Mats Engström
@matsengstrom.bsky.social
Senior policy fellow ECFR, IEEP Associate. These are my personal views.
Att svenska beslutsfattare håller god min gentemot presidenten och litar till långvariga kontakter med amerikanska toppmilitärer och tjänstemän gick hyfsat under Donald Trumps första period. Det kommer inte att fungera denna gång. www.aftonbladet.se/debatt/a/7p0...
Nu är det bråttom att minska USA-beroendet
DEBATT. Donald Trump är elefanten i Sälen. När Rikskonferensen Folk och Försvar börjar på söndag är den militära attacken på Venezuela och planerna att ta över
www.aftonbladet.se
January 7, 2026 at 4:42 PM
Att svenska beslutsfattare håller god min gentemot presidenten och litar till långvariga kontakter med amerikanska toppmilitärer och tjänstemän gick hyfsat under Donald Trumps första period. Det kommer inte att fungera denna gång. www.aftonbladet.se/debatt/a/7p0...
Venezuela och hoten om Grönland visar att Sveriges säkerhetspolitiska makthavare snabbt behöver ändra sina tankemönster och finna alternativ till USA-beroendet, skriver jag i Aftonbladet. //www.aftonbladet.se/debatt/a/7p0WyB/nu-ar-det-brattom-att-minska-usa-beroendet #fofrk #föpol
Nu är det bråttom att minska USA-beroendet
DEBATT. Donald Trump är elefanten i Sälen. När Rikskonferensen Folk och Försvar börjar på söndag är den militära attacken på Venezuela och planerna att ta över
www.aftonbladet.se
January 7, 2026 at 2:39 PM
Reposted by Mats Engström
English speaking newspapers don’t seem to have picked up on Trump administration threats of sanctions against judges in current appeals case involving Marine LePen’s indictment regarding European Parliament fund embezzling which could cost her the right to run for president next year.
Affaire des assistants parlementaires du FN : le président du tribunal de Paris met en garde contre une éventuelle « ingérence » américaine avant le procès en appel
Affaire des assistants parlementaires du FN : le président du tribunal de Paris met en garde contre une éventuelle « ingérence » américaine avant le procès en appel
A partir du 13 janvier et jusqu’à la mi-février, la cheffe de file de l’extrême droite, Marine Le Pen, et onze autres prévenus vont être jugés par la cour d’appel de Paris, soupçonnés d’avoir détourné l’argent du Parlement européen au seul profit du parti.
www.lemonde.fr
January 6, 2026 at 8:31 PM
English speaking newspapers don’t seem to have picked up on Trump administration threats of sanctions against judges in current appeals case involving Marine LePen’s indictment regarding European Parliament fund embezzling which could cost her the right to run for president next year.
Reposted by Mats Engström
En del av farhågorna inför Sveriges Natomedlemskap materialiseras nu. Även om den fulla vidden var svår att förutse finns här en del generella lärdomar om säkerhetspolitik. I denna essä betonar jag behovet av långsiktighet och ställer fem centrala frågor framåt.
www.aftonbladet.se/kultur/a/oEp...
www.aftonbladet.se/kultur/a/oEp...
Kanske är Sverige nu ett legitimt mål för Ryssland
LINUS HAGSTRÖM Fem centrala frågor i svensk säkerhetspolitik
www.aftonbladet.se
January 7, 2026 at 8:42 AM
En del av farhågorna inför Sveriges Natomedlemskap materialiseras nu. Även om den fulla vidden var svår att förutse finns här en del generella lärdomar om säkerhetspolitik. I denna essä betonar jag behovet av långsiktighet och ställer fem centrala frågor framåt.
www.aftonbladet.se/kultur/a/oEp...
www.aftonbladet.se/kultur/a/oEp...
Svenska Gripen-plan för att försvara Ukraina mot Ryssland innebär risker. Man får anta att Ulf Kristersson förankrat sitt löfte bland riksdagspartierna. Den logiska konsekvensen är att öka anslagen till civila försvaret redan i vårens extrabudget och förbereda svenskarna på vad krig innebär. #fofrk
January 7, 2026 at 8:51 AM
Svenska Gripen-plan för att försvara Ukraina mot Ryssland innebär risker. Man får anta att Ulf Kristersson förankrat sitt löfte bland riksdagspartierna. Den logiska konsekvensen är att öka anslagen till civila försvaret redan i vårens extrabudget och förbereda svenskarna på vad krig innebär. #fofrk
Reposted by Mats Engström
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has said that an attack on Greenland would end NATO. This is not an exaggeration.
