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☆ Biden’s Next Crisis Might Be North Korea - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( John Delury | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

How do you solve a problem like North Korea? President Biden’s administration has taken a notably more ambivalent approach toward North Korea than his predecessor Donald Trump, who alternately railed at and courted its leader, Kim Jong-un. But we shouldn’t stop trying to come up with bold ways to denuclearize North Korea, improve the lives of its people or lessen the risks of conflict, even if that means making unpalatable choices. It might seem preposterous, even suicidal, for Mr. Kim to seek war. The people of both Koreas certainly don’t need war, and neither does the United States.

Persons: Biden’s, Donald Trump, Kim Jong, Robert Carlin, Siegfried Hecker, Kim, Vladimir Putin of, Mr, Putin Locations: North Korea, United States, Korea, South Korea, Vladimir Putin of Russia, Ukraine, Israel

☆ The Isolationism Antidote - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Nicholas Kristof | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Why has the isolationist wing of Congress been blocking aid to Ukraine and become, in effect, a tool for President Vladimir Putin of Russia? Republican politics explain some of this folly, but I think another reason is pure cluelessness. Lack of familiarity with the world is, I think, one reason the United States periodically pursues self-destructive policies around the world. A second Trump presidency might entail even more consequential mistakes: pulling out of NATO, abandoning Ukraine, upending the post-World War II international system. Time spent abroad corrodes stereotypes (of the kind one hears these days about Israelis and Palestinians alike) and shores up our empathy by reminding us of our common humanity.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, George W, Bush, Trump Organizations: NATO Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Congress, United States, Utah

HELSINKI (AP) — Ex-Prime Minister Alexander Stubb was projected to win the first round of Finland's presidential election on Sunday and face runner-up Pekka Haavisto in a runoff next month. Finnish public broadcaster YLE projected that Stubb won the first round of the presidential election with 27.3% of the votes, while Haavisto, an ex-foreign minister, took second place with 25.8%. Recent polls suggest that former Prime Minister Alexander Stubb, 55, and ex-Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, 65, are the leading contenders. The president also acts as the supreme commander of the Finnish military, a particularly important duty in Europe's current security environment. About 4.5 million citizens were eligible to vote for Finland’s new head of state from an array of nine candidates — six men and three women.

Persons: —, Alexander Stubb, Pekka Haavisto, Stubb, Jussi Halla, aho, Sauli Niinistö, “, ”, Eve Kinnunen, Haavisto, Olli Rehn, Niinistö, Vladimir Putin of, ___ Kostya Manenkov, Sergei Grits Organizations: HELSINKI, YLE, Legal, Nordic, NATO, Union, National Coalition Party, Finns, Bank of Finland, Halla, Associated Press, Helsinki, Green League Locations: Finnish, Stubb, Finland, HELSINKI, Russia, United States, China, Helsinki, Sunday’s, Europe, Ukraine, Vladimir Putin of Russia, Nordic, Finland’s, Sweden, Hungary

☆ Finns go to the polls to elect a new president at an unprecedented time for the NATO newcomer
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Polls across the country opened at 9 a.m. (0700 GMT) and will close at 8 p.m. (1800 GMT). The president also acts as the supreme commander of the Finnish military, a particularly important duty in Europe's current security environment. They are picking a successor to hugely popular President Sauli Niinistö, whose second six-year term expires in March. Recent polls suggest that former Prime Minister Alexander Stubb, 55, and ex-Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, 65, are the leading contenders. Advance vote results will be confirmed soon after polls close and initial results from Sunday's voting are expected by around midnight (2200 GMT).

Persons: Sauli Niinistö, Eve Kinnunen, Alexander Stubb, Pekka Haavisto, Stubb, Haavisto, Jussi Halla, Olli Rehn, Niinistö, Vladimir Putin of Organizations: Nordic, NATO, Union, National Coalition Party, United Nations, Finns, Bank of Finland, Associated Press, Green League Locations: Espoo, Finland, Russia, United States, China, Helsinki, Sunday's, Europe, Ukraine, Vladimir Putin of Russia, Nordic, Finland's, Sweden, Hungary

☆ It is for China to explain Xi's absence from G20 summit, US official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Nandita Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the plenary session of the 2023 BRICS Summit at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa on August 23, 2023. GIANLUIGI GUERCIA/Pool via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Sept 9 (Reuters) - Only China can explain the reason for the absence of President Xi Jinping from the annual G20 summit in New Delhi this weekend, a U.S. official said on Saturday. "Some have speculated China's absence indicates that it is giving up on the G20, building an alternative world order, that it will privilege groupings like the BRICS," Finer said. Also absent from the summit is President Vladimir Putin of Russia, which is being represented instead by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Last Sunday, reacting to news that Xi would not attend the G20 summit, Biden said he was "disappointed" but would "get to see him".

