Monday Morning News & Notes
Europe prepares to stand alone. Ocean current concerns rise.
🇺🇦Ukraine/ Russia War🇷🇺
🇩🇰🇺🇦
Three years ago today, Russia launched its ill-conceived invasion of Ukraine. At the time, Russian President Vladimir Putin said his forces would take Kyiv in three days. Three years, billions of dollars in destroyed Russian military equipment, and the loss of tens of thousands of Russian soldiers later, the battle continues to rage on.
In Denmark, the anniversary will be recognized by King Frederik X and Queen Mary at a special church service in Copenhagen today. This will be followed by the ‘Freedom for Ukraine—Peace, Security, and Progress’ conference, which will be attended by Danish politicians and the Ukrainian Ambassador to Denmark, Andrii Yanevskyi.
There will also be a march from Christianborg Slot tonight. The march will swing by the Ukraine embassy before making its way to the Russian embassy in Copenhagen for a big demonstration.
🇪🇺🇺🇦
Citing sources, Politico is reporting that the European Union is preparing a large military donation to Ukraine. The package is reportedly worth around €20 billion (or almost $30 billion Cdn). The details are being coordinated by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and former Prime Minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas. The package is unique as the EU will work around pro-Russian states like Hungary and tailor the package as collectively supported by countries who want to participate. This avoids Hungarian parliamentarians from playing games to gum up the works.
Kallas and other EU leaders are expected to pay Kyiv an official visit today to commemorate the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
🇪🇺🇺🇦/ 🇷🇺🇺🇸
EU Foreign Affairs Ministers want to make the formal decision to approve a new sanctions package against Russia at a meeting in Brussels today. EU states reached an agreement on a new sanctions package last Wednesday. The new sanctions further target Russia’s so-called ‘shadow fleet,’ take new measures against Russian media, and include more trade restrictions.
The timing is symbolic coming on the third anniversary of the Russian invasion and shortly after the Trump administration announced it would negotiate a peace deal without either Ukraine or the EU at the table.
🇬🇧/ 🇷🇺
The UK is marking the third anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine by tabling a major new sanctions package against Russia.
British Foreign Affairs Minister David Lammy made the announcement on Sunday.
“This is also the time to tighten the screws on Putin's Russia. I plan to announce tomorrow (Monday) the largest package of sanctions against Russia since the beginning of the war.”
While we don’t know the finite details as of this writing, Lammy says it will target 1,900 organizations and individuals either in the Russian government or linked to it. The sanctions will enact measures like the freezing of bank assets, travel bans, and trade restrictions.
🇩🇰🇺🇦
More and more Ukrainian men are fleeing to Denmark to escape military service as the war in Ukraine enters its fourth year. Since the fall of 2022, more men than women have sought refuge in Denmark, with 4,030 Ukrainian men aged 20 to 59 arriving in the past two and a half years, according to Statistics Denmark. Experts suggest that Ukraine has exhausted its pool of willing volunteers, and many men fear being forcibly drafted under strict mobilization laws. New measures introduced in May 2024 require men to carry military documents in public, and those without proper paperwork risk being sent directly to the front lines.
This shift in refugee demographics poses new challenges for Denmark’s integration efforts. While women and children arriving early in the war adapted quickly, the men coming now often suffer from war-related trauma and uncertainty about their future. According to the Red Cross, many require additional support to navigate life in Denmark, as they struggle with the emotional and psychological toll of the conflict. Despite breaking Ukraine’s exit ban, these men, so far, face no legal consequences in Denmark.
🇺🇸/🇺🇦🇪🇺
The western rules-based order that has existed since the end of World War II is coming apart at the seams as the Trump administration aligns itself with the world’s authoritarian regimes. The United States has blocked a UN resolution critical of Russia ahead of the third anniversary of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Instead, they have tabled their own sanitized resolution that removes any reference to Russian aggression or the term ‘occupied territories.’ Even more telling is that the American resolution calls for “addressing its [the war's] root causes.” A phrase added specifically at Russia’s request!
