Lynn Nikkanen
@lynnnikkanen.bsky.social
Concerned Brit based in Finland. #FBPE 🌊 #SlavaUkraini! writ large
Europhile, cinephile, political animal, reader, listener, watcher, learner.
Non-fiction copyeditor, lapsed teacher, dedicated follower of facts.
Europhile, cinephile, political animal, reader, listener, watcher, learner.
Non-fiction copyeditor, lapsed teacher, dedicated follower of facts.
Reposted by Lynn Nikkanen
Is the tide turning? New post on my Brexit & Brexitism Blog. Renewed talk of a customs union may well come to nothing, but rapidly changing geo-politics mean the UK needs urgently to face up to the failure of the entire Brexit ‘strategy’: chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2025/12/is-t...
December 12, 2025 at 7:23 AM
Is the tide turning? New post on my Brexit & Brexitism Blog. Renewed talk of a customs union may well come to nothing, but rapidly changing geo-politics mean the UK needs urgently to face up to the failure of the entire Brexit ‘strategy’: chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2025/12/is-t...
Reposted by Lynn Nikkanen
And Ukrainian journalists, civil society, and legal institutions still work.
The baroque corruption schemes playing out in America and Russia completely outclass the kickback scandal in Ukraine.
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
Trumpian Corruption Is Worse Than Ukrainian Corruption
The people of Ukraine want an honest government, even as American and Russian kleptocrats circle their country.
www.theatlantic.com
December 7, 2025 at 7:54 PM
And Ukrainian journalists, civil society, and legal institutions still work.
Reposted by Lynn Nikkanen
Superb as always from @chrisgrey.bsky.social following the threads linking Brexit to: the UK’s particularly dire Covid pandemic, enemy (Russian) influence in UK politics, economic weakness (hence higher taxes and/or lower spending) and anti-immigration obsession devoid of compassion or common sense
Brexit reminders. New post on my Brexit & Brexitism Blog. Brexit may not be in the headlines, but many current news stories carry reminders of it, including the Hallett Inquiry report, the Gill scandal, the Budget & the latest net migration figures: chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2025/11/brex...
November 29, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Superb as always from @chrisgrey.bsky.social following the threads linking Brexit to: the UK’s particularly dire Covid pandemic, enemy (Russian) influence in UK politics, economic weakness (hence higher taxes and/or lower spending) and anti-immigration obsession devoid of compassion or common sense
Reposted by Lynn Nikkanen
Please sign and repost. Ta!
Takes a few seconds and this is definitely needed so please do your bit.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...
Petition: Call a public inquiry into Russian influence on UK politics & democracy
We are concerned about reported efforts from Russia to influence democracy in the US, UK, Europe and elsewhere. We believe we must establish the depth and breadth of possible Russian influence campaig...
petition.parliament.uk
November 29, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Please sign and repost. Ta!
Reposted by Lynn Nikkanen
The Witkoff-Dmitriev plan is even more amateurish than I imagined. It favours Russia although does contain elements that Russia will not like. Premature leaking means that it is no more than work in progress. Here is an annotated version (This is free). open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...?
The Witkoff-Dmitriev peace plan annotated
We now know a bit more about the process which led to the new peace plan and we now have a copy of its contents, to which I will turn soon.
open.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 11:36 AM
The Witkoff-Dmitriev plan is even more amateurish than I imagined. It favours Russia although does contain elements that Russia will not like. Premature leaking means that it is no more than work in progress. Here is an annotated version (This is free). open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...?
Reposted by Lynn Nikkanen
Stasis, sanctimony and the liberal paradox. New post on my Brexit & Brexitism Blog with such Brexit news as there is, but mainly analysis of what 'responsible Farage' tells us about the tensions in Reform and what the BBC row tells us about Brexitism: chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2025/11/stas...
November 14, 2025 at 7:55 AM
Stasis, sanctimony and the liberal paradox. New post on my Brexit & Brexitism Blog with such Brexit news as there is, but mainly analysis of what 'responsible Farage' tells us about the tensions in Reform and what the BBC row tells us about Brexitism: chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2025/11/stas...
Reposted by Lynn Nikkanen
Vital piece of investigative reporting from Sky. They've uncovered the X algorithm which feeds users extremist right wing material from the moment they join the site. It is a far-right radicalisation engine, by design.
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
news.sky.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:23 AM
Vital piece of investigative reporting from Sky. They've uncovered the X algorithm which feeds users extremist right wing material from the moment they join the site. It is a far-right radicalisation engine, by design.
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
Reposted by Lynn Nikkanen
Today, nine years since its launch, my (now fortnightly) Brexit & Brexitism Blog (as it's now called) had its 11 millionth visit. Many thanks to all who have visited, or who read posts via the email feed, and to those who have helped promote it. chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com
October 25, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Today, nine years since its launch, my (now fortnightly) Brexit & Brexitism Blog (as it's now called) had its 11 millionth visit. Many thanks to all who have visited, or who read posts via the email feed, and to those who have helped promote it. chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com
Reposted by Lynn Nikkanen
My compliments to all the UK newspaper editors who went for a Robert Redford cover image today instead of the state visit.
