1. 'Be not afraid!' Joe Biden quotes John Paul II in his speech in Warsaw. More than 40 years ago, the Polish Pope gave that advice. It took another 10 hard years for Poland to become free, 25 for it to be secure in the West (EU+NATO).
2. Now Ukrainians are practising that 'be not afraid!', with even more impressive courage in the face of Putin's outright terror - & winning a similar place in the world's memory - one that made it natural for Biden to refer back >40 years to #Solidarity, Lech Walȩsa, etc
3. Of course the Ukrainian path will be different, with inevitable twists & compromises along the way. But we, living comfortably in the West, have absolutely no right to tell Ukrainians to settle for less (so we can go on living comfortably). #UkraineUnderAttack
4. We must support their fight for the freedom & security we enjoy - also in our own long-term self-interest. Most Poles understand this. I think #Biden instinctively understands this. Watching the debates in Germany, France, Italy, I worry that many West Europeans do not.
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Last-minute question to EUropean friends, from someone who strongly supports the EU, abhors Brexit and deplores @BorisJohnson:
Are you really sure you have got the balance right between.... [short thread]
1. Not insignificant strategic risk of UK future potential unfair advantage in accesssing single market (tho' only for goods, w many de facto possible asymmetric countermeasures towards 80% of UK economy that is services) and, on the other hand.... on.ft.com/2W1ESwT
2. Strategic risk, in no-deal scenario, of toxic, fractious, hostile relationship with the UK for several years to come, at a time when we all more than ever need Europe to speak with one voice in the world…? thetimes.co.uk/article/brexit…
1. For non-Russian speakers here is an unofficial translation (h/t our Dahrendorf Scholar Ellen Leafstedt) of Alexei Navalny's @navalny@teamnavalny quite remarkable (and humorous - see 8.) Instagram post about his recovery. [thread of single text]
2 "Let me tell you how my recovery is going. It is already a clear path, though not a short one. All my current problems are trivial ones, like the fact that the phone in my hands feels as useless as a stone, and that anytime I pour myself some water it turns into a whole scene
3 Let me explain. Until just recently, I couldn't recognize people and couldn't understand how to talk. Every morning the doctor came to me and said, "Alexey, I brought a board, let's think of a word to write on it." This drove me into despair, because
'EU: from in the Rutte to en route.' Joking apart, the deal is a big achievement. Strange way to run a continent, but reaching consensus in Europe has always been difficult. My 5 1/2 immediate, first-reaction questions (& tentative answers)... [thread] politi.co/3g0q6yV
Q1. Will enough funds reach the right places in hard-hit south European economies fast enough to avoid worsening N/S divide in Eurozone & soaring Salvini-style Eurosceptic populism? (Tentative A: probably yes, just about.)
Q2. Will Rutte & Kurz-style 'frugal four' hard line keep in check equal and opposite north European Eurosceptic populism? (A: probably yes, just about.)
1. The #Harpersletter on free speech is excellent: carefully worded, thoughtful, important. I would wholly subscribe to it. One point where we should dig deeper, though, is the extent to which this is an inter-generational conflict... (short thread) bit.ly/2O7Ybk3
2. In many of these cases, it's a new generation (roughly <30, ie born post-1989) who are driving the outrage. Older liberals like me must stand up for vital importance of free debate & tolerance, as #Harpersletter does, but also listen to understand what's behind this protest...
3. I've been discussing this for some years with my students (@onfreespeech@EuropeanMoments). Many of their concerns(eg deep persistence of racism, UK occluding its colonial past) are valid & vital, if garlanded w hyperbole. (But hey, old '68er, remember yr radical youth.)..
#euco#article50 extension decision was tough but rational. UK now has <3 weeks (until April 12, emergency summit pencilled in for April 10) finally to make up its mind. Parliament must now take control. Options, in diminishing order of *desirability* imho...thread follows./1
1. vote for Kyle-Wilson amendment, accepting her deal subject to 2nd 'confirmatory'referendum, then ask EU for longer extension, agreeing to hold European elections in UK... 2. revoke article 50 and start all over again.../2
3. Cross-party indicative vote majority for Norway Plus finally accepted by government (w/wout PM May), EU agrees to change Political Declaration, unchanged WA & Brexit by May 22 4. ditto, but only for plain vanilla customs union.../3