Our 2023 Annual Forecast, like those before it, is an attempt to provide a sense of the direction of the world. We do this by looking at it holistically, paying particular attention to regions and nations whose actions significantly affect the global system. All countries matter to those who live in them, but for our […]
The foreign ministers of China and Afghanistan spoke for nearly an hour on Jan. 22 about Afghanistan’s economic development and ensuring the security of...
Italian energy. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was in Algeria on Tuesday to meet with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. Representatives of Italian energy firm Eni...
Talking Ukraine. Top defense officials from more than 50 countries, including NATO members, gathered at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany to discuss support...
Russian gas to Pakistan. Russian Energy Minister Nikolai Shulginov said that the Pakistan Stream gas pipeline project, which will have a capacity of 12.4...
Bad news for Beijing. China’s National Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday released economic figures for 2022. The country’s gross domestic product grew by 3...
Boosting cooperation. Russia and Belarus began joint air exercises on Monday amid a buildup of forces in Belarus. Minsk called the drills, which will...
Iran and the UAE. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian met with the United Arab Emirate’s ambassador to Iran, Saif Mohammed al-Zaabi, to discuss...
Russian warnings. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko warned against Japan’s move toward militarization, saying Moscow may be forced to take retaliatory measures. Among...
Crude ceiling. Beginning in February, Russia will partially ban the sale of crude oil and oil products if the contracts “directly or indirectly imply...
Flare-up in the Balkans. The Serbian army has been placed on its highest combat readiness level, according to the country’s defense minister, amid escalating...
