Russia Analytical Report, Nov. 2-9, 2020

This Week’s Highlights

While European officials hope U.S. President-elect Joe Biden will soften America’s tone with traditional allies, senior Western officials in the U.S. capital are braced for an abrasive change when it comes to U.S.-Russia relations, the Financial Times reports. “We expect a massive toughening of the stance towards Russia,” a high-ranking Western diplomat in Washington told the Financial Times. “There is a hatred for Russia amongst [Biden’s team] that is really amazing. It’s not just rational; it’s also very emotional.”

Assad: International Conference on Refugees’ Return a Start of a Solution

In a call with President Putin, Assad has said that he hopes the upcoming refugee conference will be a success and that most refugees want to return writes SANA.

President Bashar al-Assad affirmed that the International Conference on Refugees’ Return, scheduled to be held in Damascus, is just the start of a solution to this humanitarian issue, indicating that the majority of refugees are willing to return to Syria.

A worried Asia wonders: What will Joe Biden do?

As Asia comes to terms with the reality of a Joe Biden administration, relief and hopes of economic and environmental revival jostle with needling anxiety and fears of inattention.

From security to trade to climate change, a powerful U.S. reach extends to nearly every corner of the Asia-Pacific. In his four years in office, President Donald Trump shook the foundations of U.S. relations here as he courted traditional rivals and attacked allies with both frequency and relish.