Persons: Xi Jinping, GIANLUIGI, Joe Biden, Jon, Li Qiang, Vladimir Putin of, Sergei Lavrov, Biden, Xi, Sudipto Ganguly, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, U.S, Thomson Locations: Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa, DELHI, China, New Delhi, U.S, United States, Vladimir Putin of Russia, India, Brazil

☆ A Meeting of World Leaders, With Two Major Absences
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Matthew Cullen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

President Biden arrived today in New Delhi for the Group of 20 summit, where the world leaders not in the room at the meeting this weekend may be as important as those who are there. China’s leader, Xi Jinping, and President Vladimir Putin of Russia both decided to skip this year’s event, leaving a hole that the U.S. is seeking to fill. At the summit, Biden plans to use the absences of Xi and Putin as an opportunity to present his case to the large group of important leaders that they should align with the U.S. on major issues including condemning Russia’s war in Ukraine and curbing China’s assertiveness. Still, Biden will try to shore up his relationship with the summit’s host, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India. My colleague Katie Rogers, who is covering the summit, said Biden saw Modi as “politically stable.” But, she added, “it remains to be seen how much of a partner he could be in forcefully countering China’s rise.”

Persons: Biden, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Xi, Putin, Narendra Modi, Katie Rogers, Modi, ” Organizations: Group, U.S, India Locations: New Delhi, Russia, Ukraine, China

☆ Republicans Agree on Foreign Policy — When It Comes to China - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Peter Beinart | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Understanding why Republicans prioritized China then helps explain why they’re prioritizing it now. Many of America’s most influential Asia Firsters — like the Time magazine publisher Henry Luce — were either the children of American missionaries in China or had served as missionaries there themselves. The John Birch Society, whose fervent and conspiratorial brand of anti-Communism foreshadowed the right-wing populism of today, took its name from an Army captain and former missionary killed by Chinese communists at the end of World War II. It boasts much of the world’s economic, political and military power, which is why the Biden administration focuses on the region, too. In March, a Gallup poll found that while Democrats were 23 points more likely to consider Russia a greater enemy than China, Republicans were a whopping 64 points more likely to say the reverse.

Persons: Robert Taft, “ Mr, H, Alexander Smith, Truman, William Knowland, Joyce Mao, Chiang Kai, shek, Asia Firsters, Henry Luce —, John Birch, Biden, Mao, fixate, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping Organizations: Republican, NATO, Foreign Policy, Armed Services Committee, Nationalist, Republicans, Communist, Time, John, John Birch Society, Army, Gallup Locations: Europe, Formosa, ”, Taiwan, China, Asia, United States, Pacific, Washington, Beijing, Russia

☆ Opinion | The Great Wheat Price Surge That Sputtered
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Peter Coy | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

I share Ghosh’s concern for the impact of high wheat prices on the poor, but the story is more complicated than greedy speculators versus needy consumers. For one thing, consider this statistic: While speculators were betting on higher wheat prices in the spring of 2022, they’re betting on lower prices now. Managed funds have had a net short position in wheat futures contracts since July 2022, according to data compiled by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. That undermines the narrative that they invariably root for higher prices. Ghosh told me that there was no justification for prices to spike in the spring of 2022 because the market was well supplied with wheat.

Persons: Ghosh, —, Vladimir Putin, it’s, ” Scott Irwin, Seth Meyer, ” Organizations: Commodity Futures Trading Commission, University of Illinois, U.S . Department of Agriculture Locations: Russia, Urbana, Champaign, Ukraine

☆ Xi personally warned Putin against launching a nuclear strike in Ukraine, report says, drawing a red line for Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

China's Xi Jinping warned Vladimir Putin against using nuclear weapons, The Financial Times reported. If Putin ignored Xi and acted on his nuclear threats to Ukraine, it'd humiliate the Chinese leader, an analyst said. He has provided the Russian president with crucial economic and diplomatic support amid sanctions and international isolation. This gives him leverage over the Russian president in seeking to deter him from a potentially catastrophic escalation of the conflict. Putin has previously shown a willingness to defy China, declaring he'd position nuclear weapons in Belarus in an apparent snub to Xi in March.

