Mujtaba Rahman
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mijrahman.bsky.social
Mujtaba Rahman
@mijrahman.bsky.social
Managing Director, Europe and co-head of London office, Eurasia Group. Formerly HM Treasury and European Commission. Senior Research Fellow, LSE European Institute. ECFR Council Member. My views. Seeking analytical truth

https://www.eurasiagroup.net
Pinned
I've put together a starter pack for smart voices on EU politics

I learned a lot from these accounts on Twitter

There are gaps - either because I've missed people or because they're not yet on BlueSky, so pls send suggestions and I'll amend periodically

go.bsky.app/2QjVmxC
Reposted by Mujtaba Rahman
A US-imposed annexation of Greenland, even with a bombardment of dollars, not missiles, would be one humiliation too far the Europeans.

Our expert @mijrahman.bsky.social on how the Greenland crisis could break NATO:

@time.com
The Greenland Crisis Could Break NATO
U.S. annexation would undo the transatlantic alliance, and cause irreparable damage to the E.U., writes Mujtaba Rahman.
time.com
January 7, 2026 at 4:51 PM
Reposted by Mujtaba Rahman
Where do things sit in the US/European Greenland crisis?

My piece for TIME on Trump's Greenland obsession: The Greenland Crisis could break NATO

time.com/7344268/us-t...
The Greenland Crisis Could Break NATO
U.S. annexation would undo the transatlantic alliance, and cause irreparable damage to the E.U., writes Mujtaba Rahman.
time.com
January 7, 2026 at 2:57 PM
Where do things sit in the US/European Greenland crisis?

My piece for TIME on Trump's Greenland obsession: The Greenland Crisis could break NATO

time.com/7344268/us-t...
The Greenland Crisis Could Break NATO
U.S. annexation would undo the transatlantic alliance, and cause irreparable damage to the E.U., writes Mujtaba Rahman.
time.com
January 7, 2026 at 2:57 PM
Vladimir Putin must have observed with astonished delight the meeting of the Nato “coalition of the willing” in Paris yesterday. Progress was made towards preventing a putative second (or third) Russian invasion of Ukraine while European fears turned to a possible US invasion of part of NATO. 1/
January 7, 2026 at 10:55 AM
Long form interview by yours truly for Denmark's Borsen on Greenland - and the implications for Europe and the transatlantic alliance
January 7, 2026 at 8:59 AM
“The US is exploring options including “utilising the US military” to acquire Greenland, the semi-autonomous Danish territory, the White House said on Tuesday”.

www.ft.com/content/2848...
US says using military is among ‘options’ to acquire Greenland
White House says annexation of semi-autonomous territory from Denmark is ‘national security priority’
www.ft.com
January 6, 2026 at 9:39 PM
What worries me about this statement is the number of European countries that chose not to join it

And whether Macron, Merz, Meloni, Tusk, Sanchez and Starmer will continue to stand up to the US if the Administration actually attempts annexation
January 6, 2026 at 8:22 PM
🇩🇰 goal of keeping 🇬🇱 out of the headlines & avoiding megaphone diplomacy is over. They're leaning in - rightly

🇩🇰 PM: “I believe one should take the 🇺🇸 president seriously when he says he wants 🇬🇱. But if the US chooses to attack another NATO country militarily, then everything stops, including NATO.”
January 5, 2026 at 9:28 PM
The ability of the U.K. to play both sides - reset with the EU while seeking proximity to Trump - is going to hit a wall in 2026 if the US advances its plan to annex Greenland (which it will)
January 5, 2026 at 12:58 PM
A belated condemnation of Trump's Venezuela coup by President Macron today. He told the French government cabinet meeting that he " neither supported nor approved" the way that Maduro was removed from power

www.lefigaro.fr/internationa...
EN DIRECT - Venezuela : Emmanuel Macron affirme que la France «n’approuve pas» la «méthode» pour renverser Nicolas Maduro
Donald Trump a assuré dimanche que les États-Unis étaient désormais «aux commandes» au Venezuela à la suite de la capture du président Nicolás Maduro. «Cuba est prêt à tomber», a aussi déclaré le prés...
www.lefigaro.fr
January 5, 2026 at 12:12 PM
My thoughts to POLITICO Europe regarding Trump's designs on Greenland

