Diplomacy
Statecraft and back-channel dynamics — the State Department, Pentagon press desk, allied diplomatic posture, UN action, and the public statements that signal private decisions.
Trump to Press Zelenskyy at UN for Energy Ceasefire With Russia
President Trump is expected to push Ukrainian President Zelenskyy at the UN General Assembly to accept a mutual halt on energy infrastructure attacks, The Guardian reports.
Trump's Taiwan Retreat Tests His Chief China Hawk
A reported shift in Trump's Taiwan stance tests his administration's top China hawk as a new poll finds nearly half of Taiwanese doubt U.S. military backing.
North Korea's Missile Launches: A Signal Ahead of the Trump-Xi Summit?
Pyongyang fired ballistic missiles as President Trump prepares to meet Xi Jinping, raising questions about whether North Korea is angling for a spot on the summit agenda.
China Slams US Sanctions Law on Russia and Iran as 'Unilateral'
Beijing's Ministry of Commerce condemns Trump-signed legislation imposing tariffs on nations buying Russian oil, warning it reserves the right to take 'all necessary measures.'
Taiwan Minister Makes Rare Trip to China for APEC Amid Beijing Tensions
A Taiwan minister has traveled to mainland China for an APEC event, marking one of the rare cross-strait ministerial contacts amid sustained military and diplomatic tensions with Beijing.
Union Chairman Jailed in China Returns to Taiwan
A Taiwanese union official held in Chinese detention has returned home as Taipei conducts missile drills and Trump prepares to host a summit with Xi Jinping.
Trump Signs Dual Sanctions Law Targeting Russia and Iran
President Trump signed legislation expanding economic pressure on Moscow and extending restrictions on Tehran, tightening the financial grip on two key U.S. adversaries simultaneously.
Trump Signs Russia Sanctions Bill to Cut Moscow's Ukraine War Funds
Trump signed sweeping Russia sanctions legislation Thursday, granting the administration new tariff powers aimed at cutting off Moscow's Ukraine war funding.
Trump Envoy Frustrates Moscow and Kyiv in Fruitless Peace Talks
Washington's special envoy returned from the latest Russia-Ukraine mediation round having satisfied neither side, underlining how wide the gap between the two capitals remains.
Trump Courts Kim Jong Un, but May Need China to Restart Talks
The White House is renewing outreach to North Korea's Kim Jong Un, but analysts say Beijing's cooperation may be essential to any breakthrough, the New York Times reports.
Trump Administration Eyes Russia Business Deals Before War Ends
The New York Times reports the Trump administration is weighing business deals with Russia while the Ukraine war continues, raising questions about economic ties and negotiating leverage.
Russia Warns Trump Sanctions Would Derail Ukraine Peace Talks
Moscow says proposed US sanctions legislation targeting Russian oil exports, if signed by Trump, would make a negotiated end to the war harder to reach.
The September 24 Test: What China Can Deliver on Hormuz
Araghchi's Beijing trip and Wang Yi's Hormuz plea set up the central question of the Xi-Trump summit: whether China can convert its economic interest into real pressure on Tehran.
Iran Not Interested in Continuing Conflict, Araghchi Tells Beijing
Foreign Minister Araghchi told Wang Yi that Tehran seeks a diplomatic solution, while China urged both sides to return to the Islamabad ceasefire framework.
Araghchi Heads to Beijing to Shore Up Chinese Support Before Xi-Trump Summit
Iran's foreign minister meets Wang Yi in Beijing as China and the U.S. prepare for a Sept. 24 summit where secondary sanctions and an Iran ceasefire framework are expected to dominate.
Iran Sanctions Watchdog Faces Expiry as U.N. Council Remains Divided
The U.N. Panel of Experts monitoring Iran sanctions expires September 27, leaving a monitoring gap as the Security Council remains split over snapback legitimacy.
Araghchi Ties Hormuz to Expired Ceasefire as Oman Mediation Stalls
Iran's foreign minister says the Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until the U.S. honors a ceasefire deal both sides consider defunct, as Oman's mediation track collapses.
Kim Jong Un Vows to Deepen North Korea-Russia Cooperation
Kim Jong Un pledged to deepen strategic ties with Moscow in a direct message to Putin, reinforcing a wartime alignment built around Russia's campaign in Ukraine.
Kim Jong Un Pledges 'Invariable Support' for Russia in Letter to Putin
North Korea's Kim Jong Un sent a letter to Putin pledging unwavering backing and vowed to deepen bilateral cooperation, reinforcing Pyongyang's alignment with Moscow.
Zelenskyy Rejects Energy Ceasefire Until Russia Stops Attacking Ukraine
President Zelenskyy confirmed Ukraine will not halt strikes on Russian energy infrastructure until Moscow first stops targeting Ukrainian power grids and cities.
Trump Has Killed 'Strategic Ambiguity' Over Taiwan
President Trump's summit with Xi Jinping has effectively ended fifty years of deliberate U.S. policy ambiguity on Taiwan, leaving Taipei's defense future in serious doubt.
Beijing Rejects Anthropic CEO's Push to Curb China's AI Development
China pushes back against Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's call to curb its AI capabilