Just sent this out. Yesterday was an important and truthful day. The Ukrainians, including Zelensky and Budanov, came out and spoke truthfully about the US being with Russia (and therefore Trump being with Putin). open.substack.com/pub/phillips...
Just sent out this free midweek update. This was no ordinary Trump TACO, this was Trump accepting Iran's victory conditions as the basis of negotiations. It looks likely that Iran will emerge stronger from this war than before; a total US strategic failure. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...
🧵 Democracy feels like it's in a rough state at the moment across the globe, and we hear various explanations, like polarisation, extremism, disinformation, and loss of trust. But what if those explanations are mainly symptoms and we've been trying to treat them rather than the underlying causes?
Tremendously important article by @johnsipher.bsky.social in The Bulwark. The damage that Trump is doing to the US IC is deeper and more profound than you might understand. He is changing its very structure. www.thebulwark.com/p/trump-is-d...
The EU is committed to ensuring that these crimes do not go unpunished, including by supporting the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression, alongside the Claims Commission.
Russia must be held accountable for what it has done to Ukraine. (2/2)
Hi all, just sent out this piece. Ukraine has embarked on systems warfare against Russian oil sales, at exactly the right time. The US might have been paying attention. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...
Hi all, just sent out this piece. The US bombing of Iran has revealed a great deal already, maybe most worryingly how far down the road to Putinizing the US Government Trump has already walked. We even have the humiliatingly comic shoes to prove it. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...
The inability to rein in Hungary is damaging enough on its own. But actively pressing Ukraine to comply is simply disgraceful, even (especially) if you offer to pay for the compliance.
We shouldn't be twisting the arms of Ukrainians while they’re fighting on Europe’s behalf.
Just sent out a free piece to expand on my article in @theatlantic.com yesterday. The signs of rot in US military and diplomatic capabilities are real and even more extensive than I could say in that article. Here are more-and a gift link to the original article. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...
I'm begging my fellow politicians, Illinoisans, and Americans to realize that right now, we aren't fighting over policy or political party.
We're fighting over whether we're going to be a country rooted in empathy and kindness — or one rooted in cruelty and rage.
Just sent out this piece, one of the most personal I have written. Its about what I think I have learned over the past 4 years. Much of it is not pretty. However while the lows are bleak, the positives are far greater than expected. There is some hope. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...
It is four years ago today that the Russians launched their full scale invasion of Ukraine. Many in the west wrote Ukraine off and prophesied a “shock and awe” Russian victory. Instead Ukraine defied its attacker and their fight for freedom became decisive for the future of European freedom.
Notable message from President Zelensky. The USA is clearly putting pressure on Ukraine to hand over more of its land to dictatorial Russia.
Good to see the Ukrainian pushback--but the USA should hang its head in shame.
My message remains the same a year later.
We don’t have kings in America, and I won’t bend the knee to one.
Hi All, I sent out two pieces yesterday in another crazy day. The second, last night was how Trump has, once again, helped Putin kill and freeze Ukrainians. It’s free and I even had to update it this morning after Trump defended Putin's war crimes last night. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...
Everyone freezing on the East Coast or in the Midwest remember: Kyiv has the same weather, except that hundreds of thousands of people don't have electricity, heating or running water
Zelensky is entirely justified in speaking bluntly like this to Europeans. Too many seem willing to see Ukrainians suffer to provide Europe greater time and security, without acknowledging that Ukraine’s fight is their own.
We also cannot let our dispute distract us from the our core task of helping to end Russia’s war against Ukraine. (2/2)
China and Russia must be having a field day. They are the ones who benefit from divisions among Allies.
If Greenland’s security is at risk, we can address this inside NATO.
Tariffs risk making Europe and the United States poorer and undermine our shared prosperity. (1/2)
Hello all, just sent out my free weekend update. A special one as it’s from Ukraine. It’s clear being here that we are all taking advantage of the Ukrainians. They are fighting for their lives, and we are safe and sound behind them. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...
Lots of talk again about China, the US, and Russia dividing the world into spheres of influence. One problem with this idea is that after 30 years of trying, Russia's sphere is limited to Belarus, Georgia, and 20% of Ukraine. Another is that if China has a sphere, it includes Russia.
"Iron laws of the world"? Some of America's most important national accomplishments are about leading humanity away from this kind of bullshit.
If we let ideologues like Stephen Miller drag us back into a world where brute force is all that matters, all of us will be less safe.
It's New Year, so time to look back and forward. These are 10 things I think we need to recognise in 2026. It’s a response to what I think are profoundly damaging mistaken assumptions I’ve heard and read from practitioners, journalists, and analysts in 2025. Warning: very long🧵
An important point that needs to be made on the AEI website. The best deal that the Trump administration is willing to offer Ukraine is still an abomination. Trump has so warped expectations that too many can’t admit this. @kschake.bsky.social
www.aei.org/articles/tru...
Just sent out (mostly free). It builds on the discussion I had with General Havrylov about the transformed battlefield facing Ukrainian and Russian soldiers. It discusses why reducing the number of Ukrainian soldiers at the front is the best thing possible. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...
Just did a Substack Live with Ukrainian General Volodomyr Havrylov. He gave a fascinating overview of the changes in the war. For instance, now Ukraine is close to inflicting 50% of the casualties on the Russians using only 10% of the Ukr military. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...
War Diary Day 1,391
Blaise Metreweli, the Chief of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, sticks it to the Killer in The Kremlin.
And all his creepy helpers.
I agree with every fucking word.
VPDFO!
www.gov.uk/government/s...
Putin sits in Moscow claiming that his armies have taken a town that the Ukrainian president is personally visiting. There are cowardly tyrants and there are courageous elected leaders and it is good to know the difference.
💔 A European Parliament interpreter could not hold back tears during the speech of 11-year-old Roman Oleksiv from Lviv.
The boy survived a missile strike on Vinnytsia on July 14, 2022, which killed his mother - it was the last time he saw her alive.
