The Continental Rift

Fresh Lens
  • 5.0 (2)
  • News Commentary
  • Updated weekly

As the US and Europe divorce, who gets what? And what comes next? A European President & American comedian: informed & irreverent takes on the latest, in less time than it takes to commute, cook or bedtime scroll.

Episodes

  1. No-shows & Neutrals

    4 days ago ·  Video

    No-shows & Neutrals

    Will Trump actually show up to the NATO summit and is Washington really floating a "defence loyalty programme"? Also, can neutral Ireland credibly chair Europe's defence debate as it takes the EU chair? A former President & a comedian on what's going on and what comes next. Subscribe so you don't miss our Ankara NATO summit debrief next week. CLARIFICATIONS Irish corporate tax — Ireland had the lowest corporate tax rate in the EU when the American tech giants set up their European headquarters there. Today the EU's lowest headline rates are Hungary's (9%) and Amazon's European HQ is in Luxembourg, not Ireland. Alumina and Rusal — Sweden's tax authority, Skatteverket, has ruled that Rusal's European operations (which include the Irish plant) should fall under EU sanctions, and froze €5.1m in the tax account of its Swedish smelter, Kubal. It's an agency ruling with EU-wide implications rather than a formal Swedish Government request for action to the EU. Ireland's waters — Ireland's waters (not coastline) make up roughly 16% of the EU's total. NATO — The Secretary General’s term is 4 years and, following Sweden’s accession in 2024, the organisation now has 32 members. Putin's yacht — Since this episode was published, latest reporting is that the yarcht is heading to the Artic, not the Med. Chapters 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:30 Putin's yacht 00:05:05 NATO Summit: the pre-amble 00:13:10 Toomas' dramatic NATO Summit 00:15:16 Ireland takes the EU Presidency 00:23:05 Revisit: The Balkan-US grift 00:26:52 Was the American Revolution all about defence spending? 00:28:19 Credits Youtube @TheContinentalRift (https://www.youtube.com/@TheContinentalRift) Instagram @thecontinentalriftpod (https://www.instagram.com/thecontinentalriftpod/) Facebook TheContinentalRift (https://www.facebook.com/TheContinentalRift/) X @ContRiftShow (https://x.com/ContRiftShow) CREDITS Editor Conan Roberts - https://conanroberts.com/Homepage Animation & Design Roland Seer - Tartu Multifilm @rolandseer Music by Paabel @paabeltheband (Estonian folk-fusion) Executive Producer Fred Casella https://www.freshlens.film/ © Fresh Lens Film Sàrl 2026 all rights reserved

    29 min
  2. Exes & Selfies

    28 Jun ·  Video

    Exes & Selfies

    Ten years (and 6, soon 7, Prime Ministers) later was Brexit worth it and how did it change Europe? Also, why is Europe's hard right suddenly speed-walking away from Donald Trump? A former President & a comedian on what's going on and what comes next. CLARIFICATION Zelensky was not stripped of Poland’s Order of Merit, but of the Order of the White Eagle, Poland’s highest honour, awarded to him in 2023 by then-President Andrzej Duda. Some Ukrainian officials returned Order of Merit decorations, while former Ukrainian presidents also returned their Polish honours in solidarity. Chapters 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:30 Heatwave 00:03:55 EU's Chief Diplomat 00:07:11 Ukraine vs Poland 00:09:55 Ukraine's EU Accession vs Hungary 00:11:20 Brexit Vote, 10 years on 00:18:05 Meloni vs Trump 00:25:42 Outro Youtube @TheContinentalRift Instagram @thecontinentalriftpod Facebook TheContinentalRift X @ContRiftShow CREDITS Editor Conan Roberts Animation & Design Roland Seer - Tartu Multifilm @rolandseer Music by Paabel @paabeltheband (Estonian folk-fusion) Executive Producer Fred Casella © Fresh Lens Film Sàrl 2026 all rights reserved

    27 min
  3. Tractors and Tantrums

    19 Jun ·  Video

    Tractors and Tantrums

    A comedian and a former president walk into Europe's biggest mess. American comedian Andy Valvur’s oldest friend, Toomas Hendrik Ilves, grew up to become President of Estonia. Now, as the transatlantic alliance comes apart, The Continental Rift is their weekly, irreverent take on European geopolitics: the EU, NATO, Trump, Russia, and what comes next. Serious politics, questionable hosts. New episodes weekly. This week EUBS asks why… … did the US embassy quietly killed the dinners where diplomacy actually happens? And why do the Europeans count getting tariffed as a win? Also… Ukraine gets to try to join the EU, but can you fill in Europe’s paperwork while fighting for survival (and will French farmers be happy to acept. farming superpower into their club)? And at the G7 in Évian, has holding the free world together really come down to keeping one man in a good mood? Chapters 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:30 EUBS: American diplomacy dinners end 00:03:21 EUBS: US EU trade deal ratified 00:04:37 Ukraine's accession to the EU 00:12:25 G7 in Evian 00:15:43 EUtopia 00:18:05 Credits CREDITS Editor Conan Roberts Animation & Design Roland Seer - Tartu Multifilm @rolandseer Music by Paabel @paabeltheband (Estonian folk-fusion) Executive Producer Fred Casella © Fresh Lens Film Sàrl 2026 all rights reserved

