Part of the Pégase exercise , with France flexing its airborne nuclear deterrent muscle. bsky.app/profile/arme...

Interestingly direct comments by the ambassador suggesting Sweden is covered by the French nuclear umbrella, I don't think Macron has been much more specific than to say there is a European aspect to France's vital interests.

However, I don't know the basis for the assessment by Brekelmans. His speech is here, in Dutch: www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten/t...

First reported end-Jan 2022 afaik but your point stands. Dismissed as scaremongering by Ukraine's deputy defense minister at the time... On Feb. 17 2022, Austin was still saying Russia might use shelling/ false-flag attack to justify a conflict, without saying an invasion was imminent.

I’ll flag Dutch military intelligence saying Russia could be ready for a major troop movement — for example to the Baltic borders — a year after a halt to the fighting in Ukraine… www.defensenews.com/global/europ...

FWIW, response from French Foreign Trade Ministry today as reported by AFP: "American interference in the inclusion policies of French companies, like the threat of unjustified customs duties, is unacceptable. France and Europe will defend their companies, their consumers, but also their values."

Well, Roche got CHF28.9 billion of 2024 sales from the U.S., or 48% of its total revenue. And management has a fiduciary duty to shareholders... that is indeed how it works in publicly traded for-profit companies.

Since Les Echos broke this only late Friday afternoon, debate still needs to gear up, more clarity by Monday I suspect, after the political interviews over the weekend.

The “preemptive disobedience”may be a little unfair to them, I understand Roche resisted and was told by the US government to comply or risk losing their ability to sell to the US government. Roche vice-Chairman André Hoffmann from the controlling family has been disparaging of Trump.

True for now, but they were able to replace Turkey, and the vibe from European air force officers at the Paris security forum earlier this month was that they’d be able to do the same for other partners if push came to shove, even if it might take a few years.