Persons: China's Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Xi, Putin, it'd, —, Vladimir Putin of, Putin's, Dmitry Peskov, Sumantra Maitra, China Xi, Ali Wyne, Xi Jinping, Wagner Organizations: Financial Times, Service, Ukraine, Putin, Wednesday, European Union, Eurasia Group, Russian Locations: Ukraine, Moscow, Vladimir Putin of Russia, China, Russian, Russia, Beijing, Belarus, West

☆ Biden Backed NATO Expansion, but It Won’t Be Easy
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Matthew Cullen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

President Biden welcomed Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson of Sweden at the White House today to emphasize America’s support for the Nordic nation’s swift acceptance into NATO. Sweden’s entry into NATO would be a significant blow to President Vladimir Putin of Russia, who has sought to halt the alliance’s expansion. But as the alliance prepares for a show of unity at a summit in Lithuania next week, the only major barrier is President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, a NATO ally. He has been able to block Sweden because acceptance requires unanimous consent. The U.S. has tried to placate the Turkish leader, including by supporting the sale of new F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, but Erdogan hasn’t budged.

Persons: Biden, Ulf Kristersson, Vladimir Putin of, Recep Tayyip Erdogan of, Erdogan hasn’t budged Organizations: NATO Locations: Sweden, Vladimir Putin of Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, NATO, Turkey, U.S, Stockholm

☆ Xi and Putin share a deep resentment of the US, but China's new dominance over Russia could eventually shatter the alliance
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Russia and China have formed closer ties to counter the power of the US. But China is the dominant one in the partnership, with Russia weakened by the Ukraine war. At last week's summit, Xi proposed a peace plan in Ukraine that critics said mainly reflected Russian demands. Russian President Vladimir Putin and China's President Xi Jinping at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 21, 2023. But despite such tensions, the Russia-China alliance will likely persist because of the deep resentment Putin and Xi share over the US' status as the world's top superpower.

☆ Boris Johnson says Putin threatened him with a missile strike in an 'extraordinary' phone call weeks before Russia's invasion of Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Boris Johnson said Putin threatened the UK with a missile strike before it invaded Ukraine. He said Putin told him: "I don't want to hurt you but, with a missile, it would only take a minute." He added that he told Putin that war would be a "utter catastrophe" and that Russia's apparent fear that Ukraine would join the NATO military alliance would not come true "for the foreseeable future." He also told Putin that invading Ukraine would result in sanctions from the West and more NATO troops stationed along Russia's borders, according to his recollection. Johnson was seen as one of Ukraine's biggest allies following the Russian invasion, and has made multiple trips to the country, both during his time as prime minister and after.

☆ Xi Jinping is standing by Putin despite his invasion of Ukraine, and recently ordered China to forge closer ties with Russia, report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

China's President Xi Jinping ordered closer economic ties with Russia, the WSH reported. It comes as the West seeks to economically isolate Russia over the Ukraine invasion. China has positioned itself as Russia's key international ally, with Moscow and Beijing announcing "no limits" to their cooperation just before Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February. In a visit to China by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in November, Xi criticised Putin's nuclear rhetoric, and called on Germany to help mediate a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. But despite the public statements, Xi in private has continued strengthen China's ties with Russia, the Journal said, and sees it as a partner for the long term.

☆ Erdogan, Putin discuss grain corridor, gas hub in phone call
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ISTANBUL, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Presidents Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and Vladimir Putin of Russia discussed grain supplies and a potential regional gas hub in Turkey on Sunday, both countries said. "President Erdogan expressed his sincere wish for the termination of the Russia-Ukraine war as soon as possible," the Turkish presidency said on Sunday. In the call, Erdogan said Ankara and Moscow could start work on exporting other food products and commodities through the Black Sea grain corridor, Erdogan's office said. The Kremlin said the two also discussed an initiative to create a base in Turkey for exports of Russian natural gas. Gazprom (GAZP.MM) chief Alexei Miller held talks with Erdogan in Istanbul in the past week.

☆ China Will Benefit From Cheap Russian Gas—Eventually
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Nathaniel Taplin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The “limitless” friendship between China and Russia notwithstanding, President Xi Jinping of China appears to be at least somewhat miffed at President Vladimir Putin of Russia. For a hint of why that might be, consider the energy sector. But there is a problem: For now, China is a coal- and oil-powered economy, and the transition to moving toward gas will be long and expensive. In the meantime, Mr. Putin’s war in Ukraine has helped push coal and petroleum prices through the roof. All this comes as China’s economy is already struggling with a punishing property downturn and deeply discouraged consumers.

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