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WHAT ACTUALLY MATTERED THIS WEEK

China's Xi leaves Russia after giving Putin a major boost, but no public promise of weapons

Xi Jinping's Moscow visit this week was the most geopolitically significant (& deeply problematic) summit of the year.

The meeting came days after the International Criminal Court—recognized by 123 countries worldwide, though not by Russia, the US, or China—declared Vladimir Putin a war criminal...who should be arrested by any member state if he travels there. 

China is now Russia's most important and powerful friend on the international stage.

So remember, when China tries to play peacemaker in the Ukraine war —Xi Jinping is no honest broker.

Ugandan parliament passes bill to jail gay people

This week, Uganda became the first African country to outlaw mere identification as LGBTQ+ (and even implemented punishment of up to 10 years for "attempted homosexuality").

A horrible setback for human rights in the country.

French government survives no-confidence votes amid protests

After weeks of protests, Emmanuel Macron controversially used article 49.3 of the French constitution to bypass parliament and push through a deeply unpopular raise of the retirement age from 62 to 64.

As a result, his government was hit with two votes of no confidence, which he just narrowly survived.

Millions took to the streets this week in response, but the chances of Macron backing down now are slim to none. 

North Korea claims 800,000 join army in a single day to fight the US

"Voluntary" has a different meaning in North Korea.

TRUTHS, DAMNED TRUTHS, AND STATISTICS

Republicans and Democrats do a 180 on support for American engagement with the world:

-         FiveThirtyEight

 

THE GZERO WORLD WE’RE JUST LIVING IN

GRAPHIC TRUTH

YOUR GZERO WORLD

On the 20th anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq, US Senator Tammy Duckworth and NBC's Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel sit down with me on GZERO World to reflect on the legacy of a war that reshaped the Middle East and continues to reverberate around the world.

Senator Duckworth, a former helicopter pilot who lost both her legs in the Iraq War and now sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee. She emphasizes the importance of honoring the promises made to veterans and the impact it has on military readiness. "The cost of going to war isn't just the tanks, the guns, the helicopters, and the ammunition during the period of actual conflict," Duckworth says, "The cost of war goes on for many decades."

Engel shares his experience as a journalist in Iraq during the 2003 invasion, including the initial reception from the Iraqi people and the increasing hostility as the war dragged on. He notes that while the people are now “freer,” the country is not yet "fully functioning" or "embraced by the larger Middle East."

Today, as the war in Ukraine drags into its second year, both Duckworth and Engel share their perspectives on what lessons we can learn from Iraq and its aftermath to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.

For a longer, wider-ranging version of my interview with Duckworth and Engel check out the GZERO World podcast.

WORLD IN 60

Would a Trump indictment ruin his re-election efforts or reignite his base?

How does the ICC arrest warrant change things for Putin?

What new opportunities are there with South Korea-Japan rapprochement?

Find out in this week’s World in 60 Seconds!

DIG DEEPER: GZERO DAILY BY IAN BREMMER

Should the US Ban TikTok?

China already bans American social platforms under the guise of national security.

A US ban would be a fair and reciprocal response.

 Do you like what you’ve seen? Sign up for GZERO Daily by Ian Bremmer

 

BECAUSE THE INTERNET

Putin in Mariupol over the weekend:

WHAT TO READ THIS WEEK

Impromptu: Amplifying Our Humanity Through AI by Reid Hoffman 

Many writers (rightly) warn us of the risks from the surging development of artificial intelligence in many aspects of our lives. But Reid Hoffman’s new book “Impromptu” shows us how we can use AI to become smarter, wiser, more creative, and more prosperous. This is a crucial book for this moment in human history. 

 

DEEP THOUGHTS

“Do what you can, with what you've got, where you are. - Theodore Roosevelt

 

Thanks for reading! Please subscribe to GZERO Daily for coverage of global politics. And make sure to read my new book The Power of Crisis for a roadmap of this decade's great crises and how they might help us build a better world.

I am president of Eurasia Group and GZERO Media and foreign affairs columnist at TIME. I currently teach at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs and previously was a professor at New York University. You can follow me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.