Noah Barkin
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noahbarkin.bsky.social
Noah Barkin
@noahbarkin.bsky.social
Watching πŸ‡ͺπŸ‡Ί πŸ‡¨πŸ‡³ πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ for Rhodium Group & GMF in Berlin. Sign up for my monthly newsletter (noahbarkin.substack.com)
Thanks Jeff πŸ™πŸΌ
February 10, 2026 at 3:57 PM
Reposted by Noah Barkin
Euronews "has recently explored opportunities in China, including sponsorship deals with the state-owned channel CGTN", Euractiv reports

www.euractiv.com/new...

February 10, 2026 at 11:12 AM
Marco Rubio will head to Hungary and Slovakia - both led by Russia-friendly illiberal leaders - after attending the Munich Security Conference. See my latest read on how the Trump administration is seeking to undermine the EU from within

open.substack.com/pub/nbarkin/...
Munich to Milan
The European backlash against MAGA is building
open.substack.com
February 10, 2026 at 6:37 AM
Europe is dealing with a Trump administration that is β€œopenly anti-European”, β€œshows contempt” for the EU and β€œwishes its dismemberment”, French President Emmanuel Macron tells the FT

www.ft.com/content/b5b2...
EU-US tensions over Greenland and tech are far from over, says Macron
French president calls on bloc to take the necessary steps to become a true global economic power
www.ft.com
February 10, 2026 at 6:19 AM
Two weeks before Chancellor Friedrich Merz makes his first trip to China, my Rhodium Group colleague Gregor Williams and I have taken a fresh look at the numbers behind Germany’s economic relationship with China.

rhg.com/research/ger...
Germany’s β€œChina Shock” Revisited
Over the past year, German political leaders, central bankers, business associations and unions have begun talking openly about the risks of a β€œChina shock.” The rhetoric, however, has not been matche...
rhg.com
February 10, 2026 at 5:45 AM
Keir < πŸ₯¬
"Sir Keir is the most unpopular British prime minister since records began" www.economist.com/britain/2026...
February 9, 2026 at 9:54 PM
A new piece on the growing European backlash against Trump's push to "cultivate resistance" to liberal democracy under the guise of free speech.

open.substack.com/pub/nbarkin/...
Vance in Munich - one year on
The backlash in Europe is building
open.substack.com
February 8, 2026 at 5:40 PM
Takaichi’s LDP on course for crushing victory in Japan’s elections. China’s coercive pressure campaign against her has clearly backfired

giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
Liberal Democratic Party on course for large majority in Japan election
Exit polls suggest Sanae Takaichi’s ruling party and its coalition partner could win 366 seats
giftarticle.ft.com
February 8, 2026 at 12:54 PM
A real president, worthy of the office
πŸ‡²πŸ‡©πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦ Moldovan President Sandu said that she is against her nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize, because there are more worthy candidates - Ukrainian prisoners of war.

Sandu emphasized that it is Ukrainians who are truly sacrificing themselves for the sake of peace and security in Ukraine and the EU.
February 8, 2026 at 9:11 AM
You’ll do better than Sanchez. I’m sure of it
February 7, 2026 at 11:46 AM
Fear and Loathing in Milano
February 7, 2026 at 8:04 AM
Congrats Shahin πŸ‘
February 7, 2026 at 7:34 AM
I don’t think these guys understand the level of hatred they have engendered in Europe

www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/w...
JD Vance Booed at Olympic Opening Ceremony in Milan
www.nytimes.com
February 7, 2026 at 6:49 AM
FT editorial board: β€œStarmer’s misjudgments have become a pattern and they point to a vacuum at the heart of government. This is a leader who lacks not just political vision but political judgment”

www.ft.com/content/dcfd...
Keir Starmer’s weakening grip on power
Mandelson’s ties to Epstein have damaged the prime minister, perhaps fatally
www.ft.com
February 7, 2026 at 6:42 AM
International travel to the US has plunged in the first year of Trump's second term. Erik Hansen of the US Travel Association says foreign visitors declined by roughly 11 million last year, equivalent to $50 billion in lost spending.
www.ft.com/content/8f6d...
Donald Trump’s policies dent international travel to US in blow to tourism sector
Foreign visitors to the US fell 4.2% in 2025, while international travel worldwide rose 4%
www.ft.com
February 6, 2026 at 9:45 AM
Reposted by Noah Barkin
Two new military spy scandals in Europe involving China - in Greece & France

1. In Greece, authorities arrested an air force officer on suspicion of espionage after he allegedly collected and transmitted classified military info – including material related to NATO – to China
February 6, 2026 at 7:35 AM
US government to fund Maga-aligned think-tanks and charities in Europe, with initial focus on London, Paris, Berlin and Brussels.

www.ft.com/content/f869...
US government to fund Maga-aligned think-tanks and charities in Europe
State department grants to spread β€˜American values’ are part of Washington’s 250th anniversary celebrations
www.ft.com
February 6, 2026 at 7:10 AM
The earlier belief in Berlin and other capitals was that Russia wouldn’t be able to threaten NATO until 2029 or so. There is now a growing consensus that such a crisis could come much soonerβ€”before Europe is in a position to fight back

www.wsj.com/world/europe...
A Wargame Shows Just How Vulnerable Europe Is to a Russian Attack
With America disengaging, Russia might be ready for a new war much sooner than previously estimated.
www.wsj.com
February 5, 2026 at 12:47 PM
But we can all be grateful to Bezos for giving us β€œMelania” for a tidy $40 million
February 5, 2026 at 9:45 AM
Prominent media organizations (Reuters not alone) are still treating Trump's Truth Social posts as fact instead of fiction (which is what they usually are). You need the source in this headline

www.reuters.com/world/india/...
US to cut tariffs on India to 18%, India agrees to end Russian oil purchases
A White House official told Reuters that the U.S. was rescinding a punitive 25% duty on all imports from India over its purchases of Russian oil that had stacked on top of a 25% "reciprocal" tariff ra...
www.reuters.com
February 4, 2026 at 8:25 AM
Rheinmetall is pushing into a dizzying array of technologies and geographies as boss Armin Papperger seeks to turn the German firm into a multi-domain group akin to big US defence contractors

www.ft.com/content/a326...
From arms to orbit: Rheinmetall’s expansion unsettles rivals
German group’s outspoken boss Armin Papperger wants to β€˜catch’ €300bn in European deals by 2030
www.ft.com
February 4, 2026 at 8:00 AM
Big FT story: European security officials believe Russian space vehicles have intercepted the communications of at least a dozen European satellites. This could compromise sensitive information and allow Moscow to manipulate their trajectories or even crash them
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
Russian spy spacecraft have intercepted Europe’s key satellites, officials believe
Unencrypted European communications are being targeted by Moscow
giftarticle.ft.com
February 4, 2026 at 7:32 AM
The backlash against US Big Tech is building in Europe. One to watch

www.ft.com/content/3a47...
French prosecutors raid Elon Musk’s X offices in Paris
Tech billionaire and platform’s former chief Linda Yaccarino summoned for β€˜voluntary interviews’ in April
www.ft.com
February 3, 2026 at 10:23 PM