France has talks with the Kremlin, German MPs meeting at State cancelled over exclusion of left-leaning parties and an Antifa Ost activist gets eight years in Hungary

There is more to bite off than it is possible to chew this week, between the Epstein files—or most of them anyway—dropping one week ago, Ukraine talks, Iran talks and the US and Russian militaries beginning to have a direct line again now that New START expired yesterday. Proliferation of everything is the order of the day.

When the news is this dire and overwhelming, it is not time to step back but rather start where one can. Journalists and citizens around the world have begun to comb through the voluminous trove of images, emails and ephemera that comprised the life of the late child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Much like when WikiLeaks released American diplomatic cables, raw data of this size will take months to go through and might in the end yield very little beyond embarassing disclosures of poorly behaved global elites.

It does seem increasingly clear that Epstein loved Russia and travelled there numerous times and many of his networks overlapped with those of the Russian state. At least one US ally, Poland, has announced it is investigating "possible links between the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and Russian intelligence", Reuters reports. One 2011 Russian visa application of Epstein's shows he intended to visit a veteran's organization in Moscow for special forces of the FSB's Vympel unit. It all smells very much like a fraudster familiar to many in the Alpine region, Jan Marsalek of Wirecard.

What is a normal citizen to do? Think of the future, first. The history is not yet written but we are responsible for how it is written. Careless global elites will not receive all the jail time they should for selling out the fate of future generations for some rapey sex with minors or indulging in lavish gifts paid for with cash of unknown provenance beyond the bagman of a convicted sex offender. This does not mean the rage that burns inside many right now should not be matched by a desire for justice. Even when it is not on offer, the demand for it must be.

We also must look to leaders now, where we can find them, or else we risk the fate of the Iranian people where "President Masoud Pezeshkian's office has begun publishing the names of those killed," in the recent protests by the Iranian authorities, " inviting families to submit missing names with national identification numbers in an attempt to rebut higher casualty claims," according to The Financial Times. Imagine, that is your state and may it never become so. Pursue what matters or perish, or more simply, live free or die.

This is a moment that requires great responsibility and discipline to see to the other side, even and especially in the face of torrents of abuse—whether by ICE agents in Minneapolis or against America's closest allies who fought hard beside US forces. There are instructional examples here in both cases as true leaders have a way of showing themselves in such moments.

As someone who has seen countless "death to America" protests over the years that seldom if ever move the needle in a positive direction, sometimes there are #NoWords. Last Saturday, Danish veterans of American wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were joined by their fellow citizens for a march outside the US Embassy. When they arrived at the American chancery, they held a "moment of silence" where "you could have heard a pin drop" as "each name was read out" in a country that suffered "the second-worst rate of casualties" in Afghanistan, journalist Teri Schultz wrote on X. Thank you for your service, then and now, for holding the line.

Welcome to the new Alpine Security Monitor! You can subscribe (and become a paid subscriber!) for weekly updates on security and geopolitics as it concerns the Alpine region, namely Austria, Czechia, France, Germany, Italy, Slovenia and Switzerland (ok, little Liechtenstein and Monaco too when merited). If this was forwarded to you, welcome! Questions, complaints, musings, lucrative offers, misguided rants and related ephemera can all be addressed to the management, amanda.rivkin@securitydialogue.org. Now let's get to the week's news from around the Alpine region.

MOSCOW, RUSSIA – Macron's senior diplomat meets with Kremlin

France24 reports Thursday that "French President Emmanuel Macron's most senior diplomat," Emmanuel Bonne, "who has been at the helm of Macron's diplomatic cell since 2019," traveled to Russia Tuesday "to hold talks with Russian officials" at the Kremlin.
The Élysée neither confirmed nor denied the talks but France24 cites two unnamed diplomatic sources and "a source familiar with the meeting". However, the Élysée did say "discussions exist at a technical level, in full transparency and in consultation with President Volodymyr Zelensky and with the main European colleagues."
Bonne allegedly met with Yuri Ushakov, a top aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin. On Tuesday, Macron told reporters efforts were underway "to restart dialogue with Putin."