Not done there, the Trump administration is also blocking an international effort to hold a military tribunal designed to bring Putin and Russia to justice for the atrocities they committed in Ukraine. The Telegraph reports that the tribunal is backed by some 40 countries, but the U.S. is undermining the effort by refusing to describe Russia as the attacking party. The move has caused concern among other world leaders that Vladimir Putin will once again get away with it, as the process as a whole is more difficult without the support of the U.S.
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Be invaded by its enemy, or be plundered by its ‘ally.’ The Trump administration has put Ukraine in a tough position as it tries to hold the country up for a huge amount of Ukraine’s rare earth minerals for its continued support against Russia. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reportedly rejected the first deal. However, Reuters is reporting that US negotiators are threatening to reduce, or even shut off entirely, access to Starlink satellite internet systems, which its military relies on, to try and pressure Ukraine to sign the deal. Trump is demanding $500 billion in rare earth metals from Ukraine, a sum many times larger than the value of US military support to date.
🇺🇦🇪🇺
As the Trump administration turns its back on Ukraine in order to move closer to Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is working the phones to drum up support from Europe. Among those he has been on the phone with are Nordic leaders. Zelenskyy’s message to them is that "Europe must and can do much more to make sure that peace can really be achieved.". He says he is hopeful that an end to the war is possible because EU leaders have "clear proposals."
“Based on that, we can ensure the implementation of a European strategy, and it is important that we do it together with the US.”
🇪🇺
After a string of high-profile incidents involving damaged undersea cables in the Baltic Sea, involving, in some cases, sabotage, the European Union will take tougher measures to address the issue. According to an announcement on Friday, the EU wants to improve monitoring in the Baltic, including increasing surveillance of undersea infrastructure, improved overall monitoring, and a much improved repair system so damaged cables can be brought back online much more quickly.
EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs Magnus Brunner:
"The fact that we are investigating potential cases of sabotage against EU infrastructure shows how serious a threat we are facing is.”
The EU wants to utilize what it calls “cable diplomacy” as well as take measures against Russia’s so-called ‘shadow fleet,’ a group of aging oil tankers sailing under flags of convenience, with hidden ownership and dubious insurance coverage, that it uses to circumvent sanctions on its oil and gas. The plan also includes the use of underwater sensors and drones to keep an eye on sea bottom infrastructure. The EU also wants to create a fleet of repair vessels and a stockpile of spare parts so damaged cables and pipes can be repaired much faster.
High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas:
“Today, we take steps to protect cables, detect and predict threats faster, and repair damage as quickly as possible. Anyone found responsible for sabotage should be punished accordingly, including sanctions. Even potential perpetrators must be deterred.”
The announcement was made on the same day that another cable break was reported in the Baltic, the third in as many months.
🇫🇮🇪🇺🇬🇧/ 🇷🇺🇺🇸
It is both morally and strategically inexcusable for Russia to be outspending Ukraine and its allies on defense. That is the opinion of former Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin in a new report published last week by the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change.
In the report, Marin says stopping Russia is a matter of will in Europe.
"A mere 0.2% of Europe's GDP would be enough to close the gap in resources between Ukraine and Russia.”
She also said the recent developments from the Trump administration that have left European leaders scrambling are a wake-up call.
"Europe can no longer rely on transatlantic value-based cooperation and support, and Europe will not be at the negotiating table where its future and security are decided. Europe must take leadership in its own security and strengthen its capabilities in strategic issues. There is no time to waste.”
🇸🇪🇺🇦/ 🇺🇸🇷🇺
Ukraine must have a seat at the table in negotiations on a peace agreement. That is the opinion of former Swedish Foreign Affairs Minister Ann Linde, who is warning that the only viable peace deal is one reached where Ukraine has a voice in the process.
“Nothing can be decided about Ukraine without Ukraine sitting at the table. Russia is the aggressor, and Ukraine is the victim, and if there is going to be any peace deals, then Ukraine has to be at the table and decide what they think is a fair deal.”
Linde says the most important thing now that it looks like the U.S. is turning its back on Ukraine is for Europe and the UK to remain steadfast in their military support of Ukraine to ensure it has the strongest possible bargaining position. She also credits Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov as a highly skilled negotiator who should not be underestimated.
Former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt is critical of U.S. negotiators, whom he called “a team of amateurs” who are going into negotiations by already ceding concessions.
