Peter Neefs
@peterneefs.bsky.social
Observator
(Vrij allergisch voor Russische desinformatie. Bij voorbaat mijn excuses!)
(Vrij allergisch voor Russische desinformatie. Bij voorbaat mijn excuses!)
Pinned
Peter Neefs
@peterneefs.bsky.social
· Mar 18
On the latest episode of “The Foreign Affairs Interview,” Fiona Hill discusses Donald Trump’s admiration for Vladimir Putin—and why his push for warmer relations with Moscow is raising alarms across European capitals:
What Does Trump See in Putin?
A Conversation With Fiona Hill
fam.ag
Dit interview met Fiona Hill is echt fantastisch!
In minder dan 1u tijd legt ze uit wat er op het spel staat in Oekraïne, wat de banden zijn tussen Trump en Poetin, en hoe de wereldorde aan het veranderen is.
Zeer heldere analyse van iemand die Trump van dichtbij meemaakte in 1ste termijn.
In minder dan 1u tijd legt ze uit wat er op het spel staat in Oekraïne, wat de banden zijn tussen Trump en Poetin, en hoe de wereldorde aan het veranderen is.
Zeer heldere analyse van iemand die Trump van dichtbij meemaakte in 1ste termijn.
Reposted by Peter Neefs
"Dat er vanuit de oppositie vragen gesteld worden die gebreken blootleggen, maakt deel uit van de normale werking van het parlement. Het zijn de veelheid en de mate van detail die voor onrust zorgen."
AfD stelt in Duitse parlementen de vragen waarop Moskou graag een antwoord wil
Laten politici van de extreemrechtse AfD zich gebruiken als pionnen voor Moskou? De vraag dringt zich opnieuw op na opvallende uitspraken van partijvoorzitter Tino Chrupalla en een resem gedetailleerde parlementaire vragen over gevoelige militaire dossiers.
www.standaard.be
November 14, 2025 at 1:48 PM
"Dat er vanuit de oppositie vragen gesteld worden die gebreken blootleggen, maakt deel uit van de normale werking van het parlement. Het zijn de veelheid en de mate van detail die voor onrust zorgen."
Reposted by Peter Neefs
✍ Geachte president Zelensky,
Sorry, echt waar: het ontbreekt ons aan jullie moed. Dus let op onze woorden, niet op onze daden.
Alvast bedankt voor jullie begrip en de broodnodige hulp, namens Brave Little Belgium
👉 Mijn volledige brief lees je online via www.standaard.be/opinies/best...
Sorry, echt waar: het ontbreekt ons aan jullie moed. Dus let op onze woorden, niet op onze daden.
Alvast bedankt voor jullie begrip en de broodnodige hulp, namens Brave Little Belgium
👉 Mijn volledige brief lees je online via www.standaard.be/opinies/best...
November 14, 2025 at 6:51 AM
✍ Geachte president Zelensky,
Sorry, echt waar: het ontbreekt ons aan jullie moed. Dus let op onze woorden, niet op onze daden.
Alvast bedankt voor jullie begrip en de broodnodige hulp, namens Brave Little Belgium
👉 Mijn volledige brief lees je online via www.standaard.be/opinies/best...
Sorry, echt waar: het ontbreekt ons aan jullie moed. Dus let op onze woorden, niet op onze daden.
Alvast bedankt voor jullie begrip en de broodnodige hulp, namens Brave Little Belgium
👉 Mijn volledige brief lees je online via www.standaard.be/opinies/best...
Reposted by Peter Neefs
En hij vangt een bonus van bijna 30 keer het budget dat USAID uitgaf in 2024.
The man who ended USAID is the world's first trillionaire
November 7, 2025 at 9:33 AM
En hij vangt een bonus van bijna 30 keer het budget dat USAID uitgaf in 2024.
