European allies have promised more military support to Ukraine, with additional weapons, training, and funding pledged for the military effort. However, the allies stopped short of providing the F-16 fighter jets that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has requested. Meanwhile, African leaders are planning peace missions to Moscow and Kyiv as Russia increases missile attacks ahead of an expected Ukrainian counteroffensive. Experts discuss the interests at stake and the potential for shifting political alliances.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's visit to South Korea represents a new point for the two nations, especially on trade and energy. Last month, both countries agreed to share advanced tech and data, as they plan on working together on a variety of initiatives to enhance their positions at home and abroad. South Korea is Canada’s seventh largest trading partner, with a two-way merchandise trade of $21.9 billion. It is also the world’s 10th largest economy, and South Korea’s economic prowess, along with the fascination for Korean pop culture, commonly known as “Hallyu,” have garnered interest around the world.
European governments have failed to act fast enough to turn around their industrial policy and meet Ukraine’s growing needs for artillery ammunition, armored vehicles, and other weaponry, military experts have warned. Kyiv’s stores of Russian-made equipment are becoming depleted, as are the West’s own stockpiles, raising the risk of shortages in supplies for Ukraine by the end of the year, which would hamper Ukraine’s ability to launch any further offensives. “That was not core to the planning, and they were not stockpiling ammunition in sufficient numbers for that type of contingency," says Camille Grand from the European Council on Foreign Relations. The European Commission this month announced a 500 million euro plan to boost production in Europe of the artillery shells Ukraine needs. Military experts say that although the initiative marks a significant shift, it has been too slow to act. The E.U. is yet to issue any new contracts.
Amid reports that the Russian military is largely holding its position, although concerns are developing over long-range missile supplies, Ukraine is appealing for more military aid from the West and for more sanctions to be imposed on Russia. Reports suggest that some of the new weapons pledges may not reach the battlefield until well after the start of a counteroffensive.
China is trying to counter a US-dominated world order by hosting an inaugural summit with leaders of five former Soviet republics such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. The high-profile event, which began on Thursday in Beijing, is taking place as G7 leaders, whose meeting also starts on Friday, are expected to address what the US sees as China’s growing assertiveness. China sees economic prosperity in Central Asia as a way of further stabilising its region of Xinjiang, which shares a border with Central Asian countries and is a source of concern. Series of attacks in the region have left at least a thousand people dead in recent years, which China blames on Islamic extremists and separatists. Experts say that by hosting the summit, China is also trying to fill some of the void left by Russia in Central Asia with Moscow's influence having weakened due to the war in Ukraine.
As China, Russia, and Trump challenge the old rules of global politics, G7 aims to shore them up
CNN
23-05-18 20:47
This year’s G7 summit in Japan will focus on dealing with the war in Ukraine, the threat from China, climate change and international trade, all in an effort to solidify international rules and practices which are under serious threat. Similarly, although less prominently, the G7 will also deal with the struggle of many Western nations to resist populist, anti-democratic movements which may hinder their efforts to hold on to power that has become increasingly fragile. These problems are causing a new “Great Game” which could write new global rules over the course of decades.
The world's most advanced democracies have gathered for the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Hiroshima, Japan, to discuss heavy sanctions against Russia, to prevent conflict with China and to pay homage to the costs of war. The summit is set to feature heavily on strategies to end Russia's aggression in Ukraine and cut Ukraine's overreliance on Russian energy exports. The G7 countries will discuss how to better trace diamonds to cut trade in the precious gems from Russia, and how best to discourage global investment in China, without alienating the country completely.
UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak has arrived in Tokyo, where he announced a new defence partnership with Japan and supported £18bn of private business deals. He will then join in the wider G7 talks with leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and the United States, where they will focus on strategy towards Russia and China, including the war in Ukraine. Sunak will visit the A-bomb dome ruin in Hiroshima to reflect on the nuclear devastation of World War II before returning to the UK.
The G7 summit in Hiroshima is particularly important given the current geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine, and tensions between China and the US. President Biden is keen to coordinate with democratic allies to deal with both issues. Observers will be watching for a convincing show of unity from the G7 on both China and Russia, and to see if that unity extends beyond rhetoric. The American emphasis on the G7, rather than the G20, marks a shift from a period dominated by economics and globalisation to a new era defined by politics and strategic rivalries.
The UK is to ban Russian diamond imports as part of its latest sanctions targeting Russia in response to their invasion of Ukraine. The new legislation will also block imports of Russian-origin nickel, copper, and aluminium. President Putin and 86 more people and companies connected to him are also set to be targeted by the sanctions, including those who are "actively undermining the impact of existing sanctions". The Russian diamond industry is worth $4bn in UK exports and the sanctions follow similar moves by the US and EU. The UK has targeted over 1,500 entities and individuals and frozen more than £18bn of assets since Russia's attack on Ukraine.
A Bosnian war criminal accused of overseeing a prison camp known for murder, rape, and torture in the 1990s, who reportedly gained entry to the US by posing as a refugee, has been arrested in Boston. Kemal Mrndzic has been charged with falsifying, concealing, and covering up a material fact, as well as using a fraudulently obtained passport, Social Security card, and naturalisation certificate. It is claimed that Mrndzic lied about being a refugee and claiming he had US citizenship to gain entry to the country, where he became a naturalised citizen in 2009.
