All posts tagged: Foreign policy

Why Trump’s nuclear talks with Iran could be far more successful than Biden’s

Why Trump’s nuclear talks with Iran could be far more successful than Biden’s

Published by Sam

This combination of pictures created on April 09, 2025 shows US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff after a meeting with Russian officials at Diriyah Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on February 18, 2025 (L); and Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaking to AFP during an interview at the Iranian consulate in Jeddah on March 7, 2025. Evelyn Hockstein | Amer Hilabi | AFP | Getty Images DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Talks between U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration and Iran’s government on a potential renewed nuclear agreement began on a positive note over the weekend, representatives of both countries said, despite enduring sticking points and a lack of clarity on the specific conditions held by each side. Notably, there was more optimism toward a deal and overall communication between the longtime adversaries. Delegates from the U.S. and Iran agreed to hold more talks next week in Rome, while Iran’s Foreign Affairs Ministry described the negotiations of Saturday as having taken place in a “constructive atmosphere and based on mutual respect.” This highlights the gaping difference …

How Kyiv’s effort to lure Trump with rare earths backfired – POLITICO

How Kyiv’s effort to lure Trump with rare earths backfired – POLITICO

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Hiding underground The question lurking over the talks is how much mineral wealth Ukraine actually has. The country has about 5 percent of the world’s reserves of rare earths, according to the U.N. That includes lithium, beryllium, niobium, tantalum, titanium, nickel, cobalt, graphite and phosphate, elements crucial for the energy, tech and defense sectors, said Alla Vasylenko, senior researcher with the Institute of Geology Studies of the National Academy of Science of Ukraine.    “Most of them were discovered in the 1960s-1980s. Back then, researchers were not paying attention to issues that are currently very important: the intended purpose of the lands and the form of ownership, environmental, sanitary and other restrictions for mining, as well as public opinion,” Vasylenko said. “Yet the reserves were approved according to the Soviet system, which foreign investors do not understand. So, theoretically, we can claim that Ukraine has the biggest lithium reserves in Europe, but to understand their economic potential, we need to conduct additional studies of our deposits first.” And getting that wealth out of the ground …

Where will the money go?

Where will the money go?

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New army recruits of the Bundeswehr, Germany’s armed forces, during basic training on Nov. 29, 2022 near Prenzlau, Germany. Sean Gallup | Getty Images As Europe plans to pour billions of dollars into defense, many regional leaders are pushing for the money to be spent locally — but some market watchers say it’s inevitable that U.S. companies will benefit from the impending security splurge. Last week, a parliamentary vote for historic debt reform paved the path for a defense spending hike in Germany. Separately, the U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed to hike Britain’s national spend on defense, and the EU pledged to mobilize up to 800 billion ($867 billion) euros in a bid to “urgently” ramp up the bloc’s security spending. ‘Prioritise European companies,’ EU says Officials — and companies — have made it clear they want to keep the money inside European borders. An official update on the EU’s ReArm Europe strategy last week called on member states to “spend better, work together, and prioritise European companies.” New spending plans said most non-member …

The levies push limits of presidential authority

The levies push limits of presidential authority

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U.S. President Donald Trump reacts as he speaks with members of the media on the South Lawn before boarding Marine One at the White House, in Washington, D.C., U.S., Feb. 28, 2025.  Nathan Howard | Reuters U.S. importers and their customers are about to experience the full force of President Donald Trump’s unprecedented use of emergency economic powers. At midnight Tuesday, 25% tariffs on imports from America’s top two trading partners, Canada and Mexico, went into effect, as did an additional 10% tariff on Chinese imports. Tariffs on Canadian energy, at a rate of 10%, also began at midnight Tuesday. It’s difficult to overstate how far-reaching the impact of these tariffs will be, or how quickly they will be felt. U.S. trade with Mexico, Canada and China in 2024 accounted for around 40% of America’s total commerce in goods around the world. And unlike traditional trade policy, these tariffs are designed to deliver a financial sting right away, trade experts told CNBC. “From a technical standpoint, the imposition of the tariffs is basically a light …

Ukraine can be part of peace talks — but main players will be US and Russia – POLITICO

Ukraine can be part of peace talks — but main players will be US and Russia – POLITICO

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Later in the day, Trump declined to directly answer a reporter’s question about Ukraine’s role in the coming talks. “It’s an interesting question,” Trump replied, before suggesting that Ukraine chose to enter into a war with Russia after its invasion. “I think they have to make peace. That was not a good war to go into.” The Trump administration’s decision to downplay Ukraine’s role in negotiations with Russia — and to reopen communication channels with the Russian leader — rattled European leaders and prompted an outpouring of criticism for Trump’s methods.  “Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity are unconditional,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Wednesday night. “Our priority must now be strengthening Ukraine and providing robust security guarantees.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy put on a brave face after his conversation with Trump on Wednesday, saying the two leaders had a “meaningful conversation” about peace. But the Ukrainian leader was more forceful in his language on Thursday, saying he and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk had agreed on a call that “no negotiations with Putin …