Reposted by Peter Neefs
Weinig twijfel bij veiligheidsdiensten: Rusland zit achter de drone-acties in ons land
vrtnws.be/p.qEj3K54k4
vrtnws.be/p.qEj3K54k4
Weinig twijfel bij veiligheidsdiensten: Rusland zit achter de drone-acties in ons land | VRT NWS: nieuws
Bij de Belgische veiligheidsdiensten bestaat er weinig twijfel over de drone-incidenten boven onze luchthavens en militaire bases: dat is het werk van Rusland. Dat heeft onze redactie uit goede bron v...
vrtnws.be
November 5, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Weinig twijfel bij veiligheidsdiensten: Rusland zit achter de drone-acties in ons land
vrtnws.be/p.qEj3K54k4
vrtnws.be/p.qEj3K54k4
Reposted by Peter Neefs
BREAKING: World outside America exists. Global economy is global. Picking trade fights with everyone at once rather than rallying allies to pressure China together still very stupid.
November 4, 2025 at 12:24 PM
BREAKING: World outside America exists. Global economy is global. Picking trade fights with everyone at once rather than rallying allies to pressure China together still very stupid.
Reposted by Peter Neefs
Excellent investigation of Russian misuse of international investigatory & judicial machinery.
Proud to publish this piece from my former student, who writes that Russia's lawfare in the European Court of Human Rights is "transforming [it] into an unwitting accomplice in one of the most sophisticated disinformation operations of the modern era.”
americansunlight.substack.com/p/russias-la...
americansunlight.substack.com/p/russias-la...
Russia’s Lawfare Playbook: How the Kremlin Weaponized Human Rights Courts to Launder Disinformation
When the Kremlin wants to legitimize a lie, it doesn’t just hold a press conference – it files a lawsuit.
americansunlight.substack.com
October 31, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Excellent investigation of Russian misuse of international investigatory & judicial machinery.
Reposted by Peter Neefs
What Is the future of diplomacy when going to a sleepy UN meeting on shipping puts you and your family in the cross hairs of the full force of US coercion? As platforms of cooperation become the site of coercion the international system will quickly break down.
1/When @himself.bsky.social and I wrote about the future of US economic coercion we hoped that the tools could be used for global collective goods like climate. Now US “evaluating sanctions on officials sponsoring activist-driven climate policies”’
on.ft.com/4qJF3Ko
on.ft.com/4qJF3Ko
US accused of ‘bully-boy’ tactics to sink climate deal
Officials say ‘threats’ used to derail net zero deal for shipping industry ripped up rules of global diplomacy
on.ft.com
November 3, 2025 at 12:38 PM
What Is the future of diplomacy when going to a sleepy UN meeting on shipping puts you and your family in the cross hairs of the full force of US coercion? As platforms of cooperation become the site of coercion the international system will quickly break down.
Reposted by Peter Neefs
De olifant in de begrotingskamer: bedrijfssubsidies.
👉 NBB bevestigd in nieuw rapport:
Sinds 200 verdubbelde geldstroom, jaarlijks ontvangen bedrijven 25 miljard € aan subsidies en investeringstoelagen, ruim 4 procent van de nationale economie (het bbp).
www.denktankminerva.be/opinie/2024/...
👉 NBB bevestigd in nieuw rapport:
Sinds 200 verdubbelde geldstroom, jaarlijks ontvangen bedrijven 25 miljard € aan subsidies en investeringstoelagen, ruim 4 procent van de nationale economie (het bbp).
www.denktankminerva.be/opinie/2024/...
Bedrijfsbijstand: de (subsidie)olifant in de kamer. — Denktank Minerva
Met verkiezingen in het vooruitzicht en forse bezuinigingen op komst buitelen rechtste politici weer over elkaar om onze sociale zekerheid aan te vallen. In hun taalgebruik leven we dan ‘collectief bo...
www.denktankminerva.be
October 28, 2025 at 8:45 AM
De olifant in de begrotingskamer: bedrijfssubsidies.
👉 NBB bevestigd in nieuw rapport:
Sinds 200 verdubbelde geldstroom, jaarlijks ontvangen bedrijven 25 miljard € aan subsidies en investeringstoelagen, ruim 4 procent van de nationale economie (het bbp).
www.denktankminerva.be/opinie/2024/...
👉 NBB bevestigd in nieuw rapport:
Sinds 200 verdubbelde geldstroom, jaarlijks ontvangen bedrijven 25 miljard € aan subsidies en investeringstoelagen, ruim 4 procent van de nationale economie (het bbp).
www.denktankminerva.be/opinie/2024/...
