Central Asia

Daily Memo: New Syria Deployments, Putin-Raisi Talks

Geopolitical Futures - June 9, 2022

Reinforcements. According to the U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Russia sent personnel carriers, armored vehicles, medium and heavy weapons, and anti-aircraft missiles to its al-Mabakir base near Tal Tamr in Hasakah province in northeast Syria. The Syrian government also reportedly deployed reinforcements near Manbij in northern Aleppo province. These movements are in response to […]

Daily Memo: Grain Shipments Still Blocked, Chinese-US Defense Talks

Geopolitical Futures - June 8, 2022

No resolution. Negotiations between Russia and Turkey to unlock Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea ended without a breakthrough. The secretary of Ukraine’s...

Daily Memo: Germany Approves New Military Spending, Lavrov Cancels Trip to Serbia

Geopolitical Futures - June 6, 2022

New military spending. Germany’s parliament approved a constitutional amendment that will unlock 100 billion euros ($107 billion) in military spending for the country. Approximately...

The Global Economy Rebounds, Stumbles Again

Geopolitical Futures - June 3, 2022

(click to enlarge) Economic data for the past two years – that is, the majority of the COVID-19 pandemic – has finally been processed and...

Daily Memo: Beijing Searches for Ways to Help Moscow

Geopolitical Futures - June 3, 2022

Chinese support. Chinese President Xi Jinping has instructed his closest advisers to propose ways to help Russia financially without conflicting with the sanctions imposed...

Daily Memo: More Military Hardware to Ukraine

Geopolitical Futures - June 1, 2022

More hardware to Ukraine. The United States will provide a new $700 million aid package to Kyiv that will include HIMARS multiple launch rocket...

Daily Memo: Europe Bans Russian Oil

Geopolitical Futures - May 31, 2022

Russian oil ban. The European Union has reached an agreement to ban some 75 percent of Russian oil imports. The decision is the first...

Daily Memo: Chinese Industrial Profits Fall, Russia’s Promising Grain Harvest

Geopolitical Futures - May 27, 2022

Downturn. Profits at China’s industrial corporations fell in April by 8.5 percent compared with the same period last year, the sharpest decline in two...

Daily Memo: Pyongyang Sees Biden Off With Missile Tests

Geopolitical Futures - May 25, 2022

Popping off. North Korea fired three missiles, including what is thought to be its largest intercontinental ballistic missile, on Wednesday. The tests came after...

Kazakhstan Keeps Its Options Open, but Not Too Open

Ekaterina Zolotova - May 25, 2022

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine showed the world just how far Moscow would go to protect its interests. And as the war rages on, many...

Daily Memo: US Launches Asian Trade Initiative, Polish Leader Visits Kyiv

Geopolitical Futures - May 23, 2022

The U.S. in Asia. U.S. President Joe Biden announced in Tokyo on Monday that Washington was launching a 13-member trade initiative meant to counter...