🇸🇪
The urgency to rearm has led to a heated debate in Swedish politics over whether the country should partake in joint EU loans in order to finance the bulking up of its military as fast as possible. This marks a significant shift in Swedish fiscal policy, which traditionally avoids borrowing for public expenditures.
Head of the Swedish Social Democratic Party and former Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson stresses the urgency of the situation.
“This needs to happen at a rapid pace, and all countries must participate, even those with weaker economic conditions. Europe must strengthen its deterrence capability and increase its support for Ukraine. To do so, we must scale up the production of weapons and ammunition.”
Two other parties, the Centre and Green parties, announced last week that they have shifted their position opposing the idea to now being in support of it. The proposal for joint loans to cover European defence expenditures has been discussed among EU finance ministers.
Those opposed are concerned that wealthier nations like Sweden could bear a disproportionate financial burden.
The argument is another sign of the concern sweeping Europe about the growing uncertainty in the United States as a reliable military ally and that the EU might be left to fend for itself should the Ukraine war spread across the continent.
🇫🇮
A retired Finnish general and current member of parliament, Pekka Toveri, is splashing some cold water on the idea of a European peacekeeping force in Ukraine when the war ends. Toveri notes that a ceasefire line would likely be in the neighbourhood of 1,200 kilometres long. He says that would require around 150,000 to 200,000 troops to patrol, and they would need to be rotated out, pushing the actual deployment number to as much as three times that many soldiers.
"It would take over half a million soldiers. Can we find them in Europe? France, Britain, and Germany, the three largest armies, can't even deploy a 20,000-man division. This is pretty challenging."
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been lobbying for the idea of a European peacekeeping force as part of a deal to end the war.
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Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo is flatly rejecting Russia's demand that Ukraine should be blocked from applying for NATO membership as a condition of any peace deal.
“Ukraine is a sovereign country that can apply for EU and NATO membership if it wishes.”
Orpo added that it is also important for Europe to have a seat at the negotiating table as Russia and the United States seek a negotiated end to the war in Ukraine.
Orpo said it doesn’t make sense for NATO's defense to be weakened as a result of the peace agreement. He is alluding to the potential role Ukraine and its military could play as a member of the military alliance.
Regardless of the outcome of the talks, Orpo said that Russia will continue to pose a threat to Europe.
“Russia is and will be a long-term and serious security threat to Europe.”
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Finland is taking a wait-and-see approach to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s push for a European peacekeeping force in Ukraine if a peacekeeping deal is reached. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo says the governing parties need to sit down, look at the options, and decide on what position Finland will take.
He says that when it comes to Ukraine and European security, all the Finnish parliamentarians are on the same page.
“A common national vision and understanding of these issues related to national security and defense is everything. As a government, we want to cherish this unity, and therefore informing all parliamentary parties and having a discussion with them across the government-opposition borders makes sense in this situation.”
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A 200-kilometre-long fence being installed along Finland’s eastern border with Russia is being built much faster than anticipated. The fence is being constructed in sections along high-priority areas of Finland’s 1,300-kilometre-long border with Russia.
Finnish Border Guard Chief Markku Hassinen told MT that this latest section of fencing will be complete months ahead of schedule.
"The fence will mostly be completed this year, with some sections extending into next year.”
The fence is designed to prevent illegal crossings and act as a deterrent for potential hybrid threats emanating from the Russian side. Finland closed its land border with Russia in the winter of 2023, and it will remain closed for the foreseeable future after Russia weaponized immigration, sending thousands of illegal immigrants to Finnish border crossings.
🇩🇰
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen had a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last Thursday. The call comes in the aftermath of U.S President Donald Trump launching a verbal attack against Zelenskyy where he regurgitated Russian propaganda.
“Togetherness. Strength. Europe. That was my message to President Zelenskyy when we spoke on the phone earlier today. We must stand close together. And use Europe's great strength to get through this difficult time.”