September 17, 2025 at 3:39 PM
My compliments to all the UK newspaper editors who went for a Robert Redford cover image today instead of the state visit.
Reposted by Lynn Nikkanen
Musk is inciting violence on London's streets.Tommy Robinson is financed by US tech bros. These are all very direct attempts to destabilise the British state.
Starmer needs to stand up to this. A government that doesn't defend its country's values against these blatant attacks is not doing its job.
Starmer needs to stand up to this. A government that doesn't defend its country's values against these blatant attacks is not doing its job.
My colleague @thejohnsimpson.bsky.social has done a terrific deep dive into the financial links between US tech billionaires and Tommy Robinson
Well worth a read
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
Well worth a read
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
US cash turned Tommy Robinson into the poster boy of UK f...
Outside the Old Bailey in 2018, a reinvented Tommy Robinson flashed his perfect new teeth to 2,000 diehard supporters at a “free Tommy” rally on a stage ...
observer.co.uk
September 14, 2025 at 7:30 AM
Musk is inciting violence on London's streets.Tommy Robinson is financed by US tech bros. These are all very direct attempts to destabilise the British state.
Starmer needs to stand up to this. A government that doesn't defend its country's values against these blatant attacks is not doing its job.
Starmer needs to stand up to this. A government that doesn't defend its country's values against these blatant attacks is not doing its job.
Reposted by Lynn Nikkanen
Chris Grey is back. Once again delivering the sharp and nuanced analysis of the 'Brexitism' underpinning and driving our ever- more deranged politics.
From Brexit to Brexitism. New post starting the 10th year of my now retitled Brexit & Brexitism Blog, analysing the current politics of Brexit, this summer's confected crisis, and the new terrain of post-Brexit politics. Long read: chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2025/09/from... 1/2
September 6, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Chris Grey is back. Once again delivering the sharp and nuanced analysis of the 'Brexitism' underpinning and driving our ever- more deranged politics.
Reposted by Lynn Nikkanen
“It’s us who decide what kind of security guarantees we put up for Ukraine, not the Russians.” Finnish President Alexander Stubb says.
An unexpectedly pivotal figure in Ukraine negotiations speaks out
Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who has bonded with President Donald Trump over golf, gave NBC News an inside look at the White House meeting on Ukraine.
nbcnews.to
August 19, 2025 at 9:07 PM
“It’s us who decide what kind of security guarantees we put up for Ukraine, not the Russians.” Finnish President Alexander Stubb says.
Reposted by Lynn Nikkanen
Trump Has No Cards
Why would Putin need to make a deal with him?
www.theatlantic.com
August 16, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Reposted by Lynn Nikkanen
Just like Trump inviting the Taliban to Camp David, inviting Putin to Alaska stinks. The only legitimate reason for Putin to set foot in the U.S. is to arrest him as a war criminal and send him to The Hague for trial. Trump looks like a weakling trying to “Reset” with Russia.
August 9, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Just like Trump inviting the Taliban to Camp David, inviting Putin to Alaska stinks. The only legitimate reason for Putin to set foot in the U.S. is to arrest him as a war criminal and send him to The Hague for trial. Trump looks like a weakling trying to “Reset” with Russia.
Reposted by Lynn Nikkanen
Anne Applebaum explains how Trump switched side and made the US an ally of Russia.
"Donald Trump is giving Vladimir Putin every incentive to keep killing Ukrainians."
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
"Donald Trump is giving Vladimir Putin every incentive to keep killing Ukrainians."
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
The U.S. Is Switching Sides
Donald Trump is giving Vladimir Putin every incentive to keep killing Ukrainians.
www.theatlantic.com
July 4, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Anne Applebaum explains how Trump switched side and made the US an ally of Russia.
"Donald Trump is giving Vladimir Putin every incentive to keep killing Ukrainians."
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
"Donald Trump is giving Vladimir Putin every incentive to keep killing Ukrainians."
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
Reposted by Lynn Nikkanen
If the Iranian program is now gone, that's a good thing, but as strategists and military planners always warn, the “enemy gets a vote.” The Iranians may respond in ways the U.S. does not expect.
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
The United States Bombed Iran. What Comes Next?
President Trump is taking an enormous risk.
www.theatlantic.com
June 22, 2025 at 2:37 PM
If the Iranian program is now gone, that's a good thing, but as strategists and military planners always warn, the “enemy gets a vote.” The Iranians may respond in ways the U.S. does not expect.
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
Reposted by Lynn Nikkanen
June 18, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Reposted by Lynn Nikkanen
That was the reset that was. New post on my Brexit & Beyond Blog evaluating the framing and content of the UK-EU reset Summit, political reactions to it, and what it says about Labour's post-Brexit approach to the EU: chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2025/05/that...
May 24, 2025 at 8:42 AM
That was the reset that was. New post on my Brexit & Beyond Blog evaluating the framing and content of the UK-EU reset Summit, political reactions to it, and what it says about Labour's post-Brexit approach to the EU: chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2025/05/that...
Reposted by Lynn Nikkanen
⚡️Zelensky gifts pope with icon from war-torn Izium.
