MenuLast week saw a landmark summit of the BRICS group of nations, a nine-country economic bloc led by Moscow and Beijing, which drew representatives from 36 countries, including 22 heads of state. Held from Oct. 22 to Oct. 24 in the Russian city of Kazan, the event focused largely on “de-dollarization”—the idea of phasing out
Category Archives: Geopolitics
China Bets On Leadership In The Green Tech Frontier
At the 2024 BRICS summit, China claimed that its advances in Green Tech serve as a “valuable reference” for the bloc and the globe. While Beijing talks a good game about its investments in renewables as an engine of domestic and global economic growth, the realities of China’s sluggish economy suggest otherwise. Earlier this month, China
The Summit Of The Future’s Vision: Will It Help The Energy-Poor Now?
Following the latest United Nations General Assembly, the UN Summit of the Future adopted the “Pact for the Future,” a document filled with ambitious pledges to tackle climate change, peace and security, and global inequalities. Secretary General of the UN Guterres proclaimed the pact a “’once in a generation’ opportunity to renew multilateral cooperation”. The
Iran Threatens To Hold Global Energy Hostage
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Moscow’s support of Iran’s aggression against Israel at a meeting with the Islamic Republic’s President Masoud Pezeshkian on October 11th in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. Russia is boosting Iran’s military-industrial complex by purchasing thousands of ballistic missiles and “suicide” drones for its war in Ukraine. Putin’s statement comes after Iran launched some
A Year After October 7, Iran is Still the Problem
I arrived in Israel with plans to spend the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, with my daughter and son-in-law. Instead, we spent two nights in a bomb shelter. The first missile salvo was launched by Hezbollah from Lebanon. Then came nearly 200 ballistic missiles launched by Iran and aimed at Israel’s major cities and towns. On Monday,
Energy Revenue Fuels A War-Time Moscow Boom
Hundreds of billions of dollars flowing into Russia from oil and gas sales are fueling Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine, and more. Unbeknownst to some diplomats and other decision-makers, energy export revenues drive the massive geo-economic polarization between East and West, as petro and gas dollars pour into the Russian tech sector. Russia’s capital—and especially
America’s Self-Inflicted Wound In Central Asia
In Central Asia, everyone appears to be moving to secure riches and interests. Japan has just conducted an investment summit with the Central Asian states to develop economic opportunities, China’s Xi is expanding business ties, the EU is inaugurating a new strategic summit, and Vladimir Putin will be visiting in November. The world understands Central
Trump And Harris Duel Over Energy
Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump met for the first time on the debate stage on September 10, 2024, in Philadelphia. Though light on specific policies and plans, the event presented stark contrasts in their approaches to energy, climate, and geopolitics. Among the many topics discussed, both candidates used the occasion to
In a Dangerous World, NATO Must Restore Deterrence
In a time when the United States and the Western allies appear weak on the international scene, restoring deterrence needs to be Job One as the NATO 75th anniversary summit begins today in Washington, D.C. In the recent presidential debate, more energy went into bickering over who deserves to be president, and even their golf scores, than about what
The Cost Of America’s Global Leadership
It has been over six months since the Houthis, a Yemen-based Iranian-backed militia, began attempting to hold the world’s economy hostage by attacking civilian shipping in the Red Sea, a vital trade corridor between Europe and Asia. It was quickly recognized that the Houthis had to be stopped. The West responded with “Operation Prosperity Guardian,”