Welcome again to World Temporary, the place we’re trying on the presidents of the United States and Colombia assembly in Washington, Russia resuming its assault on Ukraine’s vitality infrastructure, and a crackdown on social media platforms in Europe.
White Home Showdown
In a check of competing ideologies, U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Colombian President Gustavo Petro on the White Home on Tuesday. Tensions have been excessive forward of the closed-door assembly—already a rarity in Trump’s TV presidency—as specialists questioned whether or not the 2 leaders would be capable of stabilize their unstable relationship or revert again to months of diplomatic preventing and schoolyard insults.
Welcome again to World Temporary, the place we’re trying on the presidents of the United States and Colombia assembly in Washington, Russia resuming its assault on Ukraine’s vitality infrastructure, and a crackdown on social media platforms in Europe.
White Home Showdown
In a check of competing ideologies, U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Colombian President Gustavo Petro on the White Home on Tuesday. Tensions have been excessive forward of the closed-door assembly—already a rarity in Trump’s TV presidency—as specialists questioned whether or not the 2 leaders would be capable of stabilize their unstable relationship or revert again to months of diplomatic preventing and schoolyard insults.
Little data has emerged from the summit, with Petro anticipated to make a public announcement at 4 p.m. native time and Trump surprisingly silent on Reality Social.
In keeping with one Colombian advisor, although, Petro was cautioned to keep away from subjects that would result in a diplomatic blowup, just like the one which occurred between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky within the Oval Workplace final yr. As an alternative, Colombian officers reportedly deliberate to make use of Tuesday’s assembly to ship a detailed presentation on their anti-drug achievements, together with cocaine seizures, in a bid to appease the White Home; Colombia is the world’s high producer of coca, the principle ingredient in cocaine.
Petro is a leftist former guerrilla and a frequent, vocal critic of the Trump administration, particularly Trump’s efforts to determine U.S. dominance in Latin America. The Colombian chief has stated that the lethal U.S. strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats within the area quantity to battle crimes, described final month’s U.S. army operation to seize Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro as “kidnapping,” and referred to as the actions of U.S. immigration authorities “fascist.”
Trump, for his half, has not taken Petro’s criticism mendacity down. Only one week into the U.S. president’s second time period, Trump threatened to impose a journey ban and sweeping tariffs on Bogotá after Petro refused to permit U.S. army planes carrying Colombian deportees to land within the nation. In September, the U.S. State Division revoked Petro’s visa following a speech he made at a pro-Palestine rally in New York, throughout which he publicly urged U.S. troopers to defy Trump’s orders. One month later, Trump introduced that he would slash all U.S. assist to Colombia and impose tariffs on the nation, calling Petro an “unlawful drug chief” and a “lunatic.” And the U.S. Treasury Division sanctioned Petro and several other of his supporters for his or her alleged involvement in illicit drug manufacturing and proliferation.
Rising hostility appeared to return to a head in December, when Trump warned Petro that “he higher smart up, or he’ll be subsequent,” showing to allude to U.S. actions in opposition to Maduro. However only a few days later, a personal cellphone name between the 2 leaders appeared to calm issues down considerably, with Trump later telling reporters that “someway, after the Venezuelan raid, [Petro] grew to become very good.”
It’s unclear simply how “good” Petro was throughout Tuesday’s assembly, however preliminary statements seem optimistic. Petro posted a photograph of himself and Trump on X on Tuesday alongside a be aware signed by Trump that claims, “Gustavo—an excellent honor. I really like Colombia.”
As we speak’s Most Learn
What We’re Following
Weaponizing winter. Russia resumed its brutal winter assault on Ukraine’s vitality grid with drone and missile strikes on Tuesday, hitting energy vegetation in a number of areas. Tuesday’s strikes got here after Trump stated that he had persuaded Russian President Vladimir Putin to decide to a weeklong halt in assaults on Kyiv and different cities as Ukraine confronted “extraordinary chilly.” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated final Friday that the non permanent vitality cease-fire would solely final till Sunday, however Trump lately recommended that the halt in assaults was ongoing.
