🔵 Roundtable 1: Defence in the Trump 2.0 Era Speakers: @edrusi.bsky.social, @nvondarza.bsky.social, susmonika.bsky.social, @leslievinjamuri.bsky.social Chair: @anandmenon.bsky.social The UK must now navigate NATO, EU defence, and a potential Trump return. #UKEUStarmerEra #DefencePolicy

🛡️ @nvondarza.bsky.social: The EU “SAFE” instrument marks a shift — for the first time, countries outside the EU single market (like the UK) can join industrial defence cooperation. A quiet but crucial political innovation. #EUdefence

🧩 Chair @anandmenon.bsky.social pushed back: "This is all very process-oriented... but is it actually meeting the moment?" With Ukraine, Russia, and a volatile US ahead — can EU-UK defence structures match the pace of real-world threats? #SecurityPolicy

🇺🇸 @leslievinjamuri.bsky.social: The UK is signaling — not just loyalty to the US, but readiness to lead with Europe. Still, she warns: "Processes are radically insufficient" given the evolving threat landscape. Everyone knows it — including Russia, China, and the US. #Geopolitics

🧠 Key questions raised by chair @anandmenon.bsky.social – How do Europe’s most Atlanticist states manage growing insecurity? – Can they keep relying on the US while ramping up spending? – Is there a coherent medium-term vision for EU-UK defence? #DefencePolicy #NATO

🇪🇺 @susmonika.bsky.social: Trump’s rise has pushed Eastern Europe toward EU defence integration. Poland, for example, now sees the UK as a core ally and is embracing stronger EU ties — including in industry and bilateral agreements. #StrategicAutonomy