Efforts at Iran diplomacy. Foreign ministers from France, Germany, and the United Kingdom (UK) are holding talks with their Iranian counterpart in Geneva today after U.S. President Donald Trump said yesterday he would decide whether to take military action against Iran “within the next two weeks.” UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington yesterday, posting on social media afterward that “a window now exists” for a diplomatic solution to concerns over Iran’s nuclear activities.
Canada’s steel and aluminum tariffs. Ottawa announced yesterday that countries without bilateral trade agreements will face new tariffs on steel imports if they exceed 2024 levels. It also said it may adjust its 25 percent counter-tariffs to U.S. levies based on how talks with Washington have progressed by July 21. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney met with Trump Monday and said afterward that the pair agreed to work toward a deal within thirty days. Since June 4, Washington has applied a 50 percent tariff on worldwide steel and aluminum imports except for those from the United Kingdom.
Chinese hacking of Russia. Chinese hacking groups accelerated attacks targeting information about Russian military operations shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, cybersecurity analysts told the New York Times. A classified Russian counterintelligence document obtained by the Times says China is trying to learn about Russia’s defense know-how; the document referred to China as the “enemy.” The Kremlin and the Chinese embassy in Moscow did not immediately respond to the newspaper’s requests for comment.
Thailand leak scandal. A major Thai political party exited the governing coalition yesterday over a leaked phone call between Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and former Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Sen. The pair discussed a border dispute in the call, during which Paetongtarn appeared to signal disagreements between her government and the Thai military. Hun Sen said he shared the call with dozens of officials and later posted it in its entirety. The withdrawal means Shinawatra’s party may have difficulty retaining power.
Spain rejects spending target. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called a prospective goal for NATO members to spend 5 percent of their GDP on defense “unreasonable” in a letter sent yesterday to the alliance’s secretary-general. Sánchez described the target as “incompatible with our welfare state and our world vision.” NATO plans to discuss the target at next week’s summit; adopting it would require the consensus of all members.
Warning on Russia’s economy. Russia’s economy is “on the verge” of a recession, the economy minister said yesterday at an international forum. He asked the central bank for a “little love”; interest rates stand at 20 percent. As the war with Ukraine grinds on, Putin told reporters Wednesday night that he would meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy if it were the final stage of negotiations.
New Zealand cuts aid over China ties. New Zealand said yesterday it is suspending millions of dollars of aid to the Cook Islands pending further clarity on agreements the self-governing territory recently made with China. A 2001 joint New Zealand-Cook Islands declaration pledged the governments would consult each other on defense matters; they share passports and a military. The Cook Islands foreign ministry said “constructive dialogue” was underway about addressing Wellington’s concerns.
Finland landmine treaty exit. The country’s legislature voted 157–18 to advance a government proposal to leave the Ottawa Convention aimed at eliminating antipersonnel landmines. Finland shares a more than eight-hundred-mile border with Russia and officials have argued that landmines could be used to defend the country in the case of a Russian attack. Legislators in Latvia and Lithuania voted to leave the treaty earlier this year.