US intentions towards Greenland threaten NATO’s future. But European countries are not helpless
US threats to annex Greenland following the attack on Venezuela should be taken seriously. European countries have important leverage they should be prepared to use.
www.chathamhouse.org
January 7, 2026 at 6:00 AM
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has said that an attack on Greenland would end NATO. This is not an exaggeration.
Reposted by Mats Engström
Ursula von der Leyen propose de débloquer 45 milliards d’euros pour les agriculteurs afin de rallier leur soutien à l’accord UE-Mercosur
Ursula von der Leyen propose de débloquer 45 milliards d’euros pour les agriculteurs afin de rallier leur soutien à l’accord UE-Mercosur
La Commission européenne propose d’augmenter les fonds disponibles pour l’agriculture dans le cadre du prochain budget à long terme de l’UE, afin de convaincre les pays réticents de soutenir l’accord commercial avec le Mercosur.
The post Ursula von der Leyen propose de débloquer 45 milliards d’euros pour les agriculteurs afin de rallier leur soutien à l’accord UE-Mercosur appeared first on Euractiv FR .
euractiv.fr
January 6, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Ursula von der Leyen propose de débloquer 45 milliards d’euros pour les agriculteurs afin de rallier leur soutien à l’accord UE-Mercosur
Reposted by Mats Engström
At the end of last year, a German official said the German position on security and defence should be to stay transatlantic as long as possible, and become more European as quickly as possible.
I wonder if the timelines and calculations for both are already changing due to recent events.
I wonder if the timelines and calculations for both are already changing due to recent events.
January 6, 2026 at 5:05 PM
At the end of last year, a German official said the German position on security and defence should be to stay transatlantic as long as possible, and become more European as quickly as possible.
I wonder if the timelines and calculations for both are already changing due to recent events.
I wonder if the timelines and calculations for both are already changing due to recent events.
Reposted by Mats Engström
Simplification must not come at the expense of rights, and complexity cannot be cured by deregulation alone.
HERWIG HOFMANN explains why the Digital Omnibus risks deepening legal uncertainty – and what real simplification of the EU’s digital acquis would require.
verfassungsblog.de/this-is-not-...
HERWIG HOFMANN explains why the Digital Omnibus risks deepening legal uncertainty – and what real simplification of the EU’s digital acquis would require.
verfassungsblog.de/this-is-not-...
January 3, 2026 at 2:32 PM
Simplification must not come at the expense of rights, and complexity cannot be cured by deregulation alone.
HERWIG HOFMANN explains why the Digital Omnibus risks deepening legal uncertainty – and what real simplification of the EU’s digital acquis would require.
verfassungsblog.de/this-is-not-...
HERWIG HOFMANN explains why the Digital Omnibus risks deepening legal uncertainty – and what real simplification of the EU’s digital acquis would require.
verfassungsblog.de/this-is-not-...
Reposted by Mats Engström
🧤🏗️⛑️“Standards make a huge difference in workplaces across Europe"
💡Our Deputy Secretary General @cmstahl.bsky.social shares why standards matter to workers and what trade unions expect from the revision of EU Regulation 1025/2012 on #standardisation
👉 Full interview here shorturl.at/2yND0
💡Our Deputy Secretary General @cmstahl.bsky.social shares why standards matter to workers and what trade unions expect from the revision of EU Regulation 1025/2012 on #standardisation
👉 Full interview here shorturl.at/2yND0
January 6, 2026 at 9:56 AM
🧤🏗️⛑️“Standards make a huge difference in workplaces across Europe"
💡Our Deputy Secretary General @cmstahl.bsky.social shares why standards matter to workers and what trade unions expect from the revision of EU Regulation 1025/2012 on #standardisation
👉 Full interview here shorturl.at/2yND0
💡Our Deputy Secretary General @cmstahl.bsky.social shares why standards matter to workers and what trade unions expect from the revision of EU Regulation 1025/2012 on #standardisation
👉 Full interview here shorturl.at/2yND0
"TEPCO, which serves the Tokyo metropolitan area and the wider Kanto region, will state in the plan that it will supply "more than 60% of electricity from carbon-free sources" in its service area by fiscal 2040, up from 20% or more in fiscal 2024" asia.nikkei.com/business/ene...
Japan's TEPCO to spend $70bn over 10 years to meet power need
Share of carbon-free electricity generation planned to rise to 60% from 20%
asia.nikkei.com
January 6, 2026 at 7:08 AM
"TEPCO, which serves the Tokyo metropolitan area and the wider Kanto region, will state in the plan that it will supply "more than 60% of electricity from carbon-free sources" in its service area by fiscal 2040, up from 20% or more in fiscal 2024" asia.nikkei.com/business/ene...
