Daily News Brief

June 6, 2023

Top of the Agenda

The collapse of a wall at the Nova Kakhovka dam today triggered flooding (AP) and evacuations from the nearby city. Kyiv and Moscow both blamed the other for the disaster. The dam lies on the Dnipro River, which separates Russia- and Ukraine-controlled regions of Ukraine, though Russia has controlled the dam (Reuters) since early on in the war. The breach sparked concerns that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant could be denied the water it needs for cooling, though the UN nuclear watchdog said a separate pond has enough water to cool the plant “for some months.”

The Geneva Conventions ban targeting dams during wartime due to the danger that their destruction poses to civilians. A Ukrainian nongovernmental organization estimated that nearly one hundred towns and villages would be flooded in the aftermath.

Analysis

“The destruction of the dam creates a new humanitarian disaster in the center of the war zone and transforms the front lines just as Ukraine is unleashing a long-awaited counteroffensive to drive Russian troops from its territory,” Reuters’ Viktoriia Lakezina writes. 

“The flooding is likely to complicate any Ukrainian plans for an amphibious assault on the area during its anticipated counteroffensive since much of the land on the Russian-controlled side of the Dnipro will be virtually impassable,” the Financial Times’ Christopher Miller and Max Seddon write.

Pacific Rim

The top U.S. State Department official for Asia became the most senior U.S. official (Bloomberg) to publicly travel to Beijing since U.S. forces shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon in February. Both sides called the talks “candid” and “productive.” 

Japan: The government approved plans to invest $107 billion to increase its hydrogen supply (Kyodo) sixfold by 2040 in order to meet decarbonization goals.

This timeline traces U.S.-China relations.

South and Central Asia

German firm ThyssenKrupp AG and Indian firm Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited are preparing a joint bid to build six submarines for an Indian navy contract worth an estimated $5.2 billion, Bloomberg reported. Germany aims to help India reduce its dependence on Russia for military hardware.

Afghanistan: Eighty-nine schoolgirls and their teachers were hospitalized (NYT) with respiratory and neurological symptoms in a suspected incident of poisoning at two girls’ schools over the weekend, officials said.

Middle East and North Africa

The last election was held only eight months ago, but the ruling Al-Sabah family dissolved the most recent parliament, establishing today’s vote (AP). The country’s legislature is uniquely powerful in the Gulf, but its conflicts with the royal family have led to political gridlock in recent years. 

Iran/Saudi Arabia: Iran is reopening its embassy (WaPo) in Saudi Arabia this week after a seven-year closure, Iran’s foreign ministry said. Iran will also reopen its consulate in Jeddah and its office with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. 

Sub-Saharan Africa

The office aims to assuage the water industry collapse (Bloomberg) by emulating another agency that has attracted more than $10 billion of private money into South Africa’s renewable energy sector. It will be established with help from the country’s development bank and the international Green Climate Fund.

Angola/DRC: The two countries are nearing a deal (Reuters) on how to share the benefits of oil production in an offshore block that has been under dispute for fifty years, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) oil minister said. A prospective deal would have each country take a 30 percent stake in the block, with energy company Chevron taking the remaining 40 percent.

Europe

A diplomatic advisor to the French president and the director of China’s Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission agreed to (SCMP) “create conditions for the start of political settlement” of the war in Ukraine, China’s foreign ministry said. A Chinese special envoy for Eurasian affairs toured European capitals, including Paris, to promote peace talks last week.  

At this meeting, experts including CFR’s Charles A. Kupchan discuss how the war in Ukraine could end.

Americas

President Nicolás Maduro made a state visit (Al-Monitor) to Saudi Arabia yesterday to discuss “political, diplomatic, and energy alliances,” he tweeted. This was his first visit to the country since 2015.

Argentina: A judge dismissed a money laundering case (AP) against Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner before it reached trial, citing insufficient evidence.

This Backgrounder by CFR’s Diana Roy looks at Argentina’s struggle for economic and political stability.

United States

The taxpayer-funded Roman Catholic school will provide an online curriculum embedded with religious teachings. An organization that promotes the separation of church and state said that it would prepare legal action (NYT) in response to the decision.

Council on Foreign Relations

58 East 68th Street — New York, NY 10065

1777 F Street, NW — Washington, DC 20006

Shop the CFR Store

Forward This Email

Manage Your Email Preferences