    19 min
  4. Polls, Pots & Flamingos

    12 Jun ·  Video

    Polls, Pots & Flamingos

    A comedian & ex President (of Estonia, twice) - childhood buddies, American raised now living in Europe - riff on the 'divorce' between the US & Europe. Serious politics, questionable hosts. This week EUBS asks why… does Pete Hegseth equate the allied (including US) storming the Normandy beaches on D-Day to liberate Europe from Nazi tyranny with migrants fleeing war; whether dressing some of his kids in US military uniform is good “optics”, and why the EU Parliament hosts groups with odd beliefs. Also… Is America Europe’s friend or, er… not? https://ecfr.eu/publication/home-alone-europeans-are-ready-to-defend-themselves/ Ireland’s alumina scandal https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/06/08/why-ireland-is-under-fire-over-its-alumina-exports-to-russia https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/06/09/kaja-kallas-urges-ireland-to-get-the-facts-straight-on-alumina-sales-to-russia Albania gets in a mess with Kushner & EU https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/6/5/why-the-kushners-plan-to-build-an-albanian-resort-has-sparked-protests Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:32 America, friend or....not? 00:05:12 EUBS 00:11:09 Ireland's alumina scandal 00:16:05 Albania's Kushner Resort 00:22:15 Other fun stuff & looking ahead CREDITS Editor Valter Nõmm Animation & Design Roland Seer - Tartu Multifilm @rolandseer Music by Paabel @paabeltheband (Estonian folk-fusion) Executive Producer Fred Casella © Fresh Lens Film Sàrl 2026 all rights reserved

    25 min
  5. Tankers & Cash

    6 Jun ·  Video

    Tankers & Cash

    A comedian & ex President (of Estonia, twice) - childhood buddies, American raised now living in Europe - riff on the 'divorce' between the US & Europe. Serious politics, questionable hosts. This week EUBS asks why… The EU insists on a fleet of EVs that cannot make the trip between Brussels and Strasbourg in on a single charge; why Albanians are protesting a Kushner real estate development and why Hungary’s President is appealing to European institutions to help him stay in post. Also… Russia’s Shadow Tanker Fleet https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/the-shadow-fleet-is-undermining-the-maritime-order-more-brazenly-than-ever/ https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2026-06-01/frances-macron-says-french-navy-boarded-russia-linked-oil-tanker https://kyivindependent.com/eus-last-shipyard-servicing-russian-lng-fleet-may-repair-up-to-6-vessels-before-ban-report-says/ Europe’s Single Capital Market https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-10-2025-0124_EN.html https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-05-29/eu-s-economic-powers-strike-deal-to-push-capital-markets-merger https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/05/asml-ceo-christophe-fouquet-no-one-is-coming-for-us/ Chapters 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:40 EUBS: EU's EV fleet, Hungary's President & Albania protests Kushners 00:10:54 Russia's Show Tanker Fleet 00:19:27 Baby Steps to joined up Capital Markets 00:30:38 Next week... 00:32:32 Credits CREDITS Editor Valter Nõmm Animation & Design Roland Seer - Tartu Multifilm @rolandseer Music by Paabel @paabeltheband (Estonian folk-fusion) Executive Producer Fred Casella © Fresh Lens Film Sàrl 2026 all rights reserved

    33 min
  6. Drones & The AntiChrist

    31 May ·  Video

    Drones & The AntiChrist

    A comedian & ex President (of Estonia, twice) - childhood buddies, American raised now living in Europe - riff on the 'divorce' between the US & Europe. Serious politics, questionable hosts. This week… Drones fall on Baltics & Finland while US disengages https://novayagazeta.eu/en/articles/2026/05/21/at-least-24-drone-incidents-recorded-in-the-baltic-states-since-start-of-2025-en-news https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2026/05/26/report-us-to-cut-strategic-bombers-and-warships-available-to-nato-in-a-crisis/ https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/27/uk-spy-chief-gchq-russia-china-us-cyber-attack-security.html The Pope, Peter Thiel & the AntiChrist https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/encyclicals/documents/20260515-magnifica-humanitas.html https://firstthings.com/when-envy-turns-apocalyptic/ https://thecatholicherald.com/article/is-magnifica-humanitas-aimed-at-peter-thiels-techno-political-empire Animation & Design Roland Seer - Tartu Multifilm @rolandseer Editor Valter Nõmm Music Paabel @paabeltheband (Estonian folk-fusion) Executive Producer Fred Casella © Fresh Lens Film Sàrl 2026 all rights reserved Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:28 Background to the Pod 00:04:27 Europe-US relationship when Toomas was President 00:05:55 Drones falling on the Baltics 00:10:08 Russian threatens, US disengages 00:19:04 The Pope, Peter Thiel & the AntiChrist 00:28:18 Next week... 00:30:36 credits

    31 min
  7. The Continental Rift (trailer)

    Season 1 Trailer ·  Video

    The Continental Rift (trailer)

    The relationship keeping the free world together is falling apart. I’m Andy, a comedian. My oldest buddy - since toddlerhood - became a two-term European president. We grew up in the US as refugee kids (the USSR erased our country from the map), but now we live in Europe. As the EU and the US 'divorce' we decided to stop keeping our conversations to ourselves. You're welcome. The Continental Rift: serious politics, questionable hosts. Animation & Design Roland Seer - Tartu Multifilm @rolandseer Editor Valter Nõmm Music Paabel @paabeltheband (Estonian folk-fusion) Executive Producer Fred Casella © Fresh Lens Film Sàrl 2026 all rights reserved

    2 min

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

As the US and Europe divorce, who gets what? And what comes next? A European President & American comedian: informed & irreverent takes on the latest, in less time than it takes to commute, cook or bedtime scroll.

Information

  • Creator
    Fresh Lens
  • Years Active
    2k
  • Episodes
    7
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Fresh Lens Film Sàrl
  • Show Website
    The Continental Rift

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