Reposted by Peter Neefs
Wat #AI wetenschappers erover zeggen:
“You can only critically assess the output of an AI chatbot if you have the skills to do so, and you don’t develop these skills by using AI."
(Met grote dank aan @irisvanrooij.bsky.social)
“You can only critically assess the output of an AI chatbot if you have the skills to do so, and you don’t develop these skills by using AI."
(Met grote dank aan @irisvanrooij.bsky.social)
October 28, 2025 at 8:11 AM
Wat #AI wetenschappers erover zeggen:
“You can only critically assess the output of an AI chatbot if you have the skills to do so, and you don’t develop these skills by using AI."
(Met grote dank aan @irisvanrooij.bsky.social)
“You can only critically assess the output of an AI chatbot if you have the skills to do so, and you don’t develop these skills by using AI."
(Met grote dank aan @irisvanrooij.bsky.social)
Reposted by Peter Neefs
One of the biggest impacts of AI is increasingly the prevalence of the idea that lower quality for much lower effort is a good tradeoff.
oh my GODDDDDDDDDDD
(apologies for screenshotting the hellsite, which I no longer use; I saw the link in CNN's Reliable Sources newsletter)
(apologies for screenshotting the hellsite, which I no longer use; I saw the link in CNN's Reliable Sources newsletter)
October 27, 2025 at 2:14 PM
One of the biggest impacts of AI is increasingly the prevalence of the idea that lower quality for much lower effort is a good tradeoff.
Reposted by Peter Neefs
Read every word!
"You say you hate empire, but you only ever mean one. You rage at U.S. hegemony while excusing Russian conquest. You romanticize “multipolarity,” as if choosing a different empire were the same as dismantling one...
dumplingradical.substack.com/p/a-letter-t...
"You say you hate empire, but you only ever mean one. You rage at U.S. hegemony while excusing Russian conquest. You romanticize “multipolarity,” as if choosing a different empire were the same as dismantling one...
dumplingradical.substack.com/p/a-letter-t...
a letter to the western left
with frustration, from central eastern europe
dumplingradical.substack.com
October 25, 2025 at 10:43 PM
Read every word!
"You say you hate empire, but you only ever mean one. You rage at U.S. hegemony while excusing Russian conquest. You romanticize “multipolarity,” as if choosing a different empire were the same as dismantling one...
dumplingradical.substack.com/p/a-letter-t...
"You say you hate empire, but you only ever mean one. You rage at U.S. hegemony while excusing Russian conquest. You romanticize “multipolarity,” as if choosing a different empire were the same as dismantling one...
dumplingradical.substack.com/p/a-letter-t...
Reposted by Peter Neefs
Why are Russia's frozen assets abroad largely untouched after almost four years of war? The answers are invariably long and frustrating. But here's a detailed but accessible explainer from Alexander Kolyandr via @carnegieendowment.org.
Highly recommended.
carnegieendowment.org/russia-euras...
Highly recommended.
carnegieendowment.org/russia-euras...
Has the EU Found a Way to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Help Ukraine?
Ultimately, the adoption of some sort of scheme to appropriate the assets seems almost inevitable. Otherwise, it will not just be Ukraine that is at risk, but the very raison d’être of the EU.
carnegieendowment.org
October 26, 2025 at 12:57 AM
Why are Russia's frozen assets abroad largely untouched after almost four years of war? The answers are invariably long and frustrating. But here's a detailed but accessible explainer from Alexander Kolyandr via @carnegieendowment.org.
Highly recommended.
carnegieendowment.org/russia-euras...
Highly recommended.
carnegieendowment.org/russia-euras...
Net uitgelezen. Zéér aan te raden boek!
Vanaf morgen beschikbaar in alle boekhandels: mijn nieuw boek ‘De droom van Poetin’
October 25, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Net uitgelezen. Zéér aan te raden boek!
Reposted by Peter Neefs
The Senator is spot on. Every step the West took before/during/after Maidan made it clear that Western priorities in Ukr were stability and accommodating Ru interests without entirely turning their (West's) back on the dramatic grass roots mobilization against the autocratizing Yanukovych admin.