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It has been over 700 days since the Danish government bought back a long-closed ammunition factory in North Jutland with the purpose of it beginning to churn out bullets and artillery shells once again. However, not so much as a single bullet has yet to have come out of the factory. Danish Defense Minister Troels Lunds Poulsen danced around the question when asked by a journalist and chose to segue the issue as an example of bureaucracy run amok and why Denmark is choosing to streamline things in the name of rearming with urgency. The minister did not provide any details on why getting the factory up and running is taking so long or when we might expect it to actually begin producing ammunition.
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Danish fighter jets had a busy 2024. Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen says Danish warplanes had to scramble to intercept potentially hostile aircraft over the Baltic 81 times last year.
“In the vast majority of cases, it happened in response to Russian military aircraft that flew near Denmark but stayed in international airspace.”
That is a significant increase from the 55 emergency responses in 2023. It is also a major increase from the years before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, when defense forces had to scramble fighter jets between 30 and 50 times per year.
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Three years after Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine, triggering a wave of refugees fleeing into Europe, new numbers from Dansk Industri show that most Ukrainians arriving in Denmark have found a job. The numbers show that eight out of every ten Ukrainians are employed. In 2022, the Danish government passed a law that gave Ukrainian refugees the right to work, get temporary residency, and use the Danish healthcare system.
🇷🇴/ 🇷🇺
Romania has had enough. Pending Senate approval of new legislation, the Romanian Armed Forces could soon be authorized to shoot down any Russian drone or missile that violates its airspace. On several occasions, Russian drones attacking Ukraine have either violated Romanian airspace or crashed on Romanian territory. Up until this point, because Romania was not at war, its army had its hands tied to deal with the situation. The new legislation would free them up to take military action should it happen again.
🇵🇱/ 🇷🇺
A Russian man taken into custody in Bosnia and Herzegovina has been deported to Poland to face charges of sabotage carried out at the behest of the Russian government.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk:
“A Russian suspected of coordinating acts of sabotage directed against Poland, the US, and other allies, hiding in Bosnia and Herzegovina, was deported to Poland and arrested by court order. Great work by the ABW and the prosecutor's office. Russian hostile activity confirmed.”
🍃Environment & Energy⚡️
🇺🇦 🌍
The Ukraine war is also exacting a steep cost on the global climate, according to a new study. Large forest fires ignited by the war have contributed to the almost 230 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions pumped out by the conflict. That is roughly equal to the emissions from 120 million cars or the annual emissions from Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia combined. Forest fires aside, the consumption of fuel, discharge of weapons, and use of concrete and steep for fortifications account for the largest share of CO2 emissions in Ukraine.
🌎 🇩🇰
More than three decades after first warning Congress about human-caused climate change, renowned scientist James E. Hansen is sounding the alarm again, this time over the looming threat of the potential collapse of an Atlantic ocean called AMOC. Hansen, a former NASA scientist and professor at Columbia University, warns that global warming is accelerating at an unprecedented rate, with temperatures rising by 0.4 degrees Celsius in just two years. While extreme weather events like heat waves and floods can be mitigated, Hansen stresses that the real danger lies in the collapse of the vital AMOC ocean current responsible for regulating temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere. Contrary to the UN’s Climate Panel (IPCC), which predicts a low probability of collapse before 2100, Hansen believes the AMOC could fail within the next 20 to 30 years, drastically altering climates across Europe, especially in the Nordic nations, and beyond.
The current acts as a global heat distributor, bringing warm water northward and maintaining the relatively mild climate in Northern Europe, including Denmark. If it collapses, temperatures in the region could drop drastically, while parts of the Southern Hemisphere would experience extreme warming. Hansen argues that the IPCC underestimates both the speed of global warming and the AMOC’s vulnerability, pointing to recent temperature surges that have outpaced the panel’s predictions. His concerns are echoed by Danish climate scientist Peter Ditlevsen, whose research suggests the AMOC could collapse as early as 2057. Adding to the urgency, melting ice in Greenland is releasing 2.5 million litres of freshwater into the ocean every second, disrupting the delicate balance that keeps the current stable. Despite some scientific debate, Hansen and other experts insist that immediate action is needed to better understand and prevent an AMOC shutdown.
Some Danish officials, including Climate Minister Lars Aagaard, are urging the IPCC to prioritize AMOC research in its next report, due in 2028. However, Hansen warns that relying solely on the UN’s findings is risky and calls for expanded real-time monitoring of ocean conditions.
