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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
View all episodes
By Fresh LensWill 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