“Methods would likely differ from those employed in Venezuela. Instead of a military operation, Washington could resort to a political influence campaign to shift the current equilibrium.”

www.politico.eu/newsletter/b...
Is Greenland next?
Presented by Mediterranea Saving Humans By NICHOLAS VINOCUR PRESENTED BY Send tips here | Contact us on X @gerardofortuna @NicholasVinocur | Listen to Playbook and view in your browser GREETINGS. I…
www.politico.eu
January 5, 2026 at 10:28 AM
As I've long argued, the Greenland risk is underpriced

A possible US intervention in Greenland is the biggest source of risk to the transatlantic alliance and intra-NATO and intra-EU cohesion, arguably far greater than those presented by
Russia's invasion of Ukraine
January 4, 2026 at 4:04 PM
European weakness on full display by these horribly contorted responses from Merz, Macron and Starmer - neither condoning nor condemning US actions in Venezuela

Such weakness only risks making the Europeans more vulnerable (ie Greenland)
January 3, 2026 at 7:43 PM
One step too far in Trump appeasement. Problem if Bardella appears a greater defender of the international order than Macron. But he and all the Europeans are terrified of losing even partial US support in Ukraine. A mess
January 3, 2026 at 7:21 PM
Bardella and Le Pen are being clever, but hypocritical. The French far right has always been anti American, even during the Cold War. But they have been less wholehearted in their condemnation of Russian expansionism/imperialism
January 3, 2026 at 4:21 PM
Trump's audacious and probably illegal capture of a Venezuelan leader of doubtful legality suggests he believes he has the right to intervene, i.e. grab what he wants, anywhere in the western hemisphere. Europe, already worried by Trump's Greenland rhetoric, has been warned
January 3, 2026 at 1:30 PM
Excellent thread by @robfordmancs.bsky.social

I also believe that Starmer's tenure as PM will come to an abrupt end in 2026. Will we be wrong?
Time for some more 2026 predictions, I've covered everything from Trump to beans so far, but now we get on to the hard stuff: polls, leaders, seats - follow on in the thread below
No idea but as an avid baked bean consumer I hope we aren’t going to face shortages or price spikes

bsky.app/profile/maai...
December 30, 2025 at 9:54 PM
This is the first time Macron has retaliated so angrily against the provocations of his alleged "friend" Donald Trump. The policy of appeasement and flattery is breaking down.
December 24, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Well said @ec.europa.eu

“The EU is an open, rules-based single market, with the sovereign right to regulate economic activity in line with our democratic values and international commitments”

www.ft.com/content/c4e7...
US bars former EU commissioner Thierry Breton and others over tech rules
France hits out at visa sanctions as Washington targets what it calls the ‘global censorship-industrial complex’
www.ft.com
December 24, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Reposting my @politico.eu piece from October, in light of Jeff Landry's appointment as special envoy, on how the Greenland risk is underpriced and could become the biggest risk to transatlantic relations

www.politico.eu/article/gree...
Greenland could become biggest car crash in transatlantic relations
The Danes are right: If the U.S. president presses ahead in the autonomous territory, others can and will follow elsewhere.
www.politico.eu
December 23, 2025 at 10:26 AM
Some thoughts from me in this very good FT analysis piece on the evolving nature of the Franco-German alliance

www.ft.com/content/99d2...
Role reversal: how foot-dragging France blindsided newly assertive Berlin
As Friedrich Merz pushed to finalise a deal on Russian frozen assets, it became clear that he was missing one key ally
www.ft.com
December 21, 2025 at 10:05 AM
Symbols matter. Yesterday's European Council was not about the narrow question of financing Ukraine (or how that's achieved), but the geopolitics: It was essential to demonstrate decisiveness, unity and strength and the EU vm failed to deliver 1/
December 20, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Reposted by Mujtaba Rahman
“Europe always works on the basis of muddling through,” says our expert @mijrahman.bsky.social following the EU’s compromise to help finance Ukraine.

“A much more decisive signal could have been sent, and they failed to do that.”
Europe Funnels Billions to Ukraine but Wobbles Geopolitically
www.nytimes.com
December 19, 2025 at 6:41 PM