“The understanding of AMOC collapse is still primitive. We need direct observations to grasp the full scale of this threat, one that, once triggered, cannot be reversed.”
🇩🇰
Denmark has experienced a rapid rise in the import of used electric vehicles, with nearly 60,000 arriving in the country in 2024 alone, according to figures from the Danish Motor Agency. This marks a significant increase, as EV imports have doubled each year since 2022. Market analysts attribute this trend to high local demand for electric cars, coupled with lower demand in other European countries, allowing Danish dealers to purchase vehicles in countries like Germany, Sweden, Italy, and France at competitive prices. As a result, the number of electric cars on Danish roads has surged, growing from 113,000 in late 2022 to 344,000 by January 2024, while the number of gas and diesel cars continues to fall.
The influx of imported electric cars has also led to increased competition in the market, benefiting consumers through lower prices. The trend has also influenced new car pricing, with manufacturers like Volvo and Tesla reducing prices to compete with the growing used car market. Additionally, Volkswagen's Danish importer has extended its warranty from two to five years to maintain competitiveness against imported used models. Nearly new electric cars, such as the Volkswagen ID.3, Tesla Model Y, and Skoda Enyaq, are now available at significant discounts, with savings of up to 70,000 Danish kroner compared to brand-new models.
However, as is always the case, let the buyer beware. Despite the cost savings, experts advise people shopping for EV deals to carefully assess the specifications of imported electric cars, as equipment levels can vary significantly between countries. Some imported vehicles may lack features common in Denmark, such as heated seats or three-phase charging, which can impact convenience and long-term costs. Additionally, ensuring that warranties transfer to Denmark is crucial, particularly for battery coverage.
🇫🇮
Finland has seen a sharp drop in tax revenue from the sale and registration of new vehicles due to fewer and fewer fossil fuel vehicle sales and the fact that there is no car tax on fully electric vehicles as an incentive for people to buy. Automobile tax revenue dropped by 22% last year, or €84 million less in revenue from 2023.
Last November, the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Ministry of Finance launched a reassessment of vehicle taxation policies. This will likely spell the end of rock-bottom tax rates on EVs as the government seeks to recoup lost revenue.
🇩🇰
After repeated setbacks, the Danish government is breathing new life into its ambitious hydrogen goals. A political majority in the Folketing (Danish Parliament) has reached an agreement to build a hydrogen pipeline from Esbjerg to the German border by 2030. The project has been scaled down, requirements relaxed, and it has been infused with billions in state aid to ensure progress. The pipeline is critical for Denmark’s green energy transition, enabling the export of hydrogen to Germany’s steel industry, which is set for a major shift away from fossil fuels. Despite the government’s renewed commitment, the timeline remains tight, with no guarantees of success.
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Denmark is making a first-of-its-kind step to try and tackle the introduction of PFAS, so-called forever chemicals, into the environment through industrial smoke emissions. The Ministry of Environment says an investigation will be launched to determine industrial PFAS emissions. The findings could result in the Danish Environmental Protection Agency setting PFAS emission limits in smoke from industrial facilities, something that has never been tried before.
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Denmark is updating its climate adaptation guidelines for the first time since 2018 to reflect the latest global climate projections. The Danish Meteorological Institute and the Environmental Protection Agency are integrating new emission scenarios after the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued new global climate scenarios. The new projections offer a broader range of possible future scenarios based on a plethora of new data. These scenarios account for factors such as economic growth, technological advancements, and population changes, providing a more nuanced understanding of how global warming could unfold. The good news is that the new assessments suggest that the world is on track for a lower emissions trajectory.
Head of the National Centre for Climate Research at DMI Adrian Lema, says the revised guidance will help decision-makers make informed choices about investments in flood defenses, infrastructure, and other climate adaptation measures.
“State climate adaptation tools, such as DMI’s Climate Atlas, are crucial, especially for municipalities. The IPCC has calculated multiple future climate scenarios, and both the IPCC and the UN Environment Programme assess that the world is currently on a trajectory toward slightly lower global warming than previously expected. With this new knowledge and the updated guidelines, we can better assist those affected by climate change. Now, we can better support the use of climate data so that they can be optimally integrated into planning and investment in climate adaptation in Denmark.”