Italian Senator left Jeffrey Sachs literally speechless and shocked by calling him a liar and a propagandist.
It happened on Prime Time Italian television.
Priceless 🤩
[ENG SUB]
(The 2nd part in the next tweet)
It happened on Prime Time Italian television.
Priceless 🤩
[ENG SUB]
(The 2nd part in the next tweet)
October 25, 2025 at 1:17 AM
The Senator is spot on. Every step the West took before/during/after Maidan made it clear that Western priorities in Ukr were stability and accommodating Ru interests without entirely turning their (West's) back on the dramatic grass roots mobilization against the autocratizing Yanukovych admin.
Reposted by Peter Neefs
Moscow has deployed a secret underwater network made up of thousands of kilometers of cables, sensors and sonars to protect its nuclear sites. #morethanhumanharm
'Russian Secrets': How Russia built an Arctic spy network using European equipment
'Russian Secrets': How Russia built an Arctic spy network using European equipment
Hidden behind shell companies, Russia acquired advanced Western technologies to build a secret underwater network designed to protect its nuclear weapons. The incident raises questions about Europe's ability to prevent the export of sensitive technologies to Moscow.
www.lemonde.fr
October 23, 2025 at 5:52 AM
Moscow has deployed a secret underwater network made up of thousands of kilometers of cables, sensors and sonars to protect its nuclear sites. #morethanhumanharm
Reposted by Peter Neefs
„Het is natuurlijk makkelijk. Maar vergeet niet: AI-chatbots zijn enkel hele grote statistiekmachines. Ze begrijpen jouw vraag niet zozeer, maar doen een berekening en gokken het antwoord. Dat levert vaak fouten op, terwijl ze die heel overtuigend brengen.” www.ad.nl/binnenland/v...
Van foutjes tot willekeurig stemadvies: ChatGPT ‘gokt het antwoord’
AI-chatbots, zoals ChatGPT of Gemini: een op de tien Nederlanders gebruikt ze weleens voor stemhulp, zo blijkt. Maar daar kleven aardig wat nadelen aan; van foute antwoorden tot willekeurige stemadvie...
www.ad.nl
October 23, 2025 at 7:16 AM
„Het is natuurlijk makkelijk. Maar vergeet niet: AI-chatbots zijn enkel hele grote statistiekmachines. Ze begrijpen jouw vraag niet zozeer, maar doen een berekening en gokken het antwoord. Dat levert vaak fouten op, terwijl ze die heel overtuigend brengen.” www.ad.nl/binnenland/v...
Reposted by Peter Neefs
Nothing captures the current state of U.S. democracy as accurately as this (real) picture of the White House.
October 22, 2025 at 12:41 AM
Nothing captures the current state of U.S. democracy as accurately as this (real) picture of the White House.
Reposted by Peter Neefs
Meanwhile in Russia: state TV host Vladimir Solovyov and his guests insisted that Ukraine should not be allowed to exist, "If there is no Ukraine, there is no problem." Solovyov's main concern was how to control and "reeducate" millions of Ukrainians.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNZs...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNZs...
Vladimir Solovyov and his guests say Ukraine should not exist
YouTube video by Russian Media Monitor
www.youtube.com
October 22, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Meanwhile in Russia: state TV host Vladimir Solovyov and his guests insisted that Ukraine should not be allowed to exist, "If there is no Ukraine, there is no problem." Solovyov's main concern was how to control and "reeducate" millions of Ukrainians.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNZs...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNZs...
Reposted by Peter Neefs
From the start of the invasion in 2022, Russia has been clear that it's goal in Ukraine is conquest and permanent domination, and the only peace the Kremlin is open to is one in which Ukraine surrenders its freedom.
Until Russia is forced to change that stance, peace talks require make believe.
Until Russia is forced to change that stance, peace talks require make believe.
Both Lavrov and Peskov have now rejected any ceasefire deal or talks. The media needs to report this clearly and widely. Russia rejects peace. Front-page. Straightforward headlines.
October 21, 2025 at 3:01 PM
From the start of the invasion in 2022, Russia has been clear that it's goal in Ukraine is conquest and permanent domination, and the only peace the Kremlin is open to is one in which Ukraine surrenders its freedom.
