The Continental Rift

Fresh Lens

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.

Afleveringen

  1. No-shows & Neutrals

    3 dgn geleden ·  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. 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.
  3. 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.

Info

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.

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