Max Bergmann
@maxbergmann.bsky.social
9.8K followers 740 following 690 posts
Director of the Europe, Russia, Eurasia Program at CSIS. Podcasts EuroFile and Russian Roulette. Fmr State Department official. DC sports, Tottenham
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
maxbergmann.bsky.social
Might be of interest to @robinsonmeyer.bsky.social, @jessedjenkins.com... love their podcast but want more Europe content!
maxbergmann.bsky.social
This was a great conversation and highly recommend to depressed climate wonks in the US. Despite some performative anti-green politics, the EU has no choice but to move forward with the transition.
bmcwilliams.bsky.social
🗣️ A pleasure chatting with @maxbergmann.bsky.social and @donatienneruy.bsky.social on the state of play for European climate policy.
erep.csis.org
🎧 On the #Eurofile: Czech election results, European security, and a climate agenda under pressure.

@donatienneruy.bsky.social & @maxbergmann.bsky.social break down the latest on EU climate and energy policy with @bmcwilliams.bsky.social.

Tune in below.
www.csis.org/podcasts/eur...
Reposted by Max Bergmann
eadamson91.bsky.social
The 🇸🇪 Armed Forces are following a Russian submarine in the Baltic Sea.

The submarine is "visible above the water, so we are getting lots of questions and want to be transparent," says an Armed Forces spokesperson.

The submarine is in international waters and has not violated Swedish territory.
Försvarsmakten följer rysk ubåt i Östersjön: ”Syns tydligt över ytan”
En rysk ubåt gick under gårdagen in i Östersjön via Stora Bält, enligt ett pressmeddelande från Försvarsmakten.
omni.se
Reposted by Max Bergmann
sandertordoir.bsky.social
Enjoyed discussing Europe’s response to geo-economic tensions and global imbalances with Charles Lichfield and Beth Baltzan in the IMF atrium at the Annual Meetings.

Europe is the only bloc that is doing real rebalancing - which provides opportunities and risks.

www.youtube.com/watch?app=de...
How trade, dollar dominance, and debt intersect to shape global policy choices
YouTube video by AtlanticCouncil
www.youtube.com
maxbergmann.bsky.social
All true… but I did hear an EEU sr diplomat say recently ‘while everyone was telling us we were right about Russia, we need to tell the French they were right about strategic autonomy.’
nvondarza.bsky.social
The story for his major EU initiatives is also not great:
- Sorbonne speech/agenda (largely wiffed away)
- Conference on the Future of Europe (went nowhere)
- European Intervention Initiative (mostly dead?)
- European Political Community (alive as diplomatic speed dating)
spignal.bsky.social
Macron did three notable economic reforms since 2017:
- modest changes to the labour code
- levying wealth tax just on real estate
- move pension age from 62 to 64

Now the pension age increase will be "paused" and there will be a tax on the rich.

Doesn't leave an awful lot for 8+ years in power.
Reposted by Max Bergmann
fbermingham.bsky.social
New - Europe’s 3-body problem: collapsing global order sparks hunt for new trajectory

I got to write about one of my favourite Chinese sci-fi novels. Europe, realising it can’t fix systemic chaos, is instead trying to shift its own orbit.
Europe’s 3-body problem: collapsing global order sparks hunt for new trajectory
Some are sceptical the EU’s talk of ‘economic security’ can translate into action, but there are early signs that may be changing.
www.scmp.com
Reposted by Max Bergmann
sandertordoir.bsky.social
The inability of the US and Europe to build an own supply of rare earth refining - knowing for years it was a huge vulnerability - must be one of the most catastrophic policy failures of the decade.

One reason it‘s hard: the West cannot free trade its way out when China controls the price mechanism
Reposted by Max Bergmann
sandertordoir.bsky.social
„So much for a small yard with a high fence—we now confront a big square with a Great Wall.“

Would think CFR‘s Froman just has coined the key new metaphor, after China dramatically escalated export controls.
sandertordoir.bsky.social
The inability of the US and Europe to build an own supply of rare earth refining - knowing for years it was a huge vulnerability - must be one of the most catastrophic policy failures of the decade.

