Putin Says No Progress on Black Sea Grain Deal |
Russian President Vladimir Putin said yesterday that Russia would not resume its participation (AP) in the Black Sea Grain Initiative with Ukraine until the United States and its allies allow Russia to increase its own agricultural exports. However, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who helped broker the initial deal and discussed its resumption with Putin in Russia yesterday, said he was confident (FT) Moscow would rejoin the initiative “soon.” Meanwhile, Putin is pushing for a separate deal in which Russia would ship one million tons of grain to lower income countries in Africa.
The Black Sea initiative saw Russia ease a military blockade of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports that facilitated exports of Ukrainian grain. Russia pulled out of the agreement in July, sending grain prices soaring and sparking fears of a food crisis in low-income countries dependent on Ukrainian grain for most of their wheat imports. Russia has since bombarded Ukrainian agricultural ports on the Danube River. |
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“Both Putin and Erdoğan want to be seen as friends of the global south," the German Marshall Fund of the United States’ Özgür Ünlühisarcıklı tells Politico. “The grain deal in itself isn’t as important for Turkey as increasing its capacity for diplomacy and mediation. There’s been criticism of Erdoğan’s balancing act, and restoring the grain deal would have a payoff for the whole world.”
“In withdrawing from the grain deal, Russia is pursuing aims beyond mere profit,” the Catholic University of America’s Michael Kimmage and the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies’ Hanna Notte write for Foreign Affairs. “Having imposed immense suffering on the people of Ukraine, Russia’s attacks on grain supply are expanding the perimeter of this suffering to people all over the world, and in this suffering resides real geopolitical leverage.”
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Kim Jong Un to Discuss Weapons Cooperation With Putin |
The two leaders will discuss the possibility (NYT) of arming Russia with North Korean weapons for battlefield use in Ukraine and other military cooperation, U.S. officials said. Kim is making a rare trip out of his country for the meeting, which is expected to take place in Vladivostok, Russia, next week.
China: Chinese property company Country Garden narrowly avoided default (FT) by making $22.5 million worth of payments today that were originally due in August.
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Pakistan to Receive $25 Billion Investment From Saudi Arabia |
Pakistani caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar said Saudi Arabia would invest (Reuters) in Pakistan’s agriculture, information technology, and mining sectors. If confirmed, it would mark the largest ever Saudi investment in Pakistan, which comes as Islamabad remains embroiled in an economic crisis.
India: Ahead of the Group of Twenty (G20) summit in New Delhi this week, discussions are now underway (Reuters) to develop a global framework for regulating cryptocurrencies and other digital assets, India’s finance minister said.
This Backgrounder by Anshu Siripurapu and CFR’s Noah Berman examines global approaches to crypto.
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Middle East and North Africa |
WSJ: Western Officials to Warn UAE Over Trade With Russia |
Officials from the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union are expected to urge (WSJ) the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to cease shipping goods to Russia that could be used for its war against Ukraine. The talks held in the UAE this week will focus on advanced chips, electronic components, and other so-called dual-use technologies with both civilian and military functions.
Iran: A report published by the UN nuclear agency and seen by the Associated Press found that Iran has eased its weapons-grade enrichment of uranium; its stockpile is now growing at its slowest pace since 2021.
This Backgrounder by CFR’s Kali Robinson unpacks the Iran nuclear agreement.
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African Climate Summit Kicks Off |
The first-ever African summit on climate change began yesterday in Nairobi, Kenya. At the conference, investors from wealthy countries pledged hundreds of millions of dollars (Reuters) toward climate finance initiatives. Gabon: After being sworn in as interim president, General Brice Oligui Nguema, the leader of last week’s military coup, promised to hold (BBC) “free, transparent” elections, though he did not say when military rule would end. |
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Ukraine Replaces Defense Minister |
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy selected Rustem Umerov (WaPo) to be Ukraine’s new defense minister after the previous minister resigned earlier this week amid speculation of corruption in the defense ministry. Umerov’s appointment marks the largest change in Ukraine’s leadership since Russia invaded last year.
Australia/Vanuatu: Sato Kilman, the newly elected prime minister of Vanuatu, said he will “revisit” (Reuters) a security deal signed with Australia in December. Kilman is expected to pursue closer ties with China. |
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Trial Begins for ‘Freedom Convoy’ Organizers in Canada |
The trial begins today (WaPo) in Ottawa for two organizers of a series of protests against pandemic-related restrictions, which converged on the Canadian capital in January 2022 and disrupted trade at the U.S.-Canada border. They are charged with mischief, obstructing police, and counseling others to commit mischief. This In Brief from CFR expert Edward Alden in February 2022 explains what to know about Canada’s trucker protests.
Cuba: Authorities are working to “neutralize and dismantle” (Al Jazeera) a human trafficking ring that has coerced Cubans into fighting for Russia in its war against Ukraine, Cuba’s foreign ministry said.
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Former Proud Boys Leader to Be Sentenced for Role in Capitol Attack |
Enrique Tarrio faces up to thirty-three years (NPR) in federal prison after being convicted of seditious conspiracy for his participation in the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Co-defendants in the case have been sentenced to significantly shorter terms. |
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Council on Foreign Relations |
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