The Group of Seven (G7) states, led by the UK and US, has initiated new sanctions against Russia over its role in the civil war in Ukraine. The UK will now ban its companies from importing copper, nickel, and aluminum from the country, whilst importing Russian diamonds will be forbidden. Additionally, 86 new individuals and firms linked to the Russian President Vladimir Putin's “military-industrial complex” will be targeted. The US has pledged over 300 sanctions against Russian vessels, individuals, entities, and aircraft, whilst cutting almost 70 Russian and other countries’ firms from its exports. European Council President, Charles Michel, has separately suggested that the EU should seek to limit trade in Russian diamonds.
Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, will attend the G7 Summit in Japan this weekend to bolster western support for Ukraine and to secure the backing of outside nations. Ukraine is in its 16th month of war with Russia and Zelenskyy is expected to make a plea for greater military support from western allies, including the US. Attendees of the G7 Summit have been warned that Zelenskyy’s presence could result in a summit focused on the war in Ukraine. The Japanese Prime Minister is keen for the summit to provide a focus on security issues in the Indo-Pacific region and on outreach with developing countries.
Many companies are struggling over whether to withdraw from the Russian market in the wake of the country's seizure of Ukrainian territory. While some companies have withdrawn swiftly, others have played a long waiting game, watching the situation unfold. For those that have decided to leave, there were new rules that made divestment very difficult and costly. In December 2022, the Kremlin mandated that companies wanting to leave must divest at a 50% discount after government asset valuations have been completed. Companies still operating in Russia face the dilemma of how to draw a “red-line” on when to exit, while others struggle with the moral obligation of supporting a repressive regime. While civil society experts have argued that remaining companies could pay around $18bn in taxes to Russia's war effort, others maintain that a societal license to operate in Russia is diminished if they stay on in the country, indirectly supporting a one-sided war.
Experts say that it will take up to 20 years to mentally rehabilitate Ukraine's population after the Russian conflict, still ongoing since 2014, including losses of life, property, and forced displacement. The growing mental health crisis is showing up in a variety of ways, such as anxiety disorders, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A nationwide mental health program has been launched, but there is a dearth of therapists in the country. Ukraine is emphasizing a process of self-care to help its citizens cope, with body therapy and sharing sessions seeing participants share their feelings and move together to relieve some of the fear and stress from the war.
China's belligerence on a global scale is becoming more commonplace, especially as it accuses the US of hypocrisy and double standards while responding in kind to Washington's moves. Nations such as China (and Russia) are more likely to challenge or seek to reform institutions that do not put them on an equal footing to the US. The durability of the international order, therefore, depends on whether or not its core institutions, and their architect, the US, can create incentives for China to cooperate with them. When the balance of power in geopolitics shifts, rising and established powers tend to find themselves on a collision course known as the “Thucydides trap.”
This is the situation being played out between the US and China, causing analysts to warn that the outlook for global stability and security is grim. A rancorous administration in Washington is viewed as having declared open season on the rise of China, while in Beijing, Xi Jinping has emerged as the world’s most vocal proponent of globalisation and is also increasingly forceful: a potentially combustible mix. The open question now is how this escalating rivalry will impact the Indo-Pacific along with a global order that many citizens around the world continue to rely on for prosperity and peace.
It should be noted that rising powers always seek to join exclusive clubs that would be diluted by their admission. There is also a risk in conducting international relations without the basics of decorum, which leads to a lack of trust and that, in turn, can lead to very grave consequences.
G7 leaders meeting in Hiroshima have pledged fresh measures to rein in Moscow’s “war machine”, hoping to increase the cost of the conflict for Russia and those supporting it. The bloc intends to tighten restrictions on Russia’s access to G7 economies and build on previous measures including export bans on items essential to Russia’s aggression, and the targeting of key sectors including manufacturing, construction, transportation and business services. The G7 will continue to pursue their demand for the unconditional withdrawal of Russian troops and equipment from Ukraine, whilst also reiterating their commitment to hit the assets of individuals connected to Moscow’s aggression.
Princess Anne makes a visit to New Brunswick to celebrate the 175th anniversary of 8th Canadian Hussars, Princess Louise’s regiment. A former Olympic equestrian rider and sister of King Charles, Princess Anne was appointed as the regiment’s colonel-in-chief in 1972 and has maintained a close relationship to the unit ever since. Over the course of the weekend, she will take part in a commemorative concert, a parade and a gala dinner as well as meeting past and current regiment members.
Russian Prime Minister, Mikhail Mishustin, is set to visit China for two days, where he will meet with President Xi Jinping, as both nations are increasing their diplomatic efforts to hold talks over the Ukraine war. The visit will also include a stop in Shanghai, where Mishustin will attend a bilateral business forum. The Russian delegation will include Herman Gref, CEO of Russia’s state-owned bank Sberbank, and Mikhail Oseevsky, CEO of telecoms provider Rostelecom, both of whom have been sanctioned by Western countries over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
A growing number of Republicans in Congress are opposing US aid to Ukraine, which they argue is a poor use of taxpayers' money and that Kiev should battle Russia alone. However, Ukraine remains geopolitically significant, and President Joe Biden has increased military aid to the country by a further $1.2bn. Still, the stance of many Republicans suggesting the US should not be involved in helping an ally may be viewed askance by Europeans, depending on how far such signals are pursued. One particularly vocal critic of Ukraine assistance is Republican congressman, JD Vance. Nonetheless, so far, support for Kiev has remained largely strong on Capitol Hill, even if oversight of the spending has increased.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has attended the Arab League's annual summit for the first time since 2011 and stated that the event was an "historic opportunity" to address issues in the Middle East. Analysts have stated that Syria's re-entry into the 22-member Arab League highlights a shift in how regional actors now view the government's survival, reflecting support for Assad in contrast with the West. The summit was also attended by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy who gave a speech to leaders of countries that have so far been less united than Western allies in their support of Kyiv.
