Zelenskyy Visits Canada for First Time Since Start of War |
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will address Canada’s legislature (NYT) today in his first visit to the country since Russia invaded Ukraine last year. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to reiterate Canada’s continued economic and military support of Ukraine as Zelenskyy seeks to shore up more aid for Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russia. Ottawa has provided around $3.7 billion in financial assistance and $1.8 billion in military aid to Kyiv, and has taken in more than 175,000 Ukrainians since the start of the invasion.
The trip comes after Zelenskyy visited Washington yesterday, where U.S. President Joe Biden announced $325 million in new aid (Axios) to Ukraine and said that the first U.S. Abrams tanks would be delivered to the country next week. Zelenskyy’s reception by U.S. lawmakers was more subdued (NYT) than on previous visits, with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy declining to host a forum for Zelenskyy to appeal to the full House of Representatives, reflecting some Republicans’ questioning of the continuation of U.S. war aid.
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“The West must therefore accept that this will be a long war,” the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Mick Ryan writes for Foreign Affairs. “It will take time to continue enhancing Ukraine’s ground, air, naval, cyber, industrial, and information capabilities so the country can prevail over Russia.”
“Canada, the United States and Europe must provide adequate and continued support to Ukraine that will keep the Russians on the run—until there is no choice for them but to return home, defeated,” the Globe and Mail editorial board writes.
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EU Trade Chief Visits China Amid Tense Trade Relations |
European Union (EU) trade chief Valdis Dombrovskis is due to discuss concerns (Bloomberg) over Chinese subsidies for electric vehicles during his four-day trip beginning today. Beijing called the EU anti-subsidy probe “a naked act of protectionism.” This report by CFR experts Jennifer Hillman and Inu Manak explores how to rethink the rules on international subsidies.
China: A trial begins today (NYT) for independent journalist Huang Xueqin and labor activist Wang Jianbing who were once prominent voices in China’s #MeToo movement, underscoring the country’s ongoing crackdown on dissent and civil society.
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U.S. Expands Shield From Deportation to Some Afghans Living in Country |
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Middle East and North Africa |
Bloomberg: White House Weighing Twin Defense Pacts With Israel, Saudi Arabia |
The separate deals would be designed so that the two countries would formally recognize each other, Bloomberg reported. Saudi Arabia has asked for access to advanced U.S. weapons and assistance in building a nuclear energy sector. It also wants Israel to make concessions to Palestinians, but “has sent mixed signals” as to what those would be.
In this episode of The President’s Inbox, CFR expert Steven A. Cook unpacks the Israeli-Saudi normalization deal.
Israel/Syria: The Israeli military said it struck two buildings (AP) inside a demilitarized zone in Syria yesterday, claiming Syrians’ use of the buildings violated a 1974 cease-fire between the countries.
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CFR’s Robert McMahon and Carla Anne Robbins discuss Zelenskyy's visit to Washington, Spain as it tries to form a government, the United Nations on nuclear weapons, and more. |
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Regional Peace Forum in Ethiopia Postponed Amid Ongoing Clashes |
The Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa had originally been scheduled for mid-October in Ethiopia’s Amhara region, but will be postponed (AP) until April 2024 “due to unforeseen circumstances.” Amhara has experienced months of violence between the government and regional fighters.
Sudan: Army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan addressed the UN General Assembly in New York yesterday, while Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the head of the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group, issued a video address (Reuters) from an undisclosed location. Dagalo said that his forces were ready for a cease-fire and talks to end the conflict; Burhan called for other countries to denounce the RSF as a terrorist group.
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Poland Gives Environmental Approval for First Nuclear Power Plant |
The plant on the Baltic coast is scheduled to begin construction in 2026 (Reuters) and operations in 2033. A U.S. consortium of electric and engineering companies signed a deal yesterday to partner on its design and construction. |
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CBC: Canada Has Human, Signals Intelligence About Sikh Leader’s Death |
While Canadian officials have not released the intel backing the government’s claim that Indian agents may be linked to the killing of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, CBC reported that both human and signals intelligence is involved in the case. Yesterday, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that Washington wants to see the investigation continue and the perpetrators brought to justice.
Brazil: The Supreme Court rejected a case (AP) that would have stripped Indigenous groups of rights to land that they were not occupying or staking claim to by 1988, a period during which Brazil’s military regime pushed Indigenous groups off much of their ancestral land.
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Biden Administration Announces Plan to Ban Use of Medical Debt in Credit Scores |
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The Guardian looks at what life is like in Juba, South Sudan, and how Africa’s youngest capital has become a “precarious boomtown” that reflects the country’s broader struggles. |
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