Russia Bombards Eastern Donbas as World Bank Chief Warns of Global Recession |
Russia has focused its offensive in the eastern part of Ukraine’s Donbas region, shelling several towns and moving toward encircling the cities (RFE/RL) of Syevyerodonetsk and Lysychansk, Ukrainian officials said. A pro-Russia official in eastern Ukraine said that Russia-backed separatist forces are holding thousands of Ukrainian prisoners (France24).
As the war enters its fourth month and its pressures on food and energy prices mount, World Bank President David Malpass warned that a global recession (Sky News) will be difficult to avoid. Malpass also cited slower growth in China, which has enacted harsh lockdowns to prevent COVID-19 cases from rising. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized proposals from Western commentators that Ukraine should accept territorial concessions to end the war.
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“With [Russia’s] troops and equipment dwindling, the battle for the Donbas is likely to be the last major offensive of the war,” the New York Times’ Marco Hernandez, Josh Holder, and Jon Huang write.
“The signal that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is serious about negotiations is when he stops accusing Ukraine and the West of staging atrocities, such as those at Bucha, to thwart diplomacy. Until then, talking about all the painful compromises Ukraine will have to make for peace will only divide a country that the United States has every reason to help,” CFR’s Stephen Sestanovich writes.
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Report: China Proposes Security Agreement With Pacific Islands |
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi kicked off (CNN) a ten-day tour of seven Pacific Island countries, during which he reportedly proposed a deal to increase security cooperation. The trip comes on the heels of U.S. President Joe Biden’s East Asia tour.
CFR’s Zongyuan Zoe Liu examines China’s growing influence in the South Pacific.
U.S./Japan: The U.S. and Japanese militaries flew fighter jets (AP) over the Sea of Japan in apparent response to a China-Russia bomber flight on Tuesday. |
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Former Pakistani Leader Threatens Fresh Demonstrations |
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan said he will stage a new march with supporters (Dawn) if authorities do not organize elections in Pakistan within six days.
Afghanistan: At least nine people were reported dead (TOLOnews) after several blasts in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif. Another blast occurred at a Kabul mosque, though the number of casualties was unclear. | |
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Middle East and North Africa |
U.S. Envoy Defends Iran Deal in Congressional Hearing |
U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that he is “not particularly optimistic” about the success of nuclear talks with Iran (WaPo), but that diplomacy remains the best option for U.S. national security.
This Backgrounder explains the Iran nuclear agreement.
Tunisia: President Kais Saied announced a July 25 referendum (Reuters) on a new constitution. Last week, Saied chose a law professor to head a drafting committee.
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South Africa’s Green Energy Transition Projected to Cost $250 Billion |
The estimate by researchers from the Blended Finance Taskforce and Stellenbosch University comes as (Al Jazeera) South Africa negotiates an $8.5 billion package from wealthy countries to move away from coal-fired power.
Democratic Republic of Congo: Fighters from the March 23 Movement (M23) attacked a military base (Reuters) in the town of Rumangabo, which the rebel group used as a headquarters during the 2012–13 insurgency. |
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Final Report Published on UK Officials’ COVID-19 Lockdown Violations |
A senior civil servant detailed parties (Politico) at Downing Street and Whitehall, saying Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other leaders in government and civil service “must bear responsibility.” But the long-awaited report made no major new disclosures.
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Brazil’s Bolsonaro to Attend Americas Summit, Hold Talks With Biden |
President Jair Bolsonaro had previously cast doubt (Bloomberg) on whether he would attend the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles next month.
El Salvador: The country’s legislature again extended (AP) a state of emergency imposed after dozens of gang-related killings in March. Under emergency powers, the government has imprisoned some 34,500 people it suspects of gang activity.
This In Brief lays out why gang violence has spiked in El Salvador. |
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SEC Looks to Crack Down on Greenwashing |
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed new disclosure requirements (Insider) for ESG investment funds, which claim to have an environmental, social, and governance strategy.
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Council on Foreign Relations |
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