December 1, 2021

Daily News Brief

December 1, 2021

Top of the Agenda

NATO Chief: Be ‘Prepared for the Worst’ As Russia-Ukraine Tensions Soar

At a meeting of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) foreign ministers yesterday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called for Russia to de-escalate (Euronews, AP) following its military buildup in and around Ukraine and called for NATO countries (AP) to be “prepared for the worst.”

The tensions have prompted Kyiv to fear that Moscow is preparing an invasion, and Ukraine’s foreign minister called on NATO (Reuters) to prepare sanctions to deter Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also called for direct talks with Moscow in a speech to lawmakers. Today, Russia accused Ukraine (Reuters) of deploying half its army to confront pro-Russia separatists.

Analysis

“A careful review of [Russian President Vladimir Putin]’s record with respect to Ukraine suggests that almost all of the requisite components and justifications for military intervention are either in—or moving into—place. Both the near- and long-term indicators suggest that Kyiv and Washington have good reasons to worry,” the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Eugene Rumer and Andrew S. Weiss write.

“[U.S President Joe] Biden needs to do more to increase the economic cost to Russia of its aggression. One of the biggest points of leverage is the nearly completed Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which will carry natural gas from Russia to Germany underneath the Baltic Sea,” CFR’s Max Boot writes.

Pacific Rim

Google to Ban Election Ads Ahead of Philippines’ 2022 Presidential Contest

Google said it aims to protect election integrity (AFP). The ban resembles moves it has taken during U.S. elections.

Japan: Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in a speech that a Chinese attack on Taiwan would constitute an “emergency” (FT) for Japan and “economic suicide” for China. 

This Backgrounder examines how the United States and its ally Japan have grappled with China.

South and Central Asia

Committee to Consider UN Representatives From Myanmar Junta, Taliban

The committee, which meets today, is unlikely to allow either group to have a representative at the United Nations, unnamed diplomats told Reuters.

Afghanistan: A Taliban ban on women in the workforce could immediately cost the Afghan economy (Bloomberg) as much as $1 billion, or 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), the UN Development Program said. 

Middle East and North Africa

Parties Close to Algerian President Dominate Local Elections

The ruling National Liberation Front and its ally, the Democratic National Rally, won the most seats in town halls and regional assemblies, while support for Islamist parties fell (AP) compared to legislative elections in June. Saturday’s elections saw a turnout of 34–36 percent. 

Palestinian territories: The UN agency for Palestinian refugees has only raised enough money (AP) to cover 48 percent of its budget for 2022 and 2023, meaning services to millions of people could be cut.

This Day in History: December 1, 1988

Benazir Bhutto, leader of the Pakistan People’s Party, is elected prime minister of Pakistan. Bhutto is the country’s—and the Muslim world’s—first female leader. She serves as prime minister until 1990 and again from 1993 to 1996.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Ethiopian Government Says It Retook Towns Captured by Tigrayan Forces

The news comes (Al Jazeera) after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said last week that he would lead a counteroffensive against Tigrayan rebels from the battlefield. One of the recaptured towns was Shewa Robit, which the rebels said they had taken last week.

Sudan: Tens of thousands of people in the capital, Khartoum, protested against military rule (Reuters) yesterday following October’s coup and cast aside an agreement reached last week that reinstated civilian Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.  

Europe

European Union Announces Global Infrastructure Program for Developing Countries

The Global Gateway project aims to mobilize (Bloomberg) around $340 billion worth of public and private investments by 2027 in an attempt to offer an alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Americas

U.S. Removes Terrorist Designation for Colombian Armed Group

Washington aims to support (WaPo) a five-year-old peace agreement between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the Colombian government.

This timeline looks at U.S.-Colombia relations.

Chile: A bill that would create a heavy tax on copper companies passed an initial vote (Bloomberg) in Chile’s Senate. The country is one of the world’s top copper producers.

United States

Supreme Court Hears Arguments in Landmark Abortion Case

Lawyers for Mississippi have asked the Supreme Court (NYT) to overrule Roe v. Wade, which would allow states to ban abortions entirely.

Global

Growth in Renewable Energy Capacity Hits Record in 2021

Annual growth in renewable energy capacity is projected to reach an all-time high (CNN) in 2021, according to the International Energy Agency. Still, the agency warned that the new installations are “well short” of what is needed to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

This In Brief discusses U.S. plans to increase offshore wind energy.

Council on Foreign Relations

58 East 68th Street - New York, NY 10065

Shop the CFR store

 |  |  |  | 

Forward This Email  .  Manage Your Email Preferences

.