The Tuesday strikes, which knocked the facility out in elements of Kyiv and different Ukrainian cities, additionally come a day earlier than peace talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the US are set to happen in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates. Zelensky stated the assault was an indication that Moscow will not be taking diplomacy critically, excoriating Russia for hitting Ukraine throughout its “coldest days.”
Russia has focused Ukraine’s civilian vitality infrastructure all through their practically four-year battle, nevertheless it has ramped up such assaults and been significantly ruthless this winter—leaving tens of millions of Ukrainians with out energy and warmth within the face of plunging temperatures as a part of a method to extend struggling and break the nation’s spirit.
The continued Russian aggression in Ukraine is indicative of the uphill battle that Washington faces because it continues to push for a peace deal between the 2 nations, with basic disagreements over safety ensures for Kyiv and the destiny of the Donbas among the many largest obstacles to beat.—John Haltiwanger
Europe cracks down. Main European states are persevering with to push again on U.S. social media platforms accused of not doing sufficient to fight the unfold of objectionable and unlawful materials on their techniques. On Tuesday, French authorities with Paris’s cybercrime unit on searched the places of work of X as a part of an preliminary investigation into alleged complicity by the social media platform within the possession and dissemination of sexually specific pictures of minors and different pornographic pictures produced utilizing synthetic intelligence. X has additionally been accused by French prosecutors of fraudulent use of a knowledge system and denial of crimes in opposition to humanity.
Elon Musk, who owns X, has been ordered to undergo questioning. The platform has denied the accusations.
In the meantime, Spain grew to become the newest in a rising listing of nations to suggest or outright ban the usage of social media platforms by minors. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez stated on Tuesday that the federal government was transferring towards banning anybody underneath the age of 16 from having social media accounts and can be cooperating with 5 different European nations that he referred to as the “coalition of the digitally keen” to implement laws throughout borders. Though he didn’t title the opposite nations, France and the UK are among the many European states which are additionally growing age-based social media guidelines.—Rachel Oswald
Beijing’s affect on Latin America. Chinese language President Xi Jinping signed a number of cooperation agreements on Tuesday with Uruguayan President Yamandú Orsi centered on commerce, infrastructure, and know-how investments, amongst others areas. Xi touted the offers as essential to “advance an equal and orderly multipolar world and an inclusive, universally helpful financial globalization.”
Xi’s feedback, and the bolstering of bilateral ties, come regardless of stress from the US to maintain Chinese language affect out of Latin America. “[W]hat Washington desires from nations within the area is to stamp out migration, curb the drug commerce, and fend off China,” Eduardo Porter writes in International Coverage. “However Trump’s ask might be a really onerous promote in nations additional south, which have been constructing shut financial relations with China for the previous three a long time.”
Orsi has tried to stroll a nice line between the 2 international superpowers. Orsi rejected the U.S. army intervention in Venezuela instantly following the U.S. seize of Maduro, however he later referred to as it “excellent news, insofar because the authoritarian regime ceases to exist and democracy emerges.” Orsi is the first Latin American chief to go to China since Maduro’s ouster, and his 150-person delegation alerts that Montevideo stays devoted to fostering favorable commerce relations with Beijing, no matter what Washington desires.
Odds and Ends
Making certain a return journey to Rome simply obtained a bit costlier. Legend has it that when you throw a coin into town’s iconic Trevi Fountain, then you will see your self again within the Italian capital. However starting on Monday, Italy is requiring all vacationers who wish to accomplish that to pay a further 2 euros ($2.35) for entry. The payment is aimed toward limiting overtourism within the metropolis and elevating cash for preservation efforts, and it follows the same 5-euro (practically $6) expense for non-Rome residents to go to some museums.
