The PG Newsletter #6: Interference, Exiles, and Europe's Defence Industry
Happy thanksgiving!
Here are the news of the week.
This Week's Quick Takes
Earlier this September, a document from the US Department of Justice alleged the presence of Russian interference in the presidential elections. Our Senior Research Analyst Matthew Downey takes a look at how the Kremlin uses AI and its affiliated media to have a say in who will sit in the oval office in January.
Since February 2022, around 650,000 Russians have left their country to evade military draft and distance themselves from Russian authorities. Our Research Analyst Thomas Cline-Fedorus analyzes for us the political, economic and military implications of such an exodus.
领英推荐
In the News
Draghi and Europe's Defence Industry
Much ink has been spilled on Mario Draghi's report on "European competitiveness", including in the European's defence industry and its member-states military procurement systems. An alarming figure highlighted by the report is that only a fifth of European defence procurement is direct at European suppliers (The Insider). Faulty procurement systems, lack of market information, the limited array of products from the European market, as well as the reputation of American weapon systems and the desire of interoperability with the US military, are all cited factors of a lack of European competitiveness in the defence industry (CEPA). The report emphasizes the need for closer cooperation in military industrial, and more generally economic affairs between the EU and the US, as well as an insulation from Chinese supply chains. It also encourages stronger investments by states and the private sector. While promoting greater integration with the American industry, the report is also criticized for a lack of promotion of intraeuropean cooperation (Atlantic Council).
Elections in Moldova... and Russian interference
The US is not the only country who has been suffering from Russian interference in their elections lately. On October 20, Moldova will hold its own presidential elections and a referendum on joining the EU. Russia is allegedly seeking to make the Moldovan referendum fail through misinformation, and potentially seeks to delegitimize it by calling for a boycott in the last days of the campaign (Kyiv Post). A alleged "vote-buying scheme" led by Russia has also been denounced by the Moldovan authorities. Pro-Russian entities in Moldova, such as the government of the russophone autonomous region of Gagauzia, the unrecognized state of Transnistria, and the Shor political party, have all been cited as part of a "mafia-style" Russian network of influence in the country (Altantic Council).
Again, we wish you a happy thanksgiving!
Thank you for reading,
Yassine El-Ouaqaf
Senior Research Analyst and Editor of the Newsletter