Russian, Ukrainian Envoys Return to Face-to-Face Talks in Istanbul
The talks in Turkey are the delegates’ first in-person meeting (FT) in almost two weeks. They are weighing a cease-fire deal that would reportedly see both sides stepping down from their initial demands, though they appear to still disagree on territorial goals. Russia is reportedly no longer insisting on the “denazification” of Ukraine, while Ukraine said it is open to foregoing the possibility of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) membership.
The talks come as Ukrainian officials say their forces have retaken areas around Kyiv. A deputy Russian defense minister said Russian forces will reduce military activity (NYT) near the cities of Kyiv and Chernihiv, which could indicate that the cease-fire talks are progressing.
“The key to making neutrality work for Ukraine is shaping it in a way that ensures that renunciation of NATO membership does not come at the expense of the country’s self-defense or its prospects for an economic and political future in the West,” the Marathon Initiative’s A. Wess Mitchell writes for Foreign Affairs.
CFR offers background and analysis on the unfolding war in Ukraine.
U.S./Singapore: Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong meets with U.S. President Joe Biden (AP) at the White House today to discuss the war in Ukraine and freedom of the seas. Singapore is the only Southeast Asian nation to impose sanctions on Russia over the war.
New Delhi Convinces Colombo to Trade Chinese Power Projects for Indian Ones
After Sri Lanka approved Chinese renewable energy projects on its northern coast, India expressed concerns about security and offered to complete the same projects (Hindu) with a grant rather than a loan.
Afghanistan: The European Union (EU) said the Taliban’s decision not to reopen schools for girls beyond sixth grade erodes the group’s international credibility and will impact EU engagement (TOLOnews) with their government.
Middle East and North Africa
Saudi Arabia Talks Weigh Yemen Cease-Fire Without Houthis Present
Yemeni factions allied with the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen gathered in Riyadh for UN-backed talks on a truce that would allow fuel ships and flights to enter Houthi-controlled areas during the upcoming Islamic holy month of Ramadan, Reuters reported. The Houthis opted out of the talks but described the plan as positive.
Egypt/Qatar: Egyptian officials said that Qatar plans to invest $5 billion (Bloomberg) in Egypt in the latest show of Gulf support for the country as it suffers grain shortages due to the war in Ukraine.
Sub-Saharan Africa
DRC Joins East African Trade Bloc
The East African Community approved (BBC) the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as its seventh member, though Congolese lawmakers still need to ratify the bloc’s regulations.
Mozambique: The country reached a preliminary agreement (Bloomberg) on a three-year credit line with the International Monetary Fund. The deal comes six years after Mozambique halted a previous program in the wake of a debt scandal.
Europe
Central, Eastern European Countries Seek Financial Help for Ukrainian Refugees
Eleven countries submitted a proposal (Politico) to the European Commission to create an EU-level fund to cover health-care costs for Ukrainian refugees.
Brazil: After weeks of publicly criticizing high fuel prices, President Jair Bolsonaro signaled that he will replace (FT) the head of state oil company Petroleo Brasileiro S.A., known as Petrobras.
United States
Biden Administration Previews 2022 National Defense Strategy
