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Reposted by Katja Bego

Chatham House @chathamhouse.org · 1d

The Arctic is emerging as one of the key geo-economic and geostrategic flashpoints of the 21st century.

Read @katjabego.bsky.social's analysis for @chathamhouse.org ⤵️

When it comes to Arctic security, Europe must not forget about the economics

European Arctic strategies have tended to downplay the links between security and economic interests. In an increasingly tense geopolitical environment, this connection is key.

www.chathamhouse.org

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Reposted by Katja Bego

Chatham House @chathamhouse.org · 4d

Despite the war in Ukraine, the Kremlin has continued to invest heavily in building out its presence and revamping Russia's existing bases in the Arctic.

Read @katjabego.bsky.social's latest analysis for @chathamhouse.org ⤵️

When it comes to Arctic security, Europe must not forget about the economics

European Arctic strategies have tended to downplay the links between security and economic interests. In an increasingly tense geopolitical environment, this connection is key.

www.chathamhouse.org

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Katja Bego @katjabego.bsky.social · 2d

Love this image by @nixonsimon.bsky.social: what Europe needs is a drone wall for economic security and reducing dependencies.

(As we currently don't have clarity on what a drone wall would actually entail, the comparison perhaps works a little too well)

From: nixons.substack.com/p/brave-new-...

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Katja Bego @katjabego.bsky.social · 3d

The Apply AI strategy has been in the works for a while (consultation in the Spring etc), but is now ready to be launched on Tuesday. That is will likely have such a strong tech sovereignty emphasis was not necessarily a given.

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Katja Bego @katjabego.bsky.social · 3d

Let's see what the plan itself will say and where it will focus investments/efforts (could go well, could be a total waste)- but this is the right sentiment.

It's also still very interesting to see how the Commission is employing "weaponised interdependence" language more and more often.

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Katja Bego @katjabego.bsky.social · 3d

The FT reports that the EU will unveil a plan on achieving digital sovereignty, reducing dependency on China and the US and the promotion of homegrown AI.

The plan "will warn about external dependencies in the AI stack, which can be weaponised by both state and non-state actors."
on.ft.com/4o2XK9F

EU pushes new AI strategy to reduce tech reliance on US and China

Brussels to unveil plan targeting digital sovereignty as it warns technology can be ‘weaponised’ by geopolitical rivals

on.ft.com

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Katja Bego @katjabego.bsky.social · 4d

Macron's full speech: www.youtube.com/watch?v=MggN...

French President Macron Speaks at German Unity Day Ceremony | WION LIVE

YouTube video by WION

www.youtube.com

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Katja Bego @katjabego.bsky.social · 4d

Strong words from Merz also: “The radiance of what we in the West call liberal democracy is noticeably diminishing. “It is no longer a given that the world will orient itself towards us, that it will follow our values of liberal democracy.”

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Katja Bego @katjabego.bsky.social · 4d

Macron: “We’ve been guilty of handing over our public democratic space to social networks owned by big American and Chinese firms whose interests are not in the survival and the functioning of our democracy."

I'm quite hopeful that French-German leadership on tech sovereignty can achieve something.

Europe’s democracies are in danger, warn Merz and Macron

Threats dwarf anything seen since the Cold War, says German chancellor.

politico.eu

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Reposted by Katja Bego

Chatham House @chathamhouse.org · 4d

European Arctic strategies have tended to downplay the links between security and economic interests. In an increasingly tense geopolitical environment, this connection is key.

Read @katjabego.bsky.social's latest analysis for @chathamhouse.org ⤵️

When it comes to Arctic security, Europe must not forget about the economics

European Arctic strategies have tended to downplay the links between security and economic interests. In an increasingly tense geopolitical environment, this connection is key.

www.chathamhouse.org

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Katja Bego @katjabego.bsky.social · 5d

@aaronhughellis.bsky.social Hi Aaron, I *think* you sent me a DM - unfortunately can't open it as I've not done the age verification thing.

Am available on email :)

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Katja Bego @katjabego.bsky.social · 5d

Whoever could have seen this coming!

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Katja Bego @katjabego.bsky.social · 5d

"The modernization of the U.S. Army's battlefield comms network being undertaken by Anduril, Palantir, and others is rife with "fundamental security" problems and vulnerabilities, and should be treated as a "very high risk," according to a recent internal Army memo." www.reuters.com/business/aer...

Anduril and Palantir battlefield communication system has deep flaws, Army memo says

The much-needed modernization of the U.S. Army's battlefield communications network being undertaken by Anduril, Palantir and others is rife with "fundamental security" problems and vulnerabilities, and should be treated as a "very high risk," according to a recent internal Army memo.

www.reuters.com

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Katja Bego @katjabego.bsky.social · 6d

"We've seen a crazy increase in sales." said Valdemar Badsted, a salesperson at Wolf Tactical, a military surplus shop in Copenhagen. "People are getting worried about war."

(Includes some of my comments on the difficulty of responding to drone incursions)

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/w...

A Run on Canned Mackerel and Emergency Radios. The Reason? Drones.

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Katja Bego

POLITICO Europe @politico.eu · 9d

🚨 BREAKING: The pro-EU Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) is firmly in the lead of Moldova’s election, with around half of votes counted so far and PAS-sympathetic constituencies still to tally.

Full story: www.politico.eu/article/poll...

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Katja Bego @katjabego.bsky.social · 11d

Some of my comments on the recent drone incidents in Denmark in @the-independent.com

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/e...

Why would Denmark be the target of a Russian ‘hybrid drone attack’?

Copenhagen has not ruled out Russian involvement in repeated drone incidents near Denmark’s airports, particularly after their recent diplomatic history

www.independent.co.uk

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Reposted by Katja Bego

Robin Berjon @robin.berjon.com · 12d

Look at this groundswell of political support just waiting for someone to show some spine and strategy!

Katja Bego @katjabego.bsky.social · 12d

Very interesting new polling data:

The vast majority of French, Germans and Italians support strengthening European tech sovereignty and incentivising "Buy European" approaches.

Another area where European voters are ahead of the policy debate.

Source: legrandcontinent.eu/fr/2025/09/2...

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Katja Bego @katjabego.bsky.social · 12d

Very interesting! What do you think the motivation behind this might be? Concerns about tech leakage?

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Reposted by Katja Bego

Katja Bego @katjabego.bsky.social · 12d

Very interesting new polling data:

The vast majority of French, Germans and Italians support strengthening European tech sovereignty and incentivising "Buy European" approaches.

Another area where European voters are ahead of the policy debate.

Source: legrandcontinent.eu/fr/2025/09/2...

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Katja Bego @katjabego.bsky.social · 12d

This very much echoes what @alanderminna.bsky.social recently wrote about in her great piece on the general publics' support for more European defence integration - which similarly outpaces government-level action.

www.politico.eu/article/vote...

Voters believe in a sovereign Europe more than elites

For once, integration may not be driven top-down but bottom-up.

www.politico.eu

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Katja Bego @katjabego.bsky.social · 12d

Very interesting new polling data:

The vast majority of French, Germans and Italians support strengthening European tech sovereignty and incentivising "Buy European" approaches.

Another area where European voters are ahead of the policy debate.

Source: legrandcontinent.eu/fr/2025/09/2...

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Katja Bego @katjabego.bsky.social · 12d

For context: Germany spent around €2.8 billion on space in 2024.

Today's commitment more than doubles that number to €7 billion annually - and that's just for defence and security- related investments.

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Katja Bego @katjabego.bsky.social · 12d

This is big: "Germany will invest €35 billion in space-related defense projects by 2030, stepping up the country’s tech independence and ability to protect its assets in orbit amid an increasing militarization of outer space, Defense Minister Pistorius announced." www.defensenews.com/global/europ...

Germany unveils $40bn military-space investment, citing new threats

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said two Russian satellites were tracking spacecraft used by the Bundeswehr, Germany's armed forces.

www.defensenews.com

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Reposted by Katja Bego

Sophie Pedder @sophiepedder.bsky.social · 14d

Say what you like about Macron but he can still give an impassioned speech, this one in defence of multilateralism

“The United Nations is all of us

We have no right to cynicism
We have no right to fatigue
We have no right to the spirit of defeat”

youtu.be/FsMnFJtBBP0?...

WATCH: French President Emmanuel Macron speaks at 2025 United Nations General Assembly

YouTube video by PBS NewsHour

youtu.be

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Reposted by Katja Bego

Ulrike Franke @rikefranke.bsky.social · 15d

!!
Excellent!

“Counting U.S.-led buys on the list … the total comes to about €6.8 billion, around 8 percent of Berlin’s plan, with the rest overwhelmingly going to European industry.”

www.politico.eu/article/germ...

Germany’s €80B rearmament plan sidelines US weapons

A procurement plan obtained by POLITICO shows Berlin’s rearmament spree will overwhelmingly benefit European industry.

www.politico.eu

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