Reposted by Mats Engström
This was 💯 Putin‘s reasoning when invading Crimea, Donbas and the whole of Ukraine — just here coming from the White House with regard to annexing Greenland.
TAPPER: Can you rule out the US is going to take Greenland by force?
MILLER: Greenland should be part of the US. By what right does Denmark assert control over Greenland? The US is the power of NATO
T: So force is on the table?
M: Nobody is gonna fight the US militarily over future of Greenland
MILLER: Greenland should be part of the US. By what right does Denmark assert control over Greenland? The US is the power of NATO
T: So force is on the table?
M: Nobody is gonna fight the US militarily over future of Greenland
January 6, 2026 at 6:27 AM
This was 💯 Putin‘s reasoning when invading Crimea, Donbas and the whole of Ukraine — just here coming from the White House with regard to annexing Greenland.
'Trump is gearing up for his return to the global forum, where the theme this year is “a spirit of dialogue”'
www.ft.com/content/97e2...
www.ft.com/content/97e2...
Home - Financial Times
News, analysis and opinion from the Financial Times on the latest in markets, economics and politics
FT.com
January 6, 2026 at 6:19 AM
'Trump is gearing up for his return to the global forum, where the theme this year is “a spirit of dialogue”'
www.ft.com/content/97e2...
www.ft.com/content/97e2...
Reposted by Mats Engström
the number one risk this year is the us political revolution.
trump is systematically dismantling checks on his power and weaponizing government against his enemies. (as he and his supporters believe they have weaponized it against him)
trump is systematically dismantling checks on his power and weaponizing government against his enemies. (as he and his supporters believe they have weaponized it against him)
Risk #1: US political revolution | Ian Bremmer on 2026's Top Risks
YouTube video by GZERO Media
www.youtube.com
January 5, 2026 at 7:44 PM
the number one risk this year is the us political revolution.
trump is systematically dismantling checks on his power and weaponizing government against his enemies. (as he and his supporters believe they have weaponized it against him)
trump is systematically dismantling checks on his power and weaponizing government against his enemies. (as he and his supporters believe they have weaponized it against him)
Reposted by Mats Engström
The US has loads of military installations in Europe. It likes to pretend this is for Europe’s protection, but this is only partly true. Ramstein, as mentioned here by the Greens’FP expert is a good example. If the US decides to attack Greenland, throwing out US mil installations should be discussed
Deutschland muss jetzt schnell sagen, welchen Preis die USA zahlen werden, sollten sie wirklich versuchen Grönland einzunehmen.
(Selbstverständlich hinter den Kulissen.)
Konsequenzen müssen angedroht werden. Alles muss auf den Tisch. Ramstein gehört ganz oben auf den Stapel.
(Selbstverständlich hinter den Kulissen.)
Konsequenzen müssen angedroht werden. Alles muss auf den Tisch. Ramstein gehört ganz oben auf den Stapel.
January 5, 2026 at 10:54 AM
The US has loads of military installations in Europe. It likes to pretend this is for Europe’s protection, but this is only partly true. Ramstein, as mentioned here by the Greens’FP expert is a good example. If the US decides to attack Greenland, throwing out US mil installations should be discussed
Reposted by Mats Engström
There it is.
If any EU leaders were hoping they could stay out of the Greenland spat, they need to think again
If any EU leaders were hoping they could stay out of the Greenland spat, they need to think again
Trump: "We need Greenland from a national security situation. It's so strategic. Right now, Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place. We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security. And Denmark is not gonna be able to do it ... the EU needs us to have it"
January 5, 2026 at 5:39 AM
There it is.
If any EU leaders were hoping they could stay out of the Greenland spat, they need to think again
If any EU leaders were hoping they could stay out of the Greenland spat, they need to think again
Reposted by Mats Engström
That means Maduro & Venezuela can invoke that Maduro has personal immunity against arrest, criminal investigation & prosecution. If US judges don't recognize such immunity (or that Maduro is the president of Venezuela) it opens up for other states to act similarly, potentially against US interests.
Rodriguez: "We demand the immediate release of our President, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife Cilia Flores"
Rodriguez says that Maduro is still the President of Venezuela.
Rodriguez says that Maduro is still the President of Venezuela.
January 4, 2026 at 7:42 PM
That means Maduro & Venezuela can invoke that Maduro has personal immunity against arrest, criminal investigation & prosecution. If US judges don't recognize such immunity (or that Maduro is the president of Venezuela) it opens up for other states to act similarly, potentially against US interests.