One reason it‘s hard: the West cannot free trade its way out when China controls the price mechanism
Reposted by Max Bergmann
gesineweber.bsky.social
Maybe something to add to our vocabulary: playing it Lecornu = pulling back, making everyone panic, causing a mess, and then coming back as if nothing had happened

(Would nicely complement « to Merkel » = not doing anything meaningful and acting slowly, as used during her time in German)
georginaewright.bsky.social
Annnnnd… He’s back 🤣. President names Sébastien Lecornu PM (again).
Reposted by Max Bergmann
spignal.bsky.social
I've been a bit sceptical of the "exodus of US-based academics to Europe" thing, but this is a notable move.
florianscheuer.bsky.social
I am delighted to share that Nobel laureates Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee will join our Department of Economics @econ.uzh.ch at the University of Zurich on July 1, 2026, as Lemann Foundation Professors of Economics.

🧵 1/7
Reposted by Max Bergmann
codendahl.bsky.social
"A 55% plunge in BEV sales to China was in stark contrast to a 213.5% jump in North America and a 60% increase in Europe."

Seems to work without subsidies for the well-off to buy EVs.
maxbergmann.bsky.social
Lastly, reforming European defense will be a huge bureaucratic slog, with MODs and national defense industrial complexes all opposed. Efficiency, after all, creates losers. Therefore to launch a reform effort, EU Council should commission a Draghi-style report on defense reform. 5/
maxbergmann.bsky.social
Europe will also need to invest jointly in developing deep stockpiles to deter Russia, as well as work quickly to build up its enabling capabilities. This includes much greater intelligence coordination. 4/
maxbergmann.bsky.social
Spain rightly has argued that hitting an arbitrary spending target won't secure Europe. So we offer a tangible way to leverage the size and scale of Spain and Italy - use their large armies to make up for a decline of US forces. 3/
maxbergmann.bsky.social
Namely, Europe needs to integrate its efforts and leverage its size and scale. We call for the revival of the rapid reaction force concept. But make it a permeant force (ala US army in Germany). Also make it a Italian-Spanish backed Euro force. They have large armies put them to use! 2/
maxbergmann.bsky.social
🚨New report ahead of US force posture review. There needs to be a revolution in European military affairs. It's great Europeans are spending more. But they are neglecting the deeper reforms needed for Europe to defend itself with (potentially much) less America. We offer some ideas... 1/
Reposted by Max Bergmann
wertwhile.bsky.social
Feel like people aren't afraid enough of AI video generation capabilities www.instagram.com/reel/DPEqBL0...
Reposted by Max Bergmann
msnegovaya.bsky.social
🚨 New episode! @maxbergmann.bsky.social talks with @erep.csis.org's Tina Dolbaia & @vasabjit.bsky.social about their timely paper on Russia–India ties and global geopolitics. Please tune in!
Reposted by Max Bergmann
nilsredeker.bsky.social
This is the way. The German car industry’s problem isn’t 2035 - it’s the demand crash happening right now.

And while we can’t stop U.S. tariffs or Chinese subsidies, we certainly can ramp up demand at home.
sandertordoir.bsky.social
German auto summit tomorrow.

The sole focus on the EU combustion engine phase-out, which is 10 years away, is baffling because German cars have a demand problem today

Berlin worries a new EV subsidy scheme would be fiscally too expensive.

But demand-side support is a fiscal no-brainer here.

1/
Reposted by Max Bergmann
sandertordoir.bsky.social
Highly highly doubt that panic football industrial policy down the line will be cheaper than putting in place 3 or so billion in EV consumer subsidies today and then coordinating with other EU countries.
sandertordoir.bsky.social
If Germany doesn’t put in place a pro-competitive industrial policy for cars, centred on market building, the country may well end up down the line giving messy bailouts, regulatory rollbacks in response to mounting political and union pressure - only for the sector to wither anyway.
sandertordoir.bsky.social
German auto summit tomorrow.

The sole focus on the EU combustion engine phase-out, which is 10 years away, is baffling because German cars have a demand problem today

Berlin worries a new EV subsidy scheme would be fiscally too expensive.

But demand-side support is a fiscal no-brainer here.

1/
Reposted by Max Bergmann
csis.org
"Ukraine’s defense landscape today reflects a hybrid structure, combining the centralized, Soviet-inherited military industrial base with a uniquely dynamic, wartime-forged innovation ecosystem."

Read the full report from @ai.csis.org: www.csis.org/analysis/how...
Reposted by Max Bergmann
erep.csis.org
🎧 NEW: @vasabjit.bsky.social + Tina Dolbaia join Russian Roulette to discuss the Russia-India relationship, how it's been impacted by the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and what to watch for going forward.

Tune into the latest episode with @maxbergmann.bsky.social & @msnegovaya.bsky.social ⬇️