ukraine needs. Now they appear to have lost their efficacy.
The US seems lost on the Ukrainian battlefield.
www.ft.com/content/078b...

Russian missile upgrade outpaces Ukraine’s Patriot defences

Kyiv’s interception rates fall as enemy strikes dodge US interceptors in final seconds

www.ft.com

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Anders Åslund @andersaslund.bsky.social · 6d

...collaboration with the enemy. If the Kremlin does so, no Western body can be held responsible & other Western companies will be warned not to collaborate with Russia the war criminal.
Let Putin shoot himself in the foot! /2

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Anders Åslund @andersaslund.bsky.social · 6d

Bloomberg: "Russia may nationalize and swiftly sell off
foreign-owned assets under a new privatization mechanism in retaliation for any European moves to seize Russian holdings abroad..."
This would be ideal.
Remaining Western companies in Russia should be punished for... /1

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Anders Åslund @andersaslund.bsky.social · 7d

@EdwardGLuce: "A season of Washington show trials may now be getting under way."
www.ft.com/content/aa00...

Why Trump is going for Soros

The philanthropist is as close as the world’s strongmen get to a cross-border demon

www.ft.com

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Anders Åslund @andersaslund.bsky.social · 7d

Chrystia Freeland:
"We need Ukraine as much as it needs us"
"It is time to change how we think about Ukraine. Forget about saving Ukraine; the fact is that we need Ukraine to save us."
www.ft.com/content/8d59...

We need Ukraine as much as it needs us

Kyiv is not merely a victim — it is an exemplar for western democracies and defence industries preparing for future wars

www.ft.com

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Anders Åslund @andersaslund.bsky.social · 7d

7. Undermining the credibility of US government statistics.
8. Extortion of private enterprises.
9. Unlimited though probably legalized corruption of the ruling family. /4
How can the US tolerate this harmful lawlessness?! /4

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Anders Åslund @andersaslund.bsky.social · 7d

5. Pursuing an aggressive, lawless & anti-economic immigration policy.
6. Driving up market interest rates by scaring away foreign bond & stock investors through lawlessness & xenophobia. /3

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Anders Åslund @andersaslund.bsky.social · 7d

3. Making it very difficult to invest in the US by undermining the rule of law & unpredictable voluntarist presidential decision.
4. Devastating top universities & research through wild presidential decisions. /2

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Anders Åslund @andersaslund.bsky.social · 7d

Incredible how Trump is devastating the US:
1. Starting a major unjustified & costly trade war with all but Trump's friends Russia & Belarus, slashing US growth by about half from 2024.
2. Driving up US inflation through tariffs, excessive budget deficit & war on Fed. /1

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Anders Åslund @andersaslund.bsky.social · 8d

"Occupation authorities impose gasoline rationing in Crimea"
meduza.io/en/news/2025...

Occupation authorities impose gasoline rationing in Crimea — Meduza

Sergey Aksyonov, the Kremlin-appointed head of Crimea, has announced new limits on gasoline sales on the annexed peninsula.

meduza.io

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Anders Åslund @andersaslund.bsky.social · 8d

ISW: "The [Russian federal] budget calls for 12.9 trillion rubles ($155 billion) to go towards “National Defense” expenditures in 2026 – a decrease from 13.5 trillion rubles ($163 billion) in 2025."
Putin does not dare to spend more than 7-8% of GDP on the military.

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Anders Åslund @andersaslund.bsky.social · 8d

Reuters: "Australian beef has replaced US supply in China since Trump returned to the White House, funnelling hundreds of millions of dollars that have in previous years gone to the US cattle industry into Australian pockets."
www.reuters.com/world/china/...

Under Trump, US cedes its share of China's beef market to Australia

Australian beef has replaced U.S. supply in China since President Donald Trump returned to the White House, funnelling hundreds of millions of dollars that have in previous years gone to the U.S. cattle industry into Australian pockets.

www.reuters.com

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Anders Åslund @andersaslund.bsky.social · 13d

Russia is facing its long expected fiscal squeeze this fall, as its liquid national welfare fund reserves are running out.
Putin is raising VAT from 20% to 22% on January 1 but that will not be enough.
More expenditure cuts are needed.
www.ft.com/content/5670...

Russia to raise value added tax rate to 22% as war weighs on economy

Finance ministry says funds will be mainly used to cover the country’s spiralling defence and security spending

www.ft.com

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Anders Åslund @andersaslund.bsky.social · 13d

Trump has reduced US economic growth from 2.8% in 2024 to about 1.5% in 2025 & staying there.
It surprises me that his damage has not been greater, but this is minor stagflation, lower growth & too high inflation - now 2.9%.
It is likely to get worse.
www.ft.com/content/fd49...

Economic dynamism is the victim in Trump’s second term

Few sectors will escape the negative supply shocks caused by the president’s policies

www.ft.com

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Anders Åslund @andersaslund.bsky.social · 13d

The US labor market numbers are overtly confusing but not really:
Unemployment stays very low at 4.3% because immigration has ended.
Therefore the very low payroll additions of about 30k a month are not strange: No immigrants have increased the labor force.

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Anders Åslund @andersaslund.bsky.social · 16d

13. Trump's trade war has drive down US growth & employment, but inflation up.
14. Trump's anti-science policy gives China the lead in electrical vehicles, solar energy and wind energy.
15. Trump's support for Putin increases the risk of a big global war. /4

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Anders Åslund @andersaslund.bsky.social · 16d

10. His lawlessness has made it nearly impossible to invest in the US.
11. His anti-immigration policies have made it dangerous for any talented foreigners - students, researchers or businessmen - to come to the US.
12. Trump's loose fiscal policy is long-term unsustainable. /3

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Anders Åslund @andersaslund.bsky.social · 16d

6. He has effectively ended NATO & all other Western alliances because he is completely unreliable.
7. He has abandoned truth altogether.
8. He has stopped all anti-corruption rules & thrived on his personal enrichment.
9. He interferes in the economy as the worst dictator. /2

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Anders Åslund @andersaslund.bsky.social · 16d

Let us stop for a moment & consider how Trump damages the US:
1. He isolates the US economically & politically.
2. He has already ended the rule of law,
3. as well as the freedom of the media.
4. He has devastated US science &
5. tries to further undermine bad US health. /1

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Anders Åslund @andersaslund.bsky.social · 16d

When will the republican leadership (if it still exists) realize that Trump is truly mad & unable to be president?

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Anders Åslund @andersaslund.bsky.social · 16d

Doesn't the US need a sane president again?

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