Why does one of the world’s safest countries feel vulnerable under American protection? And why does Canada — with the world's longest undefended border — seem to agree, just as the CIA drops in on Moscow?
A European President and an American comedian untangle this week’s continental rift.
Chapters
00:00:00 Background
00:01:30 Introduction
00:02:45 Siim Kallas
00:03:43 Iceland EU vote
00:11:58 Canada & Europe
00:19:00 Boiling Frog Watch
00:23:14 UK steps up
00:25:00 CIA Director in Moscow
00:28:28 The Rhine Group
More Information
Canada & EU - The EU–Canada trade agreement (CETA) has been provisionally applied since 2017; nearly a decade on, ten EU member states have yet to complete ratification. Canada joined the EU's €150bn SAFE defence-loan scheme in February 2026, the first non-European country to do so. A SAFE loan requires that at least 65% of the value of procured equipment comes from the EU, Ukraine or associated countries. Mark Carney will attend the EU's State of the Union address on 16 September and address the European Parliament in Strasbourg on 17 September
Frog Watch - Germany (Leipzig/Halle): a drone with military-grade explosives found near a Ukrainian An-124 on 4 August, a DHL aircraft damaged the same night, and a 3rd drone recovered on 14 August (reported 25 August); ABC News reports US intelligence considers the drone's design typical of Russia's GRU. Der Spiegel reported that a man detained in Romania over a buried handgun cache is suspected of belonging to a Russian-controlled network. Romania: jets destroyed a suspected Russian naval drone near the Neptun Deep gas field on 20 August. Slovakia: police foiled a planned arson attack on the Skyeton reconnaissance-drone plant near Prešov, seizing a napalm-like petrol-polystyrene mixture. Italy: the 13 August explosion at the KNDS Ammo Italy plant at Colleferro followed a fire and remains under investigation, with no attribution made.
Britain - At the time of recording the UK was preparing (not yet running) a public information campaign advising households to stock emergency supplies. In UK political theatre, the "special relationship" (a UK characterisation of its relationship with the US) is measured in two rituals: who the new prime minister's first call is with and where the PM first travels. Often the first is to the US while the second has recently been to Brussels. Burnham kept the tradition on the phone (Washington), broke it on the plane (Kyiv). Andy Burnham announced the UK will allow MBDA to release classified design information on the British-made components of the Storm Shadow/SCALP missile so Ukraine can build it domestically; France cleared its components in July.
CIA Director in Moscow - Why was he there? Was it to warn Putin over the Baltics (WSJ, Politico), to push for a Ukraine deal (NYT), or fear that the Iran war (and Russia’s aid to Iran) has left the US too stretched to respond (Washington Post)? The theories are flying.
The Rhine Group - more can be found here: https://www.rhinegroup.eu/
Youtube @TheContinentalRift (https://www.youtube.com/@TheContinentalRift)
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CREDITS
Editor Conan Roberts
Animation & Design Roland Seer - Tartu Multifilm @rolandseer
Music by Paabel @paabeltheband (Estonian folk-fusion)
Executive Producer Fred Casella
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