Reposted by Mats Engström
Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Uruguay, and Spain have issued a joint statement about the US's military intervention in Venezuela.
elpais.com/america/2026...
elpais.com/america/2026...
January 4, 2026 at 5:39 PM
Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Uruguay, and Spain have issued a joint statement about the US's military intervention in Venezuela.
elpais.com/america/2026...
elpais.com/america/2026...
Reposted by Mats Engström
The reason is simple: We don't have 2000 soldiers.
European countries need to not only acknowledge the fact that U.S. is no longer an ally, but also the urgent need for rearmament.
European countries need to not only acknowledge the fact that U.S. is no longer an ally, but also the urgent need for rearmament.
Denmark's gov & EU continues to be in complete denial over the threat from US.
They still think #appeasement is a strategy. Its not. Its #copium
and criminally neglect of duty.
Venezuela is being robbed of its oil, while EUr&DK clapped.
Why has DK not sent say 2000 soldiers to Nuuk already?
>
They still think #appeasement is a strategy. Its not. Its #copium
and criminally neglect of duty.
Venezuela is being robbed of its oil, while EUr&DK clapped.
Why has DK not sent say 2000 soldiers to Nuuk already?
>
From the wife of the White House Deputy Chief of Staff.
Europe, don't say you weren't warned.
Europe, don't say you weren't warned.
January 4, 2026 at 6:08 AM
The reason is simple: We don't have 2000 soldiers.
European countries need to not only acknowledge the fact that U.S. is no longer an ally, but also the urgent need for rearmament.
European countries need to not only acknowledge the fact that U.S. is no longer an ally, but also the urgent need for rearmament.
Once again, very divergent positions of EU leaders on US actions and international law. #Venezuela
January 3, 2026 at 7:31 PM
Once again, very divergent positions of EU leaders on US actions and international law. #Venezuela
Reposted by Mats Engström
"Big oil spent $445m in last election cycle to influence Trump and Congress, report says.
Investments ‘likely to pay dividends’, analysis says..." #ICYMI www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Investments ‘likely to pay dividends’, analysis says..." #ICYMI www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Big oil spent $445m in last election cycle to influence Trump and Congress, report says
Investments ‘likely to pay dividends’, analysis says, as Trump unleashes dozens of pro-fossil fuel executive actions
www.theguardian.com
January 3, 2026 at 7:02 PM
"Big oil spent $445m in last election cycle to influence Trump and Congress, report says.
Investments ‘likely to pay dividends’, analysis says..." #ICYMI www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Investments ‘likely to pay dividends’, analysis says..." #ICYMI www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Reposted by Mats Engström
🔴 DIRECTO | El secretario general de la ONU, António Guterres, ha expresado este sábado su “profunda alarma” por la reciente “escalada de tensión en Venezuela”.
📷 Europa Press/Eskinder Debebe
🔗 social.elpais.com/qkw…
📷 Europa Press/Eskinder Debebe
🔗 social.elpais.com/qkw…
January 3, 2026 at 2:58 PM
🔴 DIRECTO | El secretario general de la ONU, António Guterres, ha expresado este sábado su “profunda alarma” por la reciente “escalada de tensión en Venezuela”.
📷 Europa Press/Eskinder Debebe
🔗 social.elpais.com/qkw…
📷 Europa Press/Eskinder Debebe
🔗 social.elpais.com/qkw…
Reposted by Mats Engström
JD Vance's stated justification, drugs and:
"Stolen oil"
"Stolen oil"
January 3, 2026 at 2:27 PM
JD Vance's stated justification, drugs and:
"Stolen oil"
"Stolen oil"
Reposted by Mats Engström
Det som händer i Caracas kommer påverka vad som sker i Ukraina, Taiwan och på Grönland.
arbetet.se/2026/01/03/d...
arbetet.se/2026/01/03/d...
Därför bombar Donald Trump Venezuela
För Europa är lärdomen tydlig. Värdegemenskapen gäller bara så länge USA finner det förenligt med sina egna intressen, skriver Arbetets politiska redaktör.
arbetet.se
January 3, 2026 at 10:58 AM
Det som händer i Caracas kommer påverka vad som sker i Ukraina, Taiwan och på Grönland.
arbetet.se/2026/01/03/d...
arbetet.se/2026/01/03/d...
Reposted by Mats Engström
We'll see if the Oslo committee did much better when it gave the Peace prize to Ms Machado?
A very embarrassing moment for the FIFA Peace Prize committee
JUST IN: Trump says the U.S. has captured Maduro and his wife and flown them out of the country.
January 3, 2026 at 10:15 AM
We'll see if the Oslo committee did much better when it gave the Peace prize to Ms Machado?