EPA Head of the Climate Adaptation Office Kristian Hansted says the new guidelines allow for flexible climate adaptation measures.
“The new guidelines acknowledge that different areas of Denmark face very different climate challenges, requiring tailored approaches and solutions. It promotes flexible climate adaptation, meaning that adjustments can be made as climate projections evolve over time. For example, a seawall can be built higher if future climate projections indicate the need for it.”
🇩🇰🇸🇪
A tale of two countries. Danish municipalities are spending huge sums of money to make their communities more climate resilient to deal with increased flooding and severe weather, in neighbouring Sweden they are taking a simpler approach. In Karlskrona, buildings in flood-prone areas are just being torn down because the cost to climate-proof them is too prohibitive.
Aarhus University Climate Adaptation Researcher Lasse Bech Knudsen told DR that similar measures might be seen in Denmark.
“Denmark is a very low-lying country, and we are not going to protect our entire coastal area, so we have to change the way we think about climate adaptation.”
🇸🇪🇨🇳
Swedish and Chinese researchers have developed a new variety of rice that drastically cuts methane emissions when it is grown. Researchers say the rice strain cuts methane emissions by up to 70%, a big deal considering rice is a meal staple for about half the world’s population.
Swedish University of Agriculture Microbiologist Anna Schnürer is one of the researchers on the project.
“Approximately 13% of the methane that we have in the atmosphere that is created from human activities, comes from rice farms.”
Developing the new rice strain was tricky because it had to be naturally produced and not genetically modified, because several countries have banned GMO crops. The other challenge was first determining exactly why rice produces so much methane. Researchers found the cause in the roots of the rice, which give off organic substances, which are then consumed by microorganisms, which produce the menthane.
Linköping University Microbial Ecologist Alex Enrich Prast says the findings will have spillover effects, helping to reduce emissions in other crops.
“This research is very important. It allows us to continue growing rice, which is inevitable because we need it for food. But now we can do it with significantly lower methane emissions. The researchers' method and the knowledge of the microbial processes can also help us understand and reduce the emissions from other crops.”
The new strain not only emits much less methane but also produces a large yield. It has been tested in China with solid results. The researchers believe the new rice strain could be available on the market in about three years.
🦠Outbreaks🦠
🇪🇺
Europe is still in the grips of a significant winter respiratory virus season, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. The agency says the influenza wave is particularly intense this winter. It says about a third of EU member nations are still experiencing increasing influenza infection activity while the rest have either reached or passed the peak of the infection wave. The flu picture varies from country to country.
As for the RS virus, the picture is a little more mixed. The ECDC says roughly half of EU countries are seeing falling RSV infection rates, while it is the exact opposite story for the rest.
The big story is the lack of a big COVID wave so far this winter. Coronavirus activity has been exceptionally understated this winter compared to all the previous winter seasons since the pandemic arrived.
Flu-related hospitalizations “are currently at similar levels to those observed at the peak of the previous winter season.” Most influenza and COVID-related hospitalizations are seniors over 65, while RSV admissions are predominantly among children under five.
The ECDC anticipates that respiratory infection activity will continue to strain healthcare systems and hospital capacity for the immediate future.
🇩🇰
Influenza infection activity continues to rule the day across Denmark; infection numbers keep rising. Flu-related hospitalizations now account for the most respiratory virus-related admissions across the country. The Staten Serum Institute assesses the influenza activity as “at a high level” and notes hospital admission numbers are also increasing.
RS virus infection numbers seem to have plateaued, but it is still too early to say if the winter infections have peaked or just paused. RSV-related hospital admissions are second only to influenza at the moment.
COVID activity across Denmark continues to be surprisingly low compares to previous winters. Both the number of confirmed infections and hospitalizations are comparable over recent weeks. Overall, virus-related hospital admissions are “at a low level” while wastewater surveillance shows a corresponding “low level” of virus activity.