Trump froze bribery law that hit Tesla suppliers

Trump froze bribery law that hit Tesla suppliers

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Elon Musk listens to U.S. President Donald Trump speak in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., Feb. 11, 2025.  Kevin Lamarque | Reuters The anti-bribery law whose enforcement President Donald Trump has suspended was previously used by the Department of Justice and financial regulators to win settlements totaling more than $1.5 billion from companies that are major suppliers for Tesla, the electric vehicle giant run by Trump’s ally Elon Musk. And Trump in his executive order Monday pausing the law, which bans bribery of foreign officials, says, “American national security depends in substantial part” on the U.S. and its companies “gaining strategic business advantages whether in critical minerals, deep-water ports, or other key infrastructure or assets.” Tesla and other electric vehicle companies rely on critical minerals, mostly sourced overseas, to make batteries. Critical minerals and deep-water ports were the only two specific advantages mentioned by name in the order, titled “Pausing Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Enforcement to Further American Economic and National Security.” CNBC has asked the White House, Tesla …

Watch Trump’s Gaza takeover remarks

Watch Trump’s Gaza takeover remarks

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President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a joint press conference at the White House Tuesday, as a fragile ceasefire in Gaza continued to hold. There, Trump shocked the world by announcing that he wants the United States to “take over” the Gaza Strip, and turn the destroyed Palestinian homeland into what he called “the Riviera of the Middle East.” But to do so, Trump said, would require that hundreds of thousands of Palestinian people, who have owned and inhabited the crowded seaside territory for generations, would have to leave. Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube.  Source link

Your guide to Trump’s Europe envoys – POLITICO

Your guide to Trump’s Europe envoys – POLITICO

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Diplomatic credentials? Optional. Deep pockets and loyalty to Trump? Essential. As Donald Trump rolls out his picks for U.S. ambassador posts in Europe — think fast-food executives, Broadway producers, billionaire donors and family insiders — one thing is clear: this isn’t traditional statecraft. Take Andrew Puzder, the former fast-food CEO and future U.S. ambassador to the EU (pending Senate confirmation). Like many of Trump’s nominees, he has no diplomatic experience but only strong political and business ties. Of course, Trump isn’t the first president to favor political appointees over career diplomats — Democrats do it too. But is this just business as usual, or does Trump’s selection signal a deeper shift in U.S. foreign policy? Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by Ivo Daalder, former U.S. ambassador to NATO; Suzanne Lynch, author of POLITICO’s Global Playbook; and POLITICO’s labor reporter based in Washington, D.C., Nick Niedzwiadek, to break it all down. Will economic interests take precedence over diplomacy? Will these new ambassadors help maintain transatlantic ties — or, as Daalder puts it, will they be forces …

Canada’s trade chief warns oil and gas exports could be in play

Canada’s trade chief warns oil and gas exports could be in play

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If President-elect Donald Trump follows through with his threat to impose tariffs on Canadian goods, Ottawa is prepared to retaliate with levies that could take aim at the energy sector, Canada’s minister of international trade, Mary Ng, said Thursday. “Everything is on the table,” Ng told global markets reporter Seema Mody on CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street.” This includes dollar-to-dollar retaliation. Canada’s trade chief also refused to rule out an export tax on Canadian oil and gas bound for the United States. “I don’t actually think Americans want us to not be selling electricity, oil and gas to America, because you know, I’m here in New York, the lights on Broadway, lots of it is Canadian electricity,” said Ng. “If you’re going to put tariffs on Canada, what it actually will do is make things more expensive for Americans,” she added. Trump has threatened a 25% blanket tariff on all Canadian exports when he takes office Monday. The threat is similar to one made towards Mexico, the three parties to the USMCA trade agreement. Trump …

Trump won’t rule out using U.S. military to control Panama Canal, Greenland

Trump won’t rule out using U.S. military to control Panama Canal, Greenland

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U.S. President-elect Donald Trump makes remarks at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. Jan. 7, 2025. Carlos Barria | Reuters President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday declined to rule out using the U.S. military to take control of the Panama Canal and Greenland, expanding on a spate of recent remarks he has made about acquiring more territory for the United States during his second term. “We need them for economic security,” Trump said of both the Central American trade route and the autonomous territory of Denmark, during a lengthy press conference at his Florida home, Mar-a-Lago. A reporter asked Trump if he could assure the public that he would not use military or economic coercion in pursuit of either land. “No, I can’t assure you of either of those two,” the president-elect replied. “The Panama Canal was built for our military. I’m not going to commit to that, no … It might be that you’ll have to do something,” he said. Trump also expressed concern and frustration about China’s activity in both the Panama Canal and Greenland, sending …