Ukraine’s Supporters Discuss Further Military Support Amid Russian Missile Barrage
As Russian missiles bombard Ukraine, officials from more than fifty countries are meeting on the sidelines (Reuters) of a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Brussels to discuss boosting Ukraine’s air defenses. Yesterday, Group of Seven (G7) countries pledged to provide military and diplomatic support (BBC) to Ukraine for “as long as it takes.”
More than one hundred Russian missiles have struck Ukraine since Monday, killing at least twenty-six people. Yesterday, the director of the UN nuclear agency, Rafael Mariano Grossi, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin (AP) as part of efforts to prevent a disaster at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Today, the plant lost all external power needed for its safety systems for the second time in five days, Grossi said. He has called for the establishment of a protection zone around the plant.
Analysis
“Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s biggest cities will force Kyiv to choose between deploying its scarce air defense systems to protect civilians or using them to press ahead with the counteroffensives that have reclaimed huge swaths of territory,” the Financial Times’ John Paul Rathbone, Ben Hall, and Henry Foy write.
“Russia’s plunder of the biggest nuclear power plant in Europe risks undercutting efforts to establish a security zone around the reactors and has narrowed the room for diplomacy with international monitors,” Bloomberg’s Jonathan Tirone writes.
President Putin plans to attend next month’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Thailand, an unnamed security source told the Bangkok Post. U.S. President Joe Biden is set to send a representative.
Thousands of people protested (Al Jazeera) yesterday after a school bus driver was shot dead by a man on a motorcycle. It was the northern region’s sixth demonstration against insecurity in two months.
Myanmar: A court in the military-ruled country added three years (CNN) to former civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s prison sentence for corruption. Her sentence now stands at twenty-six years.
Middle East and North Africa
White House to Review Ties With Saudi Arabia
A White House spokesperson said Washington is reviewing its ties with Riyadh (WaPo) after the Saudi-led Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) cooperated with oil-producing allies including Russia to slash global oil output. President Biden said Saudi Arabia will face “consequences for what they’ve done with Russia.”
Iran: Oil sector workers went on strike (NYT) in support of Iran’s women-led, anti-government protests.
For Foreign Affairs, Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar writes that Iran’s repressive regime leaves no option but revolt.
Sub-Saharan Africa
Upstart Lesotho Party Forms Governing Coalition With Two Rivals
The Revolution for Prosperity party, which won last week’s elections, will govern together with (Bloomberg) the small opposition parties Alliance of Democrats and Movement for Economic Change.
Poland Investigates Leak in Pipeline Carrying Oil From Russia to Europe
A Polish official said authorities are analyzing a leak (Politico) in the Druzhba pipeline that transports crude oil to Germany.
Americas
Venezuela Voted Out of UN Human Rights Council
Last month, an independent UN mission on Venezuela accused (MercoPress) military and civilian intelligence officials of crimes against humanity.
Chile: After four years of debate, lawmakers voted to approve (Reuters) Chile’s participation in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
Labor Department Moves to Classify More Gig Workers as Employees
The public has forty-five days to comment on a Labor Department proposal that would lower the bar (FT) for gig workers to be classified as employees instead of independent contractors, which would make them eligible for employment benefits.
