In Other News – Putin's Brinkmanship Remains as Ukraine Crisis Continues, France and Others Announce Troop Withdrawal from Mali, & More – 2/18/2022
February 18, 2022 As the Ukraine crisis continues, Putin’s brinkmanship is further called into question. Conflicting reports regarding Russian troop withdrawal from the Ukrainian border were rampant this week, while Kyiv and Russian-backed separatists both accused each other of ceasefire violations. On Friday, the separatist leader of eastern Ukraine’s self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) reportedly […]
In Other News – China endorses Putin, Omicron Responses Affected by Politics, & More – 2/11/2022
February 11, 2022 China publicly endorses Putin, but political consequences of a Ukraine invasion could limit just how far Beijing will go in its support. While Putin contemplates his next move, the West is uniting against Moscow. Ukraine and NATO allies are strengthening their defenses through weapons acquisition, bulked-up and repositioned troops, and increased agreement […]
In Other News – Putin and the Ukraine, Conflict Spills Over Yemeni Border, & More – 2/3/2022
February 3, 2022 No matter if Putin decides to invade Ukraine or not, his actions will have long lasting consequences. Putin has managed to command the world’s attention by amassing troops along the Ukrainian border, but by doing so he’s increasingly alienated Western nations and given them time to bond together in a more united […]
In Other News – NATO Diplomatically Engages Putin on the Ukraine, the Beijing Olympics, & More – 1/28/2022
January 28, 2022 NATO members continue to diplomatically engage Putin on Ukraine, but US ramp-up of weapons to Kyiv could significantly impact Putin’s calculus. This week, French President Macron was the latest to speak with Putin regarding Ukraine tensions, but in the conversation, Putin reportedly reiterated that the recent US and NATO responses to his […]
In Other News – Putin & Ukraine, Violent attacks in Pakistan, & More – 1/21/2022
January 21, 2022 If Putin wants to invade Ukraine it won’t be sanctions alone that stop him. This week, at high-level discussions between the United States and Russia in Geneva, Moscow continued to insist that it wasn’t planning a Ukraine attack and restated its demands that the US-led NATO military alliance halt regional activity and […]
In Other News – Stability in the Balkans is Threatened & More – 1/14/2022
January 14, 2022 Putin’s continued gamesmanship threatens stability in the Balkans. In the aftermath of the 1992-1995 Bosnian War, a fragile peace has held in Bosnia Herzegovina under the Dayton Accords, but last fall tensions increased among the country’s multi-ethnic leaders and Putin is now adding fuel to the fire. Under the Dayton Accords, the […]
In Other News – Saudi Arabia is positioning China in a strategic role in the Gulf & More – 1/7/2022
January 7, 2022 Arrest and prosecution of Russian tech mogul presents opportunity for US intelligence. Last March, Vladislav Klyushin, a Russian tech executive charged with hacking into confidential quarterly earnings reports of US companies and making millions on insider trading, was arrested by the US government while on a ski trip to Switzerland. It wasn’t […]
In Other News – Putin postures that the West is inciting the Ukraine war, Freedom of speech is under attack by both Russian and China, & More – 12/30/2021
December 30, 2021 Putin posturing that the West is inciting Ukraine war – threatens military action if NATO rejects terms. On December 23, under the pretext of defending Russia from the West, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the West, not Russia, was stoking the threat of war with on the Ukraine border. He said […]
In Other News – Chilean politics shift left with the election of Gabriel Boric, Pro-Beijing vetted “Patriots” cruise to victory in Hong Kong legislative elections, & More – 12/23/2021
December 23, 2021 Chilean politics shift left with the election of Gabriel Boric. On Sunday, in a nation known for its moderate bend, 56% of Chilean voters chose 35-year-old, leftist candidate Gabriel Boric to assume the presidency in March 2022. Boric capitalized on the sentiment behind widespread 2019 left-wing protests and nationwide grievances about economic […]
In Other News – China presents itself to Central America as ready economic alternative to the United States & More – 12/17/2021
December 17, 2021 Regardless of what happens in the coming weeks, Putin’s not giving up on Ukraine. While the near-term threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine has diminished significantly, Putin strongly believes Ukraine belongs in his sphere of influence and is prepared to go to extreme measures to make that a reality. Putin has […]
