MenuThe U.S.-Russian confrontation is escalating. President Trump has threatened 100 percent secondary tariffs on countries buying Russian oil and other exports, promising to impose them within 50 days unless Russia and Ukraine reach a ceasefire. The Senate, led by Sens. Lindsay Graham (R-SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), is proposing a 500 percent tariff package targeting nations that purchase Russian
Category Archives: Geopolitics
The U.S.-EU Energy Deal: A Strategic Win For Europe?
This past Sunday, President Donald J. Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced preliminary terms of a trade deal between the U.S. and the EU from the Trump Turnberry golf resort in Scotland. A key component of the agreement is a pledge from the European Union to purchase $750 billion worth of energy
Leaders May Step Up Pressure On Russian Gas Sales To End Ukrainian War
Telling the BBC that he is “disappointed but not done with Vladimir Putin,” President Donald Trump has threatened 100% tariffs against Russia, including secondary tariffs against countries that help dodge sanctions on the Kremlin’s energy exports., The U.S. Senate is considering a bill to give the president the ability to impose additional “sledgehammer” measures with up
Time To Reinvent U.S. Critical Minerals Strategy
For the Trump administration, critical minerals are a global policy priority. President Donald J. Trump is trying to get China to relax bans on rare earth minerals desperately needed for American industries, including defense and tech. From Greenland to Ukraine, the U.S. is signaling interest and engagement, be it intent to acquire or a comprehensive energy and
Trump’s Tariff Pressure Can Stimulate U.S.–Asia Energy Cooperation
U.S. President Donald Trump’s Energy Dominance Council plans to host a liquified natural gas summit in Alaska on June 2, where it hopes to announce that Japan and South Korea have committed to the long-pursued Alaska LNG project to ease American gas shipments to Asia. Since his return to the Oval Office, Trump has positioned hydrocarbons as
Gloomy Days For Global Solar Power
The tariffs announced by the Trump Administration at the beginning of April have cast a shadow across international energy supply chains. The new policies were delayed for ninety days less than a week later, and the much-feared shortages and price hikes haven’t yet materialized. Nevertheless, the mood in the industry remains pessimistic. In May, the U.S.
Will Kazakhstan’s Uranium Fuel An AI Boom In Central Asia?
Governments are seeking to leverage AI investment to accelerate societal and economic development and bootstrap to the next level of economic development. While some observers express concerns that the growth of AI could widen the gap between the developed world and emerging markets, it also provides an opportunity for energy-rich developing countries to technologically leapfrog. Few
The Ukraine Mineral Deal Might Help The U.S. Break China’s Monopoly
The United States and Ukraine signed a long-awaited deal on April 30 to give the U.S. priority access to Ukrainian critical minerals and other natural resources. After months of acrimonious disputes and negotiations over a ceasefire/peace between Russia and Ukraine, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is now touting the agreement as a signal to Russia that “the
Why The EU And U.S. May Not Rescue Russia’s Energy Industry
President Donald J. Trump’s efforts to attain peace between Russia and Ukraine have already prompted questions about the future of Russian energy exports, the country’s main cash cow, and whether the door will open to joint projects between Russia and the E.U or the U.S. Whatever progress is made in any negotiations, will be difficult if
White House Cuts Red Tape For U.S. Critical Minerals
The Trump Administration used the Defense Production Act as the basis for an executive order issued March 20, 2025 to sharply increase U.S. critical minerals production. Government agencies were given their marching orders, including directives to: Screen applications for critical mineral mining and refining projects, looking for those that can be given immediate approval and