Zelensky presented Pope Leo XIV with the icon"Mother of God with Child," painted on an artillery box. The icon represents children "who suffered from the war, who were deliberately kidnapped and deported by Russia."
Zelensky presented Pope Leo XIV with the icon"Mother of God with Child," painted on an artillery box. The icon represents children "who suffered from the war, who were deliberately kidnapped and deported by Russia."
Zelensky meets Pope Leo XIV at Vatican
Zelensky presented the pope with a special icon, "Mother of God with Child," painted on a fragment of a box that held heavy artillery in the war-torn town of Izium.
kyivindependent.com
May 18, 2025 at 5:26 PM
⚡️Zelensky gifts pope with icon from war-torn Izium.
Zelensky presented Pope Leo XIV with the icon"Mother of God with Child," painted on an artillery box. The icon represents children "who suffered from the war, who were deliberately kidnapped and deported by Russia."
Zelensky presented Pope Leo XIV with the icon"Mother of God with Child," painted on an artillery box. The icon represents children "who suffered from the war, who were deliberately kidnapped and deported by Russia."
Reposted by Lynn Nikkanen
After 100 days of Donald Trump’s second term, we now know that Trump’s first term, his initial attempt at authoritarian primacy, was amateur hour, a fitful rehearsal, David Remnick writes.
One Hundred Days of Ineptitude
Now we know that Donald Trump’s first term, his initial attempt at authoritarian primacy, was amateur hour, a fitful rehearsal.
www.newyorker.com
April 27, 2025 at 6:24 PM
After 100 days of Donald Trump’s second term, we now know that Trump’s first term, his initial attempt at authoritarian primacy, was amateur hour, a fitful rehearsal, David Remnick writes.
Reposted by Lynn Nikkanen
Most of the damage caused by Trump's tariff plan will not be undone by its pause, Rogé Karma writes. “The world has seen things it cannot unsee”:
The Tariff Damage That Can’t Be Undone
Nothing here has ended well. In fact, it hasn’t even ended.
bit.ly
April 13, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Most of the damage caused by Trump's tariff plan will not be undone by its pause, Rogé Karma writes. “The world has seen things it cannot unsee”:
Reposted by Lynn Nikkanen
The Economist, pulling no punches.
Donald Trump has committed the most profound, harmful and unnecessary economic error in the modern era. Almost everything he said—on history, economics and the technicalities of trade—was utterly deluded econ.st/3YbbFjq
April 3, 2025 at 10:10 AM
The Economist, pulling no punches.
Reposted by Lynn Nikkanen
'"There’s a treasure chest right below Greenlanders' feet”. If only their feet could be dug through, the treasure chest could be claimed.'
So many souvenirs for JD Vance to take home from Greenland: oil, gas, minerals – and that’s just the start | Marina Hyde
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
So many souvenirs for JD Vance to take home from Greenland: oil, gas, minerals – and that’s just the start | Marina Hyde
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
So many souvenirs for JD Vance to take home from Greenland: oil, gas, minerals – and that’s just the start | Marina Hyde
The widely reviled veep and his wife may not see much of the island they’d like to annex, but the US military base will be lovely at this time of year, says Guardian columnist Marina Hyde
www.theguardian.com
March 28, 2025 at 2:38 PM
'"There’s a treasure chest right below Greenlanders' feet”. If only their feet could be dug through, the treasure chest could be claimed.'
So many souvenirs for JD Vance to take home from Greenland: oil, gas, minerals – and that’s just the start | Marina Hyde
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
So many souvenirs for JD Vance to take home from Greenland: oil, gas, minerals – and that’s just the start | Marina Hyde
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Lynn Nikkanen
Russia is now accusing Norway of militarising Svalbard (and thus violating the Svalbard Treaty).
It's complete bogus - but it could give Russia an excuse to retaliate against this Norwegian "infraction".
www.politico.eu/article/we-n... (Me @politico.eu. No paywall)
It's complete bogus - but it could give Russia an excuse to retaliate against this Norwegian "infraction".
www.politico.eu/article/we-n... (Me @politico.eu. No paywall)
We need to pay closer attention to Svalbard
NATO members and other allies would do well to start thinking about how they’d respond if Russia took action against one of its most remote geographies.
www.politico.eu
March 26, 2025 at 7:11 AM
Russia is now accusing Norway of militarising Svalbard (and thus violating the Svalbard Treaty).
It's complete bogus - but it could give Russia an excuse to retaliate against this Norwegian "infraction".
www.politico.eu/article/we-n... (Me @politico.eu. No paywall)
It's complete bogus - but it could give Russia an excuse to retaliate against this Norwegian "infraction".
www.politico.eu/article/we-n... (Me @politico.eu. No paywall)
Reposted by Lynn Nikkanen
The FT View: 'Signalgate' has revealed the sheer amateurism of the Trump White House, writes our editorial board. www.ft.com/content/7d06...
March 26, 2025 at 4:43 AM
The FT View: 'Signalgate' has revealed the sheer amateurism of the Trump White House, writes our editorial board. www.ft.com/content/7d06...