Macron for European strength; How Ukraine wins & longer-range missiles; US-China relations 'stable'; India's economic boom; Are you Up wing or Down wing?!
Reuters: French President Emmanuel Macron called for stronger, more integrated European defense as he outlined his vision for a more assertive European Union on the global stage.
Foreign Policy: Sweden Is Making the Most of NATO’s Waiting Room
WSJ: Finland Long Believed It Could Tame Russia. Now Moscow Is Enemy No. 1.
Amb. Kurt Volker: “We must no longer give Ukraine just enough to survive, but not enough to win. A Ukrainian victory is essential to reestablish peace in Europe, to deter Chinese aggression in Asia, and to reinforce Iranian worries about attacking Israel ever again.”
BBC: Ukraine has begun using longer-range ballistic missiles against Russia that were secretly provided by the US, American officials have confirmed.
Shashank Joshi: “Another Western official says Czech ammo supply doesn't kick in until July-Aug. Russian average daily casualties (KIA & wounded) were 983 in March and 823 in Apr as attacks slowed. They've been able to replace those. But no sign of a meaningful Russian reserve.”
John Nagl on WashPost story on Ukraine bill: “Terrific tic-tok on how American leaders of both parties, in the best tradition of Harry Truman and Ronald Reagan, came together to face down aggression and preserve American leadership and the international order. Kudos to Messrs. Biden, Schumer, McConnell, Jeffries, and especially Johnson, who understood that sometimes doing the right thing is worth the cost. The world will remember this work; our future is safer as a result of it.”
Ian Bremmer: The trend for US-China relations this year: “More engagement, more communications, but not more trust.”
The Economist: "India, the world’s fastest-growing big country, is expanding at an annual rate of 6-7%. New data show private-sector confidence at its highest since 2010. Already the fifth-largest economy, it may rank third by 2027, after America and China."
Greg Ip: Despite inflation, pandemic & political discord, America's share of world GDP is highest since 2006. Credit productivity, growth, innovation, but also huge, unending deficits. It's pushing up $, interest rates, threatening capital flight from EMs and protectionism vs China.
James Pethokoukis: Are you “Up Wing” or “Down Wing?