WASHINGTON, DC – Meeting at State cancelled after certain German MPs shut out

Politico reports Thursday that a planned meeting between German parliamentarians at the State Department last month was aborted after the State Department said it would only meet with members of the far-right AfD and the center-right Christian Democrats (CDU) but not the left leaning Socialists or Greens.
Senior CDU lawmaker Norbert Röttgen reportedly "rejected that format" and said "he would not proceed without his coalition partner" though it remains unclear which side cancelled the meeting. Upon returning to Berlin, Röttgen told the media that in all his years traveling to Washington, he was surprised by what he described as the "entrenched, virtually impenetrable worldview" of the "pro-Trump MAGA camp—including the diplomats, politicians and lobbyists".
Peter Felser of AfD who was part of the delegation was able to secure a one-on-one meeting separately David A. Baker, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for European and NATO policy at the Pentagon with the assistance of the German Embassy in Washington.

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – Antifa Ost activist gets eight years for assault of neo-Nazi

The BBC reports an Antifa Ost activist identified only as Maja T. was sentenced to eight years in prison for assaulting far-right activists in the Hungarian capital Budapest during the annual so-called Day of Honor which commemorates "an attempt in 1945 by the German Wehrmacht, the Waffen-SS, and their Hungarian collaborators to break through a Soviet siege of the city."
On February 9-11, 2023, approximately 20 far-left Antifa Ost activists "attacked people with batons, rubber hammers and pepper spray" in several locations in Budapest, injuring nine people, four seriously.
The US and Hungary both classify Antifa Ost as a terror group.

HAMBURG, GERMANY – Two dock workers arrested over alleged warship sabotage

Reuters reports Tuesday that two dock workers were arrested "on suspicion of sabotaging several German warships at Hamburg harbor in 2025".
The prosecutor general's office said the two include a 37-year-old Romanian and a 54-year-old Greek. Together they allegedly "tampered with the vessels by pouring more than 20 kg of steel pellets into an engine block, puncturing fresh water lines, removing fuel tank caps and disabling fuses in the onboard electronics," investigators said. Their efforts were detected "during pre-departure checks as one of the ships, the corvette 'Emden', was preparing for its inaugural journey to the port city of Kiel."
The two men were taken into custody in Hamburg and a village in Greece, with residences in Hamburg, Greece and Romania searched.

LÜBECK, GERMANY – Police arrest five over smuggling military gear to Russia

Euronews and The Washington Post report Monday that "German authorities arrested five men for allegedly running a network that smuggled goods worth at least €30 million" or $35.5 million to 20 Russian defense companies in violation of EU sanctions.
Using front companies and a Lübeck trading company, the suspects "conducted 16,000 deliveries" to "customers in and outside the European Union to conceal the scheme." Authorities "identified at least 20 sanctioned Russian defence companies as end customers." Two of the five suspects are German nationals, one is a dual Ukrainian-German national and two are Russian-German citizens. Only one dual Russian-German national, a man identified only as Daniel A. in accordance with strict German privacy law, was provisionally detained while the other Russian-German dual national, Nikita S., "was the sole shareholder and managing director of a trading company based in Lübeck."
While five other suspects remain at large, police made arrests in Lübeck and the district of Herzogtum Lauenburg with raids being conducted in Lübeck, Frankfurt am Main, Nordwestmecklenburg district, Nuremberg and Ostholstein district. All are set to appear before a judge today at the Federal Court of Justice.

MILAN, ITALY – Russian cyberattack on foreign ministry, Olympics and embassies foiled

Reuters reports Wednesday that "Italy thwarted a series of cyberattacks targeting its foreign ministry facilities, including an embassy in Washington, as well as websites linked to the Winter Olympics and hotels in Cortina d'Ampezzo".
The news was announced by Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani who put the blame squarely on Russia.
Of note: not so long ago, it was unusual for an attack to be thwarted and attribution of the attacker to be noted by authorities at the highest level.

