Tobias Thyberg, Sweden’s newly appointed national security adviser, resigned after less than 24 hours in office. He departed amidst a pay-to-play scandal. The source of that outrage was a post made on Grindr, the popular LGBTQ+ dating app. The speedy resignation has triggered an intense debate in Sweden about how quickly and thoroughly we vet high-level officials.
In a more surprising move, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico generated attention when he participated in one of Russia’s war victory parades. Fico will be the only European Union leader at the Red Square festivities. His appointment has already drawn sharp rebuke from many for his lack of commitment to deflecting aggression from Russia as the world continues to sour on authoritarianism.
The Netherlands did not shy away from large questions about international security either. In fact, just last week the country’s intelligence chief warned of a ‘grave’ cyber threat from China. This threat, the official warned, is even more dangerous than the threats posed by Russia. They focused mostly on a growing threat from Chinese cyber capabilities and espionage attacks. Meanwhile, there are Russian indications that Moscow is increasing its military buildup. In doing so, it is causing deep concern throughout Europe about a possible ensuing regional unrest.
Donald Trump’s election continues to be a disaster bellwether for European intelligence agencies. His presidency is an alarm and no one should be sleeping through it. Perhaps most importantly, it has forced European intelligence services to rethink their tactics and preparedness in the face of changing threats. Perhaps such a period of self-reflection is needed as the world shifts around us and new challenges come into view.
In better economic news, the U.S. and China continues to make progress in cutting down on trade tensions. The two nations agreed to slash tariffs as both sides seek to ease the trade war that has strained relations in recent years. Trump’s administration negotiated the lowest U.S. tariff down to 30 percent, while China negotiated its own tariffs down to just 10 percent. These moves indicate a new thawing of relations, though many are still wary about how long these agreements will last.
Thyberg’s resignation serves as a stark reminder that leadership changes come unexpectedly. At the same time, Fico’s appearance at the Russian parade underscores the state of play in European politics over Russia. Dutch intelligence service known as AIVD has recently called attention to the Chinese cyber threat. This brings into sharp focus the critical importance of robust cybersecurity protections across Europe.
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