January 10, 2022

Daily News Brief

January 10, 2022

Top of the Agenda

U.S.-Russia Meeting in Geneva Kicks Off Week of Talks on Ukraine

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman today began negotiations (NYT) with her counterpart, Sergei Ryabkov, over Russia’s military buildup on the Ukrainian border and Moscow’s security demands from Western countries. Before the meeting, both sides dismissed expectations of a breakthrough (Reuters).

Today’s talks will be followed by a meeting (RFE/RL) between Russia and North Atlantic Security Organization (NATO) countries on Wednesday and another of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe on Thursday. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance stands ready (FT) for “a new armed conflict in Europe” if talks fail. 

Analysis

“Such negotiations are unlikely to deliver breakthroughs. At best, we can perhaps reach a stalemate that will persist for 10, 20, even 30 years. But if the Cold War has taught us anything, it is that it often pays to be patient,” Johns Hopkins University’s Sergey Radchenko writes for War on the Rocks.

“If [the] meeting in Geneva between U.S. and Russian officials shows that the Russians are interested not in de-escalation but in using the talks to build a case for hostilities, then the United States and the West should lose no time in quickly providing lethal military assistance to Ukraine, including additional training by U.S. and NATO forces,” the Center for a New American Security’s Jim Townsend writes for Foreign Affairs

Crises to Watch in 2022

U.S. foreign policy experts rated humanitarian disasters and heightened tensions with China, Iran, and Russia as some of the major concerns the Joe Biden administration could confront in 2022. See CFR’s annual Preventive Priorities Survey for other emerging threats.

Read More

Pacific Rim

China Tests Fourteen Million People for COVID-19 After Omicron Detected Near Beijing

Twenty local COVID-19 infections were detected (SCMP) in the city of Tianjin, two of which were identified as the omicron variant. Tianjin is about seventy miles from Beijing, where the Winter Olympics will be held in February.

Australia: A judge ordered that Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic be released from immigration detention (NYT) after Djokovic was held for five days for entering Australia without being vaccinated against COVID-19.

South and Central Asia

Kazakh Officials: 164 Dead, Nearly 8,000 Detained in Unrest

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said calm had returned to Kazakhstan (RFE/RL) after days of protests that he had denounced as an attempted coup.

China/Sri Lanka: Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa asked China (BBC) to restructure Sri Lanka’s debt repayments amid its financial crisis. China has lent Sri Lanka over $5 billion in the last decade.

Middle East and North Africa

Gulf Foreign Ministers Kick Off Five-Day Visit to Beijing

Foreign ministers from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Saudi Arabia, as well as the secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, today began a visit (Al Jazeera) that is expected to focus on strengthening trade and energy ties.

Iran: The country announced sanctions (Times of Israel) against fifty-two Americans over the 2020 killing of Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani.

This Day in History: January 10, 1941

Addressing Congress, President Franklin D. Roosevelt introduces the Lend-Lease Act, a program under which the United States supplies military and other aid to the United Kingdom and other allies while still maintaining its neutrality in World War II.

Sub-Saharan Africa

ECOWAS to Cut Ties, Impose Sanctions Over Mali’s Election Delays

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will sever diplomatic relations (Reuters) with Mali and impose economic sanctions on the country for delaying elections after a 2020 coup. Mali’s interim government said it will close its borders with ECOWAS member countries and recall its ambassadors.

Somalia: After days of negotiations, Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble and President Mohamed Farmaajo reached a deal (AFP) to complete delayed parliamentary elections by February 25.

For the Africa in Transition blog, CFR’s Michelle Gavin argues for rethinking U.S. policy on Somalia’s political crisis.

Europe

Thousands in Prague Protest Vaccine Mandate

The demonstrations yesterday followed similar but smaller ones (AP) in other Czech cities on Saturday. Vaccination for people aged sixty and above will be mandatory in the country by March.

Americas

Venezuelan Ruling Party Suffers Rare Defeat in Stronghold State

Little-known opposition candidate Sergio Garrido defeated ruling party candidate (Bloomberg) Jorge Arreaza to become the governor of Barinas State, the birthplace of former President Hugo Chavez.

For Foreign Affairs, Moises Naim and Francisco Toro discuss Venezuela’s crisis under President Nicolas Maduro.

Colombia: On Friday, a man in the city of Cali became the country’s first person without a terminal illness to die by legal euthanasia (Reuters).

United States

COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Takes Effect for Businesses With at Least One Hundred Workers

The Supreme Court heard challenges to the rule on Friday, but have not blocked it (CNN).

For Think Global Health, Mary Brophy Marcus talks to Ali H. Mokdad about what omicron has in store for January.

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