Monocle on Sunday News and reflections from the week, with updates from Ekenäs and Zürich
Sep 21, 2025
Alex von Tunzelmann, a historian and cultural analyst, joins Charles Hecker, a Russia expert, to dissect the week's news. The discussion dives into alarming incursions into Estonian airspace and NATO's response, viewed through a Finnish lens. Petri Burtsoff shares insights on Nordic teens and their relationship with technology, including a mobile phone ban in schools. Tyler Brûlé explores Swiss lifestyle trends and the allure of foreign pharmacies, while also touching on the evolving landscape of media censorship under political pressures.
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Episode notes
Intervision As Soft Power Play
- Vladimir Putin has revived a Cold War-era Intervision Song Contest as a cultural counterweight to Eurovision.
- The revival signals an attempt to shape soft power alliances beyond Europe, especially with global south partners.
Airspace Probes Test NATO Resolve
- Russian MiG-31s lingered inside Estonian airspace for 12 minutes, raising escalation questions for NATO.
- The incident highlights a testing pattern by Russia to probe NATO responses and boundaries.
Incursions Have Been Recurrent This Year
- Petri notes Estonia has already experienced multiple airspace violations this year and such events are common in the region.
- But this latest incident was longer and nearer Tallinn, making it notably severe.