🇸🇪
COVID activity in Sweden remains at a lower level than expected for this time of year, according to the Swedish Public Health Agency. It says the number of confirmed cases, hospitalizations, and virus-related deaths per week has continued to gradually decrease so far this year.
Deputy State Epidemiologist Erik Sturegård:
“It is not quite what we expected. COVID numbers have been stable throughout the autumn, and we have not seen a clear peak since August. It wasn't quite what we expected, and in recent weeks we've actually seen infection numbers drop. Right now, we don't seem to have a variant of that that both evades our immune system and has a great tendency to spread. That, together with a high vaccination rate, means that we are currently in a favourable position.”
Seniors continue to be in harm's way, with 72% of all confirmed coronavirus infections among those over 65, and infections among that age group increased by 10% week to week. The country continues to see around 20 COVID-related deaths each week.
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This year’s flu season is shaping up to be a potentially ugly one in Sweden. Wastewater surveillance indicates influenza activity is spreading rapidly across the country. The cities of Gävle, Jönköping, and Gothenburg registered by far the highest amount of influenza activity in wastewater testing among Swedish cities.
Deputy State epidemiologist Erik Sturegård:
“We see that the spread of influenza is on the rise. The spread of infection is at a medium level right now and we see that it is increasing, so it is currently difficult to say how high the peak of the infection wave will be”
Sturegård says they are also seeing increasing RS virus numbers but activity is still at a relatively low level compared to previous winters.
“We believe that the relatively low level of RS virus we see now may be due to the fact that this year we had a late start to the spread of infection compared to previous seasons.”
Health officials are also keeping an eye on the winter sickness, or winter vomiting disease, which is a norovirus. Numbers there are also lower than usual and health officials are bracing for infection numbers to pick up speed again.
🇺🇸🇩🇰
The global avian flu epidemic has struck again. Milk testing have come back positive for bird flu among dairy cows in the United States again. This is the second wave of the avian flu being confirmed to have jumped to cows in the U.S.
This latest development has again sparked calls for greater surveillance of dairy herds here in Denmark. University of Copenhagen Professor of Veterinary Virology Erik Larsen told TV2 that there is a risk of the virus making the same jump from birds to cows in Denmark and across Europe. Experts at Denmark’s Statens Serum Institute are also advocating for milk to be regularly tested for bird flu as well. Last year, the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration urged veterinarians in Denmark to keep a sharp eye out for any potential signs of the avian flu jumping from birds to other animal species.
🇫🇮
A recent study by the Finnish Institute for Health has confirmed that the bird flu vaccine provides protection against currently circulating avian influenza viruses. Since summer 2024, Finland has offered bird flu vaccinations to high-risk professionals, including fur and poultry farm workers, veterinarians, and laboratory staff. The vaccine, licensed by the European Medicines Agency, was designed to protect against bird flu strains responsible for widespread outbreaks in Finland and Europe in 2023 and 2024. During these outbreaks, the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus spread from wild birds to fur farms and, in some cases, to humans, putting exposed workers at risk of severe illness.
The study examined the immune response in 39 vaccinated individuals, with results showing that two doses of the vaccine generated strong neutralizing antibodies against the virus. Among previously unvaccinated individuals, a single dose provided some protection, while two doses significantly increased antibody levels. Those who had received earlier bird flu vaccines already had memory cells that helped them respond more effectively to the new vaccination. Researchers plan to expand the study by recruiting more participants ahead of the spring bird migration, which could bring increased infection risks. Although human cases of bird flu remain rare, the virus continues to spread around the globe, increasing concern about a possible evolution that could trigger the next global pandemic.
🇩🇰🇨🇩
The mpox virus is once again causing concern among epidemiologists. The virus has evolved a new mutation that makes it even more contagious. The variant, dubbed clade 1b, is behind an outbreak in the Congo that now risks spreading to other countries. Denmark’s DTU Food Institute has contributed to a new study that shows the new strain spreads much more easily between people. Mpox cases can be mild to severe, and in rare cases, they can be fatal.