MILAN, ITALY – Italians protest ICE assisting with Olympics security after Minneapolis

NPR reports Saturday that "Hundreds of protesters gathered in a central square in Milan," the Piazza XXV Aprile "demanding that U.S. ICE agents assisting with security at the Winter Olympics leave Italy."
Many present said "they had been horrified and angered by images and videos on social media showing ICE agents operating violently in Minneapolis" with a demonstrator referring on the deaths of US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of ICE agents in words and pictures.
US officials emphasize that the Homeland Security Investigations unit within ICE will be working from the US Consulate in Milan to assist with local security in what is considered a routine deployment to a large international event and separate from removal operations playing out in US towns and cities.

TURIN, ITALY – Over 100 police injured after violent clashes erupt over occupied building

Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency reports Sunday that over 100 law enforcement officers were injured when "Violent clashes erupted Saturday night in the northern Italian city of Turin during a demonstrationin support of the Askatasuna social center, which had been occupied for nearly thirty years".
Security forces used "tear gas, water cannons, and crowd control charges" against protesters wielding "bottles, stones, homemade incendiary devices, and smoke bombs," in addition to setting fire to a dumpster and a police armored vehicle and uprooting street furniture to use offensively and defensively. Authorities told Italian state news agency ANSA that "a total of 108 members of the security forces were injured in the clashes, including 96 police officers, seven Guardia di Finanza (Financial Police) personnel, and five caribinieri (gendarmerie)".
On Sunday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the government would meet Monday over the incident "to assess threats to public order and evaluate new security measures" and described the violence on Saturday evening as "criminal activity". Euronews reports the outcome of that meeting Monday is "fast-tracking a security decree" which includes "preventive police detention of at least 12 hours for repeat violent offenders, restrictions on knife sales to minors, and expanded self-defence protections extending beyond police to other citizens."

PORDENONE, ITALY – 80-year-old man probed over alleged Sarajevo 'sniper tourism'

Reuters reports Wednesday that authorities have opened an investigation into an 80-year-old Italian man for "alleged 'sniper tourism' in Sarajevo in the 1990s".
The man is the first individual to be identified as part of the inquiry into allegations of "sniper tourism" that date back as far as the Bosnian conflict of the early to mid-1990s. The unnamed individual is a former truck driver who resides near the northern Italian town of Pordenone. It is unclear whether he was involved in "sniper tourism" as a participant or logistician transporting people.
He faces several charges including "several counts of premeditated murder, aggravated by base motives". While he remains free, he faces questioning February 9 by prosecutors.

PARIS, FRANCE – Prosecutors urge appeal court to uphold Le Pen's 5-year ban on politics

France24 reports Tuesday reports that French prosecutors asked an appeals court to uphold a five-year ban on far-right National Rally parliamentarian Marine Le Pen "over an EU parliament fake jobs scandal," which threatens her hopes to run for president in 2027.
Last year, a lower court banned Le Pen "a three-time presidential canddate, from running for office for five years" in what has been called "a bombshell ruling" that also sentenced to five years in jail. The court ordered that the ban take effect immeidately rather than wait for the appeals process to run its course.
Le Pen is appealing the ruling along with 11 members of her party of the 24 who were also found "guilty of operating a 'system' from 2004 to 2016 that used European Parliament funds to employ National Rally staff in France." Not all who were convicted appealed. A verdict is expected in the summer.

PARIS, FRANCE – Authorities raid the offices of Elon Musk-owned X in France

The BBC reports Tuesday the cyber crime unit of the Paris prosecutor's office along with Europol raided the offices in France of Elon Musk-owned X.
The raid is "related to an investigation opened in January 2025 following complaints about X's algorithm and content it recommended." Both Musk and former X CEO Linda Yaccarino "had been summoned to appear at hearings in April as part of its probe." The probe was expanded in July of last year "after reports of sexually explicit deepfakes and holocaust denial content circulating on the platform."
X previously called the investigation "an attack on free speech" and the expansion of the probe "politically-motivated".