Until Russia is forced to change that stance, peace talks require make believe.
Until Russia is forced to change that stance, peace talks require make believe.
Reposted by Peter Neefs
probably the first time in history since the 18th century where the leaders of all the major powers -- trump, xi, putin, modi, erdogan etc -- are all personalist regimes. not sure what this means but worth noting
October 20, 2025 at 4:54 PM
probably the first time in history since the 18th century where the leaders of all the major powers -- trump, xi, putin, modi, erdogan etc -- are all personalist regimes. not sure what this means but worth noting
Reposted by Peter Neefs
💥🇪🇺As the European Union moves to phase out Russian gas despite Hungary’s objections, let’s quote Viktor Orbán’s 2007 speech:
“The younger generation must not allow Hungary—after escaping the fate of being the happiest barrack of the Soviet system—to become the happiest barrack of Gazprom.”
“The younger generation must not allow Hungary—after escaping the fate of being the happiest barrack of the Soviet system—to become the happiest barrack of Gazprom.”
October 20, 2025 at 3:34 PM
💥🇪🇺As the European Union moves to phase out Russian gas despite Hungary’s objections, let’s quote Viktor Orbán’s 2007 speech:
“The younger generation must not allow Hungary—after escaping the fate of being the happiest barrack of the Soviet system—to become the happiest barrack of Gazprom.”
“The younger generation must not allow Hungary—after escaping the fate of being the happiest barrack of the Soviet system—to become the happiest barrack of Gazprom.”
Reposted by Peter Neefs
#OTD October 20, 1946, elections were held across Soviet Occupied Germany and in Allied Occupied Berlin. These were the last competitive elections in the Soviet Zone and marked a turning point leading to the creation of the German Democratic Republic as a socialist dictatorship.
October 20, 2025 at 9:42 AM
#OTD October 20, 1946, elections were held across Soviet Occupied Germany and in Allied Occupied Berlin. These were the last competitive elections in the Soviet Zone and marked a turning point leading to the creation of the German Democratic Republic as a socialist dictatorship.
Reposted by Peter Neefs
This must be the first war in history where the defending yourself is considered an escalation.
In Gaza, and now Ukraine, Donald Trump may be peace activists' greatest ally. That deserves our backing | Simon Jenkins
In Gaza, and now Ukraine, Donald Trump may be peace activists' greatest ally. That deserves our backing | Simon Jenkins
It’s a fool’s game trying to understand the president’s true motives, but do our misgivings matter if the outcome is a speedy end to war, asks Guardian columnist Simon Jenkins
www.theguardian.com
October 20, 2025 at 8:17 AM
This must be the first war in history where the defending yourself is considered an escalation.
Reposted by Peter Neefs
"(...) de bittere ontmoeting leek de grillige aard van Trumps standpunt over de oorlog te weerspiegelen en zijn bereidheid om Poetins maximalistische eisen te onderschrijven."
NEW:Trump urged Zelenskyy to accept Russia’s terms for ending its war in a volatile White House meeting on Friday, warning that Putin had said he would “destroy” Ukraine if it did not agree.
The meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy descended many times into a “shouting match” on.ft.com/3WMSQSu
The meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy descended many times into a “shouting match” on.ft.com/3WMSQSu
Trump urged Zelenskyy to accept Putin’s terms or be ‘destroyed’ by Russia
US president tossed aside maps of Ukraine frontline in volatile White House meeting
on.ft.com
October 19, 2025 at 5:14 PM
"(...) de bittere ontmoeting leek de grillige aard van Trumps standpunt over de oorlog te weerspiegelen en zijn bereidheid om Poetins maximalistische eisen te onderschrijven."
Reposted by Peter Neefs
This, of course, is exactly the argument Trump used about Crimea in 2018. Not surprising that the man he picked for this job shares his Russia-favouring, profoundly stupid, view.
October 19, 2025 at 11:27 AM
This, of course, is exactly the argument Trump used about Crimea in 2018. Not surprising that the man he picked for this job shares his Russia-favouring, profoundly stupid, view.