🇪🇺/ 🇺🇸
Having the United States leave the World Health Organization presents both a challenge and an opportunity, according to the directors of six different European public health institutes. U.S. President Donald Trump has announced the United States will leave the WHO as of next year. In an open letter published in the scientific journal The Lancet, health directors in Norway, Denmark, France, Austria, Portugal, and Finland argue that this provides an opportunity for European countries to step up. The directors lobby for European countries to increase funding to the WHO and also send more experts to the organization.
Finnish Institute for Public Health CEO Mika Salminen:
"Although the decision of the United States is very unfortunate when it comes to fruition, it is also an opportunity. It gives European countries an excellent position to take the lead in global health policy.”
On the flip side, the directors also make the case that the WHO is much too dependent on the United States, not only for its funding but also due to the sheer number of Americans who work at the WHO. They also note that American funding covers a fair chunk of work in Europe.
"Europe should at least take care of the problems of its own region itself. Global health depends on how WHO is able to continue its critically important work. So let's take the opportunity. We must ensure that the WHO remains strong and functional in the years to come. In the end, this is quite cheap insurance coverage for all of us.”
🇺🇸
Vaccine misinformation is again helping breathe new life into measles outbreaks. The state of Texas is seeing the worst outbreak of measles among children in more than three decades. 13 of the infected children have been hospitalized.
Johns Hopkins University Fellow Amesh Adalja:
“There are small communities in the United States that are at risk, and it does not escape notice that this is happening in an area where they have the lowest vaccination rate in the state.”
Vaccine skepticism fueled by misinformation has contributed to a declining number of children in the United States being vaccinated against diseases, including measles.
Odds & Ends
🇩🇰
Call it the Trump effect. A majority of Danish political parties have agreed to ban foreign influence in future elections. The government, alongside several opposition parties, plans to introduce a bill restricting foreign contributions to political parties and candidates, aiming to prevent powerful international figures from swaying Danish politics.
“In a troubled world, it is more important than ever to protect the Danish people's government.”
The announcement follows recent concerns over foreign meddling in European elections, particularly after billionaire Elon Musk continues to engage with right-wing nationalist movements in Germany. The move also echoes Greenland’s recent rapid legislation to ban foreign donations amid fears of U.S. interference under President Donald Trump.
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The Danish Meteorological Institute is forecasting a rather quick weather turnaround with temperatures that were below zero suddenly shooting up to as high as +10°C. The sudden warming could make it a lot more dangerous to be out on the ice on frozen lakes, ponds, and streams.
Himmerland Police Commissioner Jørn Kresten Nielsen told DR that it is forbidden to be out on the ice unless a special permit is issued. But his officers have already responded to reports of children playing on the ice anyway.
“You have to stay off the ice because there is nothing to indicate that it is thick enough to withstand the weight.”
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Copenhagen Airport is looking to reduce the noise from airplane traffic, and it wants the airport’s neighbours to help put. The airport is asking people living nearby, especially those to the west and north of the airport, to volunteer to have noise meters installed in their yards. In a Facebook post, the airport says the information will be helpful.
“Right now we are investigating whether we can reduce the noise from take-off on runway 22R (with departure over Kongelunden) by changing the aircraft's take-off position. For this project, we would like to have noise meters located west and north of the airport.”
The airport has to comply with noise level limits set by municipal authorities.
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Copenhagen’s historic Børsen building could rise from the ashes by 2029. The 400-year-old building was destroyed in a fire last April, toppling its iconic twisting dragon’s tail spire.
Dansk Erhvev Deputy Director Lars Daugaard Jepsen admits this is asking a lot but he believes the deadline can be reached.
“It is a wildly ambitious timetable, but we are working on it. We must achieve that.”
Jepsen would not reveal how much the reconstruction would cost. However, it is believed it will be many times that of the 200 million kroner price tag of the original restoration that was underway when the building burned down.
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€3.7 billion. That is how much tourists spent in Finland last year, according to Business Finland. The travel and tourism agency says some 4.9 million tourists from 106 different countries paid Finland a visit last year.
Visit Finland’s Katarina Wakonen:
"Chinese and American tourists spent the most amount of money per trip. In terms of season, winter tourists spent more money than summer tourists.”
The agency attributes the spending disparity to the higher cost of winter activities.
Last year, August was the busiest month of the year for tourist visits in Finland, with 562,000 people arriving in the country.