GIRONDE, FRANCE – Two Chinese nationals placed under investigation for espionage

Reuters reports Wednesday two Chinese nationals were placed under investigation on suspicion of "trying to intercept satellite communications from a base in an Airbnb rental property" in the southwestern town of Gironde.
Police were alerted by neighbors who "noticed that a roughly two-metre-wide satellite dish" was being installed on the property "which coincided with an internet outage".
Two Chinese nationals and two others "were arrested and brought before an investigating judge on Wednesday and were formally placed under investigation on Thursday". Two are in pre-trial detention while two are under judicial supervision.

PARIS, FRANCE – Two French-Israelis legally summoned over 'complicity in genocide'

The Guardian reports Tuesday that two French-Israelis, Nili Kupfer-Naouri and Rachel Touitou, were "issued summons" by a magistrate "over allegations that they tried to block the delivery of humanitarian aid in Gaza".
Touitou's Tsav 9 group, described as "violent, extremist" by the Biden administration which imposed sanctions for "blocking, harassing and damaging" convoys with humanitarian aid. Touitou described the charges as "political persecution" and described Tsav 9's efforts as "peacefully demonstrating" a "terrorist organization". The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights and Palestinian groups Al-Haq and Al Mezan filed the initial complaints last year.
The summonses "mark the first time a country has considered the blocking of aid 'complicity in genocide'".

PARIS, FRANCE – Capgemini announces plans to sell US subsidiary over ICE ties

The AP reports Sunday that French company Capgemini announced "it is selling off its subsidiary that provides technology services to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement," amid "global scrutiny of ICE agents' tactics in the Trump administration's immigration crackdown."
Two US citizens were fatally shot in the US city of Minneapolis by ICE agents who were sent to the city during "Operation Metro Surge" to violently remove immigrants from the city and country.
The statement said Capgemini "will immediately start the process of selling off its subsidiary Capgemini Government Solutions", which "represents only 0.4% of if the company's estimated 2025 revenue." CEO Aiman Ezzat said he only became aware of the subsidiary's contract with ICE recently.

PRAGUE, CZECHIA – Tens of thousands protest in support of President Petr Pavel

Deutsche Welle reports Sunday tens of thousands rallied in central Prague "to support President Petr Pavel in his dispute with the country's foreign minister" Petr Macinka over the appointment of his favored candidate for environment minister.
The "escalating rift" comes after "Pavel last week accused Foreign Minister Petr Macinka of attempted blackmail" after Pavel opposed the appointment of Filip Turek "due to his involvement in a series of scandals" including "racist, homophobic and sexist" posts on his Facebook page and "media scrutiny for making a Nazi salute and posting Nazi memorabilia." Macinka "threatened the president with consequences" in a series of text messages that were made public. Pavel has for months blocked Turek's appointment to the cabinet as he has "doubts about his loyalty to the values set out in the Czech constitution."
Organizers said between 80,000 and 90,000 turned up, some with Czech, EU and Ukrainian flags while officials gave no estimates of crowd size. Pavel thanked those who came out for the show of support for being "willing to stand up for decency, truth, solidarity and mutual respect."

DAVOS, SWITZERLAND – CEO of World Economic Forum investigated over Epstein ties

Swissinfo reports Thursday that Borge Brende, the CEO of the World Economic Forum (WEF), is facing an "independent investigation" after files released by the US Department of Justice showed Brende was in contact with convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The purpose of the WEF investigation is "to clarify" the nature of Brende's relationship with Epstein after he "attended three dinners at which Epstein was also present".
In a statement, WEF said the investigation "underlines its commitment to transparency and the preservation of integrity" while Brende "is supporting and cooperating and will continue to fulfill his duties as WEF president and CEO."

