The Monocle Minute

After Friday's row in the Oval Office, leaders from Europe and Canada gathered in London on Sunday to discuss “a coalition of the willing”. The proposal is simple: countries should raise their defence spending to protect any peace deal agreed between Ukraine and Russia. For the hosting Brits, it was about sending a message to the man in the White House that Europe is serious about defending itself.

The summit happened against a backdrop of grand pronouncements in the weekend newspapers about the death of “the West” and the postwar world order. Yet amidst this torrent of trans-Atlantic acrimony and jangled nerves, there was a line from Friday’s dust up that seemed particularly poignant. Referring to the threat posed by Moscow, President Zelensky was stark: “You have a nice ocean and don’t feel [it right now],” he said. “But you’ll feel it in the future.” This was a red rag to the blonde bull but there was truth in it, and that’s why it stung.

In 2022, I was dispatched to Hawaii for a story about the US military’s pivot to the Pacific; at the time, the invasion of Ukraine was only a couple of months old and had rattled the top brass who were otherwise focused on the threat from China. On a visit to the ruins of Pearl Harbour, one ex-military serviceman put it all in perspective: the site, he said, was a monument to what happens when a war in Europe is left to fester. “Eventually, it’ll come knocking at America’s door.”

Wise heads on both sides of the Atlantic know this to be the case. Despite the frenzy of the moment, there is still such a thing as a world order and there is no path to peace in Europe without the US being involved. But, on that front, Europe needs to show willing, and do less whining; share more of the burden and make a stronger case for a just resolution of the war in Ukraine. That requires letting go of assumptions about America’s sense of responsibility. Like it or not, President Trump feels he has the political mandate to bawl out those, like Zelensky, who come wanting. If there has been any shift in the world order, then this is it.

Just a reminder: America’s deadline for imposing market-shattering tariffs on Canada and Mexico is tomorrow. Will we be talking about last week’s Oval Office row by Thursday? Don’t count on it.

Christopher Lord is Monocle’s executive editor. For more opinion, analysis and insight, subscribe to Monocle today.

Europe’s premier property fair, Mipim, kicks off in Cannes next week and Monocle will be in attendance. In the lead up to the event, the Monocle Minute will pick out some of the stories featured in our March Property Survey, in which we explore how the best structures and buildings are catalysts for pacy street life, lively commerce and strong community.

Up first is The Henderson in Hong Kong. Its undulating façade evokes an orchid, the city’s official floret and a fitting motif for a building that’s helping the CBD to blossom again. For many years Hong Kong has struggled with high vacancy rates in its top-tier office spaces. Yet 60 per cent of The Henderson was leased ahead of opening this month, with four floors taken by auction house Christie’s for its new Asia-Pacific base. Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, the site comprises commercial offices and a landscaped garden.

“We wanted to push the boundaries of design and construction technology,” says Kevin Ng, senior deputy general manager at Henderson Land Development Co. To that end, office windows can be opened to let in humidity-controlled air from outside and the 22nd-floor sky garden has lush foliage, a jogging track and space for yoga classes with views over the city. The tower works because it is not an isolated business; instead it is woven into the fabric of the Hong Kong. At its base is a footbridge connecting to underground trains and nearby parks.

For more great builds and insights from architects and developers, pick up a copy of the March issue of Monocle today or read the storyhere.

With his handlebar moustache and sharply tailored suit, Peter Ericson doesn’t look like your typical ambassador (writes Petri Burtsoff). But the man who became Swedish ambassador to Finland in May 2024 is one of his country’s top diplomats. We met him in Helsinki to discuss his role, as well as the region’s most pressing issue: how to counter Russian aggression.

Has your role changed now that Finland and Sweden have joined Nato?
Helsinki has always been an important ambassadorial post for Sweden. But the global security landscape has made co-operation more critical. The reason that the Swedish foreign ministry wanted me in Helsinki was for my experience regarding Russia.

What is the future of the relationship between the Nordic nations and Russia?
Engaging with Russia like we did in the 1990s is no longer possible. We need to constrain its ability to harm us. Even with Putin gone, Russia will be adamant about confronting the West.

Does Nato need a larger presence along the Russian border?
Russia’s war in Ukraine, particularly in places such as Bucha and Irpin, has shown us that we cannot cede territory in the hope of later taking it back with reinforcements. We need to defend every inch of Nato territory – and Sweden has a major role to play in this.

In the clubs of Osaka, Tokyo and Nagoya, the energetic sounds of amapiano, afrobeats and dancehall are bringing new crowds to the dance floor. These genres, originating in Africa and the Caribbean, have made their mark on Japan’s nightlife thanks to the clubbing event Amapinight, which has been spreading through Japan in recent months. It’s run by a group of young women – Sakura Hosokawa, Aoi Takase and Rina Hagai. Two of them are hafu, a term used to describe people of mixed-race heritage.

They have created a place that is open to all but is especially appealing to the Japanese South African community. It was co-founder Hosokawa’s exploration of her Tanzanian roots that led to the first Amapinight in 2022. Since then the group has worked with many of the rising stars of Japan’s club scene. While nightlife here is more often associated with underground hip-hop parties or electronic nights, Amapinight has carved out a unique place for night owls to experience the sounds of South Africa.

For more cultural insights, pick up a copy of Monocle’s Marchissue.

As days in the northern hemisphere begin to lengthen, here are the books we’re looking forward to reading in the sun.

‘Show Don’t Tell’, Curtis Sittenfeld
Fans of Curtis Sittenfeld’s novel Prep have the chance to reunite with its main character, Lee Fiora, in the closing story in this new collection, “Lost But Not Forgotten”. Show Don’t Tell offers a series of sharp comedies. The best is “A For Alone”, in which a Minneapolis artist conceives a project designed to challenge Mike Pence’s rule of never spending time alone with any woman other than his wife.
‘Show Don’t Tell’ was published on 27 February

‘When the Going Was Good’, Graydon Carter
Canadian journalist Graydon Carter learned the ropes at Time and Life before co-founding the magazine Spy. But he’s best known for his work as editor of Vanity Fair between 1992 and 2017, the period that dominates his breezy memoir. There’s Hollywood gossip, score-settling and tales from the era of limitless editorial budgets. Carter claims that a piece he commissioned on Lloyd’s of London might be the most expensive per-word magazine story ever written – and he didn’t even run it.
‘When the Going Was Good’ is published on 27 March

‘The Unworthy’, Agustina Bazterrica
Agustina Bazterrica is part of a wave of female Argentinian horror writers, which includes the likes of Samanta Schweblin and Mariana Enríquez. She first commanded attention with her compellingly grim and cannibalistic dystopia, Tender is the Flesh. Her new book, The Unworthy, is set in a similarly broken world and concentrates on the mysterious workings of a convent. The book opens with the line, “Someone is screaming in the dark.” And things only get worse from there.
‘The Unworthy’ is published on 13 March

We speak to the man behind Milan’s Bosco Verticale, Stefano Boeri, a decade on from its construction to explore the effects these towers have had locally and globally.