How Beijing’s Economic Missteps and Support for Russia Soured European Leaders
In April and May, as Russia’s war in Ukraine entered its third month, China sent a special envoy to meet with officials in eight central and eastern European countries. The timing was not coincidental: in the two months since Russia had launched its invasion, China’s standing in Europe had sunk to new lows.
The West Needs a Policy to Manage a War That Will Go On
With Russia’s war against Ukraine having passed the 100-day mark, calls for the conflict to be brought to an end are multiplying in the United States and Europe. Italy has put forward a detailed peace plan, French President Emmanuel Macron has emphasized the importance of giving Russia an off-ramp, and former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger has suggested that Ukraine ought to consider ceding territory to Russia in exchange for peace.
The war in Ukraine has become a turning point for developing countries, many of whom could give up the gains made in economic growth and reduction in poverty over the past three decades.
A growing number of developing nations are vulnerable to political instability caused by debt crises, as is shown by Sri Lanka’s current plight. US and Western leadership in reforming the international financial system is needed to avoid the developing world becoming more dependent on China.
The bottom line
While the transfer of US high mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARS) and British multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) will help Ukraine, we assess that the amount of systems and ammunition planned for transfer in the first tranche will only have a minor impact in the fighting.
A UN diplomat called on all countries to follow in the footsteps of Iraq and repatriate their nationals, according to North Press.
A high-level UN delegation, accompanied by the Chief of Iraq’s National Security Service, made a trip to al-Hol Camp in Hassakeh Governorate, northeastern Syria on June 5th.
International organizations that pay stipends to the displaced Syrians should stop paying them in Lebanon, according to Athr Press.
Lebanon’s foreign minister in the caretaker government, Abdullah Bou Habib, said Beirut will not cooperate with Europeans on keeping Syrian refugees in his country.
Recently, Russia appears to have started increasing its economic activity in Syria, which has followed Iran’s exploitation of the Russian preoccupation with invasions of Ukrainian territory. In this context, Iran was presented with an opportunity to increase its economic influence in Syria.
Iranian militias fear the start of the Turkish military operation in northern Syria, according to Baladi News.
Iranian militias fear the start of the Turkish military operation in northern Syria, due to the proximity of their areas of operation in the areas of Nubl and al-Zahraa north of Aleppo to the city of Tal Rifaat –which the Turkish army and the Syrian National Army want to control. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed this news a few days ago.
Enab Baladi says Russia exaggerates the number of soldiers it keeps in Syria.
Speculation has swept over the past few weeks about the number of Russian soldiers present in Syria, in light of reports that Russia has reduced that number, according to what was reported by Russian media that does not reflect the official vision in Moscow.
In a press briefing on Tuesday, the spokesman for the U.S. Department of State, Ned Price, renewed his country’s concerns about a breach of the 2019 ceasefire agreement in northeast Syria and said that any escalation by Turkey would affect the battle against the Islamic State Organization (ISIS).