International Intrigue

International Intrigue The only daily global news and analysis briefing created by former diplomats.

👇🏼 Join 130,000+ leaders and subscribe for free:
www.internationalintrigue.io

Today: Ghost of Christmas PastIn the quiet stretch between Christmas and the New Year of 1922, a dying Vladimir Lenin di...
12/25/2025

Today: Ghost of Christmas Past

In the quiet stretch between Christmas and the New Year of 1922, a dying Vladimir Lenin dictated a private reckoning with the future of Soviet power. Intended as guidance, sealed as a warning, his words would be buried — and then quietly vindicated.

Even revolutions that promise rupture often hinge on moments of stillness. Sometimes, history doesn’t announce itself with force, but leaves instructions behind — and waits to see who ignores them.

Today: Christmas red on a white canvas.On Christmas Day 1989, Romania experienced the most violent regime collapse of Ea...
12/24/2025

Today: Christmas red on a white canvas.

On Christmas Day 1989, Romania experienced the most violent regime collapse of Eastern Europe’s revolutions, marked by more than a thousand casualties.

That evening, while children rejoiced in holiday cheer, adults watched their former dictator and his wife executed by firing squad on national television.

Today: snow falls, history shifts.Christmas Day 1979 marked a decision that reshaped global geopolitics for decades. Whi...
12/23/2025

Today: snow falls, history shifts.

Christmas Day 1979 marked a decision that reshaped global geopolitics for decades. While some were busy with holiday cheer, others leveraged operational convenience: reduced diplomatic traffic, slower diplomatic response, and less immediate scrutiny.

A reminder that “quiet days” are often chosen for disruptive moves.

Power often prefers stillness. Shake it too hard, and fractures appear; leave it untouched, and the illusion holds.This ...
12/22/2025

Power often prefers stillness. Shake it too hard, and fractures appear; leave it untouched, and the illusion holds.

This week, International Intrigue invites you to reflect on five Christmases that shook the globe. Swipe for the first crack in the calm.

Today’s Intrigue was the last one for 2025 — and one you’ll want to check out if you’re curious why the Russian asset de...
12/19/2025

Today’s Intrigue was the last one for 2025 — and one you’ll want to check out if you’re curious why the Russian asset debate has Europe fighting like a dysfunctional family on Christmas Eve.

We’ll still be hitting your inbox over the break with a three-part special series, and we’ll be back with more geopolitical intrigue starting January 5.

12/19/2025

Me when my partner has exes.

In a crossover episode absolutely nobody asked for, Vladimir just weighed in on the vs. legal battle, and he’s pic...
12/19/2025

In a crossover episode absolutely nobody asked for, Vladimir just weighed in on the vs. legal battle, and he’s picking the American’s side.

During his annual marathon end-of-year press conference today (Fri), the Russian President took a detour to comment on Western media ethics. He told reporters that Donald Trump was "right" to sue the BBC, arguing the broadcaster's editing was misleading.

When the Kremlin starts handing out advice on fair and balanced journalism, you know it’s officially time to log off for the weekend. ✌️

There’s no shortage of headlines for those looking to take a closer look at *that* Vanity Fair story making the rounds t...
12/18/2025

There’s no shortage of headlines for those looking to take a closer look at *that* Vanity Fair story making the rounds this week.

But we’re known for digging where others just sniff — so you might want to check out our briefing in today’s Intrigue.: https://vist.ly/4j3yn

Written, we believe, with a sharp nose for detail.

Subscribe to International Intrigue and never miss any of our *carefully edited* briefings: https://vist.ly/4j3fs
12/18/2025

Subscribe to International Intrigue and never miss any of our *carefully edited* briefings: https://vist.ly/4j3fs

“No evidence” of a major cyberattack last week, said French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez. So… what about a minor one?...
12/17/2025

“No evidence” of a major cyberattack last week, said French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez. So… what about a minor one?

Speaking to Franceinfo today (Wed), he later conceded that the intrusion lasted “several days” and was, in fact, “serious.”

Nuñez explicitly blamed the breach on staff “carelessness,” acknowledging that hackers accessed highly sensitive databases — including the Criminal Records Processing System (TAJ) and the Wanted Persons File (FPR).

He insists, however, that the damage is limited to just a “few dozen” extracted files. We suppose that’s comforting? After all, fewer than a dozen jewels were stolen from the Louvre back in October.

The is watering down its ban on petrol and diesel cars from 2035, instead proposing the auto industry cut tailpipe emi...
12/17/2025

The is watering down its ban on petrol and diesel cars from 2035, instead proposing the auto industry cut tailpipe emissions by 90%.

It’s further confirmation that even in Europe, the economic increasingly ✨ trumps✨ the environmental.

Ukraine’s formal aspiration to join has been one of Kyiv’s central security goals since before the 2022 invasion. Pres...
12/16/2025

Ukraine’s formal aspiration to join has been one of Kyiv’s central security goals since before the 2022 invasion. President has now publicly signaled a willingness to forgo NATO accession as part of a broader security guarantee deal.

Western leaders are now negotiating “NATO-lite” security guarantees: legally binding collective defense without formal admission.

Ukraine’s territorial status, however, remains a core dispute. Perhaps leaders can agree on something sovereign-adjacent? keeps Donbas, but gets weekends and major holidays?

Address

Washington D.C., DC

Telephone

+16176851903

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when International Intrigue posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to International Intrigue:

Shortcuts

Share

Category