BERN, SWITZERLAND – Swiss Foreign Minister denounced by activists to the ICC

Swissinfo reports Tuesday that 25 Swiss lawyers announced at a press conference in Bern that they denounced Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis to the International Criminal Court (ICC) "for complicity in crimes committed by Israel in Gaza", accusing him of "complicity in war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide."
The lawyers accused Switzerland of "violating the Geneva Conventions and failing to respect international humanitarian law." They allege "Cassis should have taken all the measures at his disposal to prevent the commission of such crimes by Israel".
The lawyers criticized Swiss and Italian defense ministers for signing "a military cooperation agreement" with Israel in 2013.

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND – Teenager dies from wounds after Crans-Montana bar fire

The BBC reports Sunday an 18-year-old Swiss national died in a hospital in Zurich after succumbing to wounds sustained in the fire on New Year's Eve in a bar in the mountain resort town of Crans-Montana, becoming the 41st victim of that tragedy.
Beatrice Pilloud, the public prosecutor for the canton of Wallis, said the teenager died Saturday in a public statement.
As of Monday, 37 patients still remain in Swiss hospitals, with several dozen being treated abroad in Belgium, France, Germany and Italy.

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND – Orthodox Jewish man attacked, bystanders intervene

Swissinfo reports Tuesday that a 26-year-old Orthodox Jewish man was attacked in Zurich's third district on Monday evening by a 40-year-old Kosovo national who "punched him before several people came to the victim's aid and overpowered the attacker."
The bystanders who intervened held the Kosovar, who "is known to the police for unrelated offences" until police came. After an initial police interrogation, he was handed over to the prosecutor's office. He has no fixed address in Switzerland and uttered anti-Semitic slurs during the attack.
Many Orthodox Jews live in Zurich's third district. The Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities reported "The victim suffered scratches to his neck and other parts of his body".

PÖHAM, AUSTRIA – Klan costumes at carnival cause 'outrage' in Austria

Blue News reports Tuesday that "up to 15 young adults between the ages of 20 and 30 initially appeared in the ballroom" of "a carnival ball in a small town near Salzburg," Pöham.
The incident "is causing widespread discussion in Austria" after "several groups with right-wing extremist costumes were noticed at the party on January 31." Security staff were called to order the individuals out from the party.
Later, when the party was cleaning up "a young man is said to have been observed giving the Hitler salute" in the village of 200 residents.

And finally…

TOULOUSE, FRANCE – Hospital evacuated after man inserts 8-inch WW2 shell in rectum

The New York Post reports Tuesday that a 24-year-old man was rushed to the Rangueil Accident and Emergency unit late Saturday night after he "inserted a large object up his rectum" which happened to be "a live, eight-inch bomb shell from 1918".
In classic tabloid fashion, The Post reports the hospital, "Fearing a potential fire in the hole" called "the bomb squad and fire brigade and evacuated the facility", adding cheekily that "a security perimeter was formed around the medical center as the authorities investigated the explosive situation."
The bomb squad determined "the retro munition, which was pointed and over an inch wide, was not deemed a threat."

ROME, ITALY – Italy's Culture Ministry investigating angel restored to look like PM Meloni

Reuters reports Saturday "An angel in a church has been restored to look like Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni," which has prompted "the culture ministry to investigate and Meloni to laugh off the affair."
La Repubblica first reported "two angels in a chapel of the Basilica of St. Lawrence in Lucina had been altered to resemble the 49-year-old conservative". Previously, the angel resembled a "generic cherub". The Culture Ministry "instructed Rome's top art heritage official to carry out a same-day inspection" prior to "deciding what to do next".
Parish priest Daniele Micheletti told Italian state news agency ANSA that the angels had been recently touched up after water damage but that the originals only dated to the year 2000 placing them outside of heritage protection. Bruno Valentinetti who originally painted the angels was responsible for the restoration but denied any attempt to alter his original composition.

Stay safe and reflect on the better angels!

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