Daily News Brief

July 12, 2023

Top of the Agenda

Leaders of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (FT) today as part of a new joint body focused on Ukraine’s security. The meeting occurred at the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, where Group of Seven (G7) countries are also laying out sustained security guarantees for Ukraine aimed at ensuring its military capabilities. Zelenskyy has welcomed the guarantees, but said they are not a substitute for a timeline on Ukraine’s accession to NATO. He is also set to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden (RFE/RL, Reuters, AFP) on the sidelines of today’s summit.

According to an announcement by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, G7 countries will donate more military equipment, increase intelligence sharing, and expand military training programs with Ukraine. Yesterday, NATO officials said eleven countries will begin training (Reuters) Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 fighter jets in August in Denmark.

Analysis

“Rather than conduct a divisive debate over membership now, the [NATO] alliance should instead focus in Vilnius on determining what Ukrainians need to succeed in their counteroffensive—and then getting that support to them swiftly,” Johns Hopkins University’s M.E. Sarotte writes for Foreign Affairs. 

“[The NATO-Ukraine Council] “does give Ukraine a bit more of a seat at the table,” the Royal United Services Institute’s Emily Ferris tells Time magazine. “It also has the potential to be seen in Kyiv as a foot-dragging exercise.” 

Middle East and North Africa

A Russian veto at the UN Security Council yesterday obstructed the renewal (Al-Monitor) of a humanitarian operation that has allowed aid to flow into rebel-controlled Syria for nearly a decade. Thirteen other members voted to renew the aid for another year, while China abstained.

Egypt: The government announced it has made agreements (AP) to sell $1.9 billion in state assets, including stakes in its state telecoms and chemicals companies, in an effort to boost its struggling private sector.

Pacific Rim

The missile was fired (Yonhap) into the East Sea from near Pyongyang, South Korea’s military said. The launch followed North Korean warnings about the trajectory of U.S. military planes earlier this week.

China: The country’s internet regulator is preparing a requirement that artificial intelligence (AI) creators obtain a license before debuting their products to the public, the Financial Times reported. The rule aims to reconcile content control and efforts not to stifle technology development.

This video by CFR’s Noah Berman and James Long looks at how AI could change the world.

South and Central Asia

Islamabad’s military said that militants were behind today’s strike (Dawn) in northern Balochistan. The country has recorded an increase in militant aggression since a cease-fire with the Pakistani Taliban ended last November.

Myanmar/Thailand: Thailand’s foreign minister met with (Nikkei) imprisoned Myanmar pro-democracy civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Sunday, he said. It is the first known meeting between Suu Kyi and a high-ranking foreign leader since she was detained following the country’s 2021 military coup.

This Backgrounder by Lindsay Maizland looks at Myanmar’s troubled history.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Iran and Kenya signed pledges to cooperate (Nation Africa) in areas including technology, investment promotion, and livestock promotion. Tehran has touted (The National) the tour as a “new beginning” in Iran-Africa relations. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will next travel to Uganda and Zimbabwe.

Sudan: More than three million people have now been displaced (Reuters) by the conflict in Sudan, the International Organization for Migration said. Of those, more than 2.4 million are internally displaced and over 730,000 have crossed into neighboring countries.

This In Brief by CFR’s Mariel Ferragamo and Diana Roy looks at the extent of Sudan’s humanitarian crisis.

Europe

The law is a pillar of European Union (EU) climate legislation (AP), which could become the world’s most ambitious climate policy, but it had faced opposition by conservative lawmakers. After passing by a vote of 324–312, legislators are now adding amendments to make the policy more flexible before a final law can be approved.

Americas

The German shipping company is one of many multinational businesses looking to diversify their supply chains beyond China by expanding operations (FT) to countries such as Mexico.

Mexico: A fire at an offshore oil platform owned by Mexico’s state oil firm Pemex will cause the country’s crude oil output to drop by around one hundred thousand barrels per day until the beginning of August, Reuters reported. 

United States

The Department of Agriculture will spend $300 million (NYT) in funding from the Inflation Reduction Act to establish a network to monitor the carbon reductions of conservation programs and regenerative agricultural practices. Researchers have called for more data on their efficacy.

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