Russia doubles down on Ukraine war while EU leaders are divided on how to finance weapons – POLITICO

But they disagreed on the bigger picture of a grand push for European financing of weapons to Ukraine, for example through defense bonds. The possibility of EU joint bonds is backed by France, Estonia, Poland and others but strongly opposed by the more frugal countries, such as Germany, The Netherlands and Austria. The discussion in … Read more

Bloomberg New Economy: Indonesia Shows How to Handle the US-China Standoff

Indonesia, the largest economy in Southeast Asia and the world’s fourth most populous nation, hasn’t always had a close relationship with China. In the 1960s, Jakarta accused Beijing of supporting an alleged Communist coup attempt, and diplomatic ties were only re-established in 1990. When China’s then-Premier Li Peng sought to reset the relationship, he said … Read more

Western allies split over how to make Putin pay  – POLITICO

It’s a plan that U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration is backing heavily but so far Europe’s most powerful governments in Paris, Berlin and Rome are unconvinced. Washington policymakers are piling pressure on their allies to ditch their hang-ups over what would be an unprecedented step fraught with legal, ethical and political difficulties. “It’s never been … Read more

How to watch Taiwan’s election like a pro – POLITICO

TAIPEI — The stakes for Taiwan’s democracy could hardly be higher in a tight presidential election on January 13, with Chinese President Xi Jinping delivering an ominous New Year address in which he insisted “reunification of the motherland is a historical inevitability.” The vote cuts to the heart of a battle for regional influence between … Read more

Netanyahu’s opponents dither as he plots how to survive – POLITICO

Jamie Dettmer is opinion editor at POLITICO Europe. Israel’s embattled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to hang on as his political foes circle, trying to fathom when and how they can call time on his long, tempestuous political career — and, of course, muster the political courage to do so. Much like the Charles Dickens … Read more

U.S. and China diverge on how to avert military clashes

TOKYO — U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed the importance of communication at their summit in San Francisco on Nov. 15. At the talks, the two countries agreed to resume military dialogue and start discussions on climate change and regulation of artificial intelligence. That is good news, but the prospects for … Read more

How to stop Ukraine’s NATO bid from derailing Washington summit – POLITICO

Press play to listen to this article Voiced by artificial intelligence. John R. Deni is a research professor at the U.S. Army War College’s Strategic Studies Institute. He’s the author of “NATO and Article 5.” The views expressed are his own. Marking the 75th anniversary of NATO’s founding, the alliance’s next summit in Washington is … Read more

How to Avoid Defeat in Ukraine – WSJ

How to Avoid Defeat in Ukraine. For starters, step up military aid and break Putin's global networks of influence. Walter Russell Mead. By. Walter … Source link