The Weekly Forum - 30 January
31 januari 2025 | Forum for Democracy Intl
Donald Trump has lost no time annoying all the right people and overturning various apple carts. Whether it is foreign aid, gender policy or the World Health Organisation, the new US president has hit the ground running, breaking more taboos than any other political figure in memory. One of these taboos is negotiation with Russia. As Ralf Dekker pointed out recently in the foreign affairs committee of the Lower Chamber of the Dutch Parliament, the danger is now that Europe will double down and continue its failed Ukraine policy, which is harming Europe much more than it is harming Russia, in the mistaken belief that it can continue with the old Biden policy while Trump negotiates with Putin over Europe’s head. Is the EU going to commit further economic hara-kiri by extending and even increasing the sanctions which so far have failed so spectacularly?
Read Ralf Dekker’s speech here
John Laughland, FVD International’s director, was interviewed at length by a new media outlet, Post Truth (!). The interview ranged over a very wide range of topics as he tried to make sense of the seismic changes currently under way in world politics.
Read John Laughland’s interview here
Vaclav Klaus, the former Czech president, was in Davos this year again, where he is a declared ideological enemy of Klaus Schwab. He discussed the intriguing question of which events are expected and which are unexpected. The self-destruction of the West – expected. The election of Trump – unexpected. We are honoured to publish his remarks.
Read Vaclav Klaus’ article here
One unexpected event has surely been the sudden publicity given to the grooming scandal in Britain. It is an old story but was catapulted into the consciousness of the world by Elon Musk, as part of his sudden and unexpected campaign against various European political figures. That story, and the pitiful reaction of the UK prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer – notably his refusal to have an enquiry into the disgraceful anti-racism which allowed it to happen – has cheapened Britain’s reputation irreparably. Brand Britain is dead now. FVD International’s Brent Hadderingh has delved into the affair and its grisly implications.
Read Brent Hadderingh’s article here
We were deeply honoured to have as our guest on The Forum this week Professor Richard Sakwa, one of the most acute and objective observers of the ‘new cold war’ which is now fully upon us. If you missed the broadcast, you can listen back to it by clicking below.