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Sacha de Wijs @sachadewijs.bsky.social · 2d

Must-read @ecfr.eu : Putin’s Valdai speech marks a shift. He brands Europe “enemy #1”, vows more military pressure, backs far-right parties & steps up info warfare — while praising Trump as a model.
Europe must reinforce defence and resilience !

ecfr.eu/article/enem...

Enemy number one: What Putin’s foreign policy speech says about Europe

At this year’s Valdai club, Vladimir Putin gave his most anti-EU speech yet, citing his determination to see new anti-establishment politicians to come to power and improve Europe’s relations with…

ecfr.eu

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Reposted by Sacha de Wijs

ECFR @ecfr.eu · 2d

Vladimir Putin has finally said the quiet part out loud. For the first time since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he has explicitly blamed Europe for the war, writes @abarbashin.bsky.social @ecfreuropeansec.bsky.social
https://bit.ly/46PIkhV

Enemy number one: What Putin’s foreign policy speech says about Europe

At this year’s Valdai club, Vladimir Putin gave his most anti-EU speech yet, citing his determination to see new anti-establishment politicians to come to power and improve Europe’s relations with…

bit.ly

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Sacha de Wijs @sachadewijs.bsky.social · 2d

"From my prison cell in Georgia, I implore Europe not to abandon us to Russia.

My fellow journalists are putting their lives in danger every day, but we refuse to surrender to a regime that threatens Europe’s own security" #MziaAmaglobeli
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

From my prison cell in Georgia, I implore Europe not to abandon us to Russia | Mzia Amaglobeli

My fellow journalists are putting their lives in danger every day, but we refuse to surrender to a regime that threatens Europe’s own security, says imprisoned Georgian journalist Mzia Amaglobeli

www.theguardian.com

1 9 17

Sacha de Wijs @sachadewijs.bsky.social · 5d

This is the grey zone: not open war, but pressure by sabotage.
NATO & partners now face a hard question:
👉 How do you deter an adversary operating unseen on the seabed?

#Russia #Security #Geopolitics

Sacha de Wijs @sachadewijs.bsky.social · 5d

⚠️ These cables carry:
– Internet & financial data
– Gas & energy flows
– Military comms between NATO allies
A well-placed attack could “turn the lights out” — destabilising economies & undermining political will without firing a shot.

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Sacha de Wijs @sachadewijs.bsky.social · 5d

99% of the UK’s digital traffic flows through subsea cables. Russia’s spy ship Yantar has been caught loitering over them.
A new @financialtimes.com investigation exposes how Moscow is mapping — and maybe preparing to cut — Europe’s digital lifelines. www.ft.com/content/0b35...

The Russian spy ship stalking Europe’s subsea cables

Covert operations in waters surrounding the British Isles pose a grave threat to critical infrastructure and a fresh challenge to Nato

www.ft.com

1

Sacha de Wijs @sachadewijs.bsky.social · 6d

Europe has been facing 'confrontation' with Russia for a while now. What is new is the quality of this 'hybrid war', raising security + resilience concerns. Especially as Russia has used these tactics since the invasion of Crimea in 2014 @politico.eu www.politico.eu/article/euro...

Macron warns Europe is now in ‘confrontation’ with Russia — live updates

Putin looms over Copenhagen summit as leaders talk defense and security.

www.politico.eu

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Sacha de Wijs @sachadewijs.bsky.social · 14d

A bit of a u-turn, but credit where credit is due: Trump “#Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form”.

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Trump says he believes Ukraine can regain all land lost to Russia since 2022 invasion

US president claims Russia is in ‘big economic trouble’ as he calls for Nato countries to stop imports of Russian oil

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Sacha de Wijs

DER SPIEGEL @spiegel.de · 18d

Zwei russische Kampfflugzeuge sind nach Angaben des polnischen Grenzschutzes in die Sicherheitszone einer Bohrplattform in der Ostsee eingedrungen. Die Jets flogen offenbar im Tiefflug über die Bohrplattform Petrobaltic.

Polen meldet russische Kampfjets in Sicherheitszone über Bohrplattform in der Ostsee

Zwei russische Kampfflugzeuge sind nach Angaben des polnischen Grenzschutzes in die Sicherheitszone einer Bohrplattform in der Ostsee eingedrungen. Die Jets flogen offenbar im Tiefflug über die Bohrplattform Petrobaltic.

www.spiegel.de

4 8 26

Sacha de Wijs @sachadewijs.bsky.social · 18d

Nato confirms it intercepted Russian aircraft over Estonia as EU calls violation a ‘dangerous provocation’

www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...

Nato confirms it intercepted Russian aircraft over Estonia as EU calls violation a ‘dangerous provocation’ – Europe live

Nato spokesperson condemns ‘reckless Russian behaviour’ after three Mig-31 fighters enter Estonian airspace for 12 minutes

www.theguardian.com

1

Sacha de Wijs @sachadewijs.bsky.social · 19d

Diese „Deepstate“-Rhetorik polarisiert und desinformiert bewusst. Sie macht Beamt*innen zur Zielscheibe, schwächt Vertrauen – und ist gefährlich für unsere Demokratie.
#DemocracyUnderPressure
www.nius.de/politik/news...

Der linke Beamten-Deepstate im Bundesfamilienministerium | NIUS.de

Familienministerin Karin Prien (CDU) verspricht eine umfassende Reform von „Demokratie leben!“. Doch eine NIUS-Recherche zeigt: Das Bundesprogramm wird noch heute von denselben Beamten verantwortet, d...

www.nius.de

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Sacha de Wijs @sachadewijs.bsky.social · 21d

In Breakthrough, U.S. and Three Arab Powers Agree on #Sudan Peace Roadmap @crisisgroup.org

www.crisisgroup.org/rss.xml

www.crisisgroup.org

Sacha de Wijs @sachadewijs.bsky.social · Sep 1

China's Xi, Russia's Putin share vision for new global order at security forum www.reuters.com/world/china/...

China's Xi, Russia's Putin share vision for new global order at security forum

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged leaders at a regional summit to leverage their "mega-scale market", while Russian President Vladimir Putin showed support for Xi's ambition for a new global security and economic order that poses a challenge to the United States.

www.reuters.com

Sacha de Wijs @sachadewijs.bsky.social · Aug 26

Of course, the U.S. and others have meddled in foreign elections. But Beijing’s strategy in NYC shows how authoritarian influence can seep inside U.S. democracy itself — starting local, shaping who rises, and who falls.

#China #USPolitics #Democracy #Disinformation

Sacha de Wijs @sachadewijs.bsky.social · Aug 26

It goes deeper:
• A Chinese spy plotted to smear or assault dissident-turned-candidate
• One State senator lost her seat after consulate pressure over Taiwan ties
• City Council member funneled >$300k to pro-Beijing groups that backed her

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Sacha de Wijs @sachadewijs.bsky.social · Aug 26

Through “hometown associations” tied to Beijing, the Chinese consulate has:
• Defeated candidates who back Taiwan or Hong Kong democracy
• Endorsed and funded pro-CCP politicians
• Steered government money back into Beijing-aligned nonprofits

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Sacha de Wijs @sachadewijs.bsky.social · Aug 26

Fascinating @nytimes.com investigation: China’s influence in U.S. politics doesn’t just play out in DC — it starts in local elections. 🧵 www.nytimes.com/2025/08/25/n...

How China Influences Elections in America’s Biggest City

www.nytimes.com

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Sacha de Wijs @sachadewijs.bsky.social · Aug 24

In leadership — whether in government, business, or civil society — truth must never become a loyalty test. The cost of distortion is strategic failure.

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Pentagon fires intelligence chief after Iran attack assessment

The firing comes just weeks after a White House rebuke of a leaked intelligence report assessing the impact of US strikes on Iran.

www.bbc.com

Sacha de Wijs @sachadewijs.bsky.social · Aug 17

No concessions, no ceasefire: how Putin outplayed Trump in Anchorage www.ft.com/content/2866...

No concessions, no ceasefire: how Putin outplayed Trump in Anchorage

Russia’s leader seems to have drawn the US president closer to Moscow’s position on the Ukraine war

www.ft.com

Sacha de Wijs @sachadewijs.bsky.social · Aug 10

#Sudan: the world’s most ignored war

14M displaced — more than Ukraine & Gaza combined.
4M fled to the poorest countries.
150K+ dead.
25M hungry.
17M kids out of school.
Cholera & malaria rampant.
No rules, no protection. No one coming @anneapplebaum.bsky.social

www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...

The Most Nihilistic Conflict on Earth

Sudan’s devastating civil war shows what will replace the liberal order: anarchy and greed.

www.theatlantic.com

Reposted by Sacha de Wijs

Tarek Megrisi @tmegrisi.bsky.social · May 5

My long read for @ecfr.eu and probably the publication im most proud of in all my years doing this.

A deep dive into how Russia retrenched in Libya, uses it to project power from Ukraine to the Sahel, and the many lessons Europe or other frontline states can learn from it

ecfr.eu/publication/...

The bear who came to tea: Russia, Libya and the Kremlin’s playbook for fragile states

Russia’s re-entrenchment in Libya, Europe’s soft underbelly, offers profound lessons on how it exploits geopolitical instability—and how Europeans can push back…

ecfr.eu

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Sacha de Wijs @sachadewijs.bsky.social · May 5

Incisive podcast by @jpuglierin.bsky.social and Mark Leonard on What’s next for Berlin under Chancellor #Merz

(Expect more executivization of foreign policy, but also more coherence, more ambitious role in defence and security + strong EU focus)

shows.acast.com/65b12b49ff5a...

@ecfr.eu

https://shows.acast.com/65b12b49ff5af1…

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Reposted by Sacha de Wijs

Hannah Neumann @hneumannmep.bsky.social · Apr 25

Europa investiert in Verteidigung – aber immer noch zu langsam, zu ineffizient und zu national.

🪖 20 von 28 NATO-Staaten in Europa investieren inzwischen über 2 % ihres BIP in Verteidigung. Doch diese Investitionen verlaufen zu unkoordiniert und deshalb ineffizient. (1/7)

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Sacha de Wijs @sachadewijs.bsky.social · Apr 25

🇩🇪MP @rodki.bsky.social rightly calls Trump’s proposed #Ukraine peace plan a “capitulation document,” warning it would legitimize Russia’s war of aggression.“Europe’s security is at stake.” If Putin is rewarded for invading Ukraine, it won’t end with Ukraine www.deutschlandfunk.de/cdu-aussenpo...

US-Vorschlag zur Beendigung des Krieges in der Ukraine - CDU-Außenpolitiker Kiesewetter spricht von "Kapitulationsurkunde"

Der CDU-Außenpolitiker Kiesewetter hat den Vorschlag von US-Präsident Trump zur Beendigung des russischen Krieges gegen die Ukraine als "Kapitulationsurkunde" bezeichnet.

www.deutschlandfunk.de

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Sacha de Wijs @sachadewijs.bsky.social · Apr 24

Russian attacks on Kyiv kill nine as Trump accuses Zelensky of preventing peace

www.bbc.com/news/live/cv...

Ukraine war: Russian attacks on Kyiv kill nine as Trump accuses Zelensky of preventing peace

As President Zelensky insists Ukraine will not accept losing Crimea, Trump says the Ukrainian president is

www.bbc.com