EU Weighs Aid, Membership Pathway for Ukraine at Brussels Summit |
European leaders said they were ready (BBC) for long and difficult negotiations at the two-day summit in Brussels, which will weigh providing Ukraine with some $58 billion in economic aid, $26 billion in military aid, and an invitation to start the European Union (EU) accession process. Though European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen backs such an invitation, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán vowed (FT) at the summit’s opening to block Ukraine’s membership and said that Kyiv should not be funded by the bloc’s common budget.
The summit, which began today, comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin commented on the war in a rare news conference, saying there would be no peace (AP) until his war aims had been achieved. Addressing the EU summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy called on leaders (The Guardian) not to “betray” people’s faith in Europe and noted that Ukraine has carried out anticorruption reforms in the recent months as recommended for EU accession.
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“Maybe there's still a deal to be done. But risk is the EU has lost/is losing sight of [the] big picture,” the Eurasia Group’s Mujtaba Rahman posts, “as countries squabble over budgetary resources & blackmail by Orbán.”
“[EU leaders] need to send a strong signal to Putin that his hopes to turn the tide of the war to his benefit are grossly premature,” the European Council on Foreign Relations’ Piotr Buras and Engjellushe Morina write for The Guardian. “More broadly, they must convey to European citizens why efforts to integrate Ukraine, and other countries, are the right investment for the future of the EU.”
This episode of the Why It Matters podcast discusses when and how to rebuild Ukraine. |
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Japan’s Kishida Swaps Out Four Cabinet Ministers |
The shakeup follows a scandal over improper use of party funds. Prime Minister Kishida Fumio’s chief Cabinet secretary, economy minister, agriculture minister, and interior minister resigned (Asahi Shimbun) today.
South Korea: The country deployed fighter jets (Yonhap) after two Chinese and four Russian planes entered its air defense identification zone today without notice, the South Korean military said. They did not enter South Korean airspace.
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Pakistan Extends Exit Deadline for Afghans Awaiting Resettlement |
Afghans who have been waiting in Pakistan until their resettlement requests in Western countries are approved now have (Dawn, APP) until February 29, 2024, to leave the country or face a fine of $400, Pakistan’s caretaker information minister said. A previous deadline was set for December 31 with a fee of $800 for overstaying.
China/Myanmar: China’s foreign ministry said today that Beijing helped mediate a cease-fire (Reuters) between Myanmar’s military and rebels it had been battling in the country’s north. Myanmar’s military said earlier this week that it had met with rebels and another round of talks was due by the end of the month, though yesterday, the rebel alliance reaffirmed their commitment to fighting the government and made no mention of a truce.
For the Asia Unbound blog, CFR expert Joshua Kurlantzick explains what countries should do to prepare for Myanmar’s potential collapse.
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Middle East and North Africa |
U.S. Reportedly Seeks Assurances Before Approving Rifle Sale to Israel |
The United States is requesting a commitment that more than twenty thousand assault rifles that Israel has asked to buy will not be used in carrying out settler violence in the West Bank before greenlighting the sale, the Washington Post and Reuters reported. The holdup follows an announcement that Washington will impose visa restrictions on people believed to have attacked Palestinians in the West Bank.
U.S./Israel/Saudi Arabia: White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with (NYT) Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh yesterday to discuss Israeli-Palestinian relations before traveling on to Israel to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials today.
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Somalia Reaches Deal on $4.5 Billion in Debt Relief to Rejoin Global Financial System |
The relief, which includes debt forgiveness from bilateral creditors and multilateral banks such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), took nearly a decade to negotiate. It will reduce Somalia’s debt (FT) as a portion of its gross domestic product (GDP) from 65 percent to about 6 percent. This Backgrounder unpacks the role of the IMF.
Senegal: A court ruled that jailed opposition leader Ousmane Sonko be reinstated (Reuters) on a presidential candidate register ahead of the country’s February election. Sonko was stripped from the right to run on charges he criticized for being politically motivated. A lawyer for the government said it would appeal the ruling.
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UK to Serve as Base for Fighter Jet Plane With Italy, Japan |
The collaboration unveiled last December aims to speed up the time and lower the cost necessary to produce a supersonic jet, one of the most ambitious military programs attempted. The three countries agreed yesterday that the United Kingdom (UK) will host the government headquarters (FT) of the program. |
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Leaders of Guyana, Venezuela to Meet Amid Territorial Dispute |
Neighboring countries such as Brazil are sending envoys (Reuters) to the meeting in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines today, which was scheduled after Venezuela threatened to annex Guyana’s oil-rich Essequibo region. South American countries have urged for a peaceful resolution, and the United States has expressed support for Guyana’s sovereignty.
Brazil: The senate approved (AP) Justice Minister Flávio Dino to join the country’s Supreme Court. Some activists had pressed President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to appoint a female justice to replace the judge who stepped down after she passed the court’s age limit for justices; the court now has only one female member.
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House Opens Impeachment Probe Against Biden Despite Concerns Over Lack of Evidence |
A yearlong Republican investigation into potential wrongdoing by President Joe Biden had not yet proceeded to a formal inquiry in the House of Representatives because some Republicans raised concerns about the lack of evidence of high crimes or misdemeanors. The impeachment inquiry resolution authorizes ongoing probes (NYT) related to Biden’s son, Hunter. Biden called the inquiry a “baseless political stunt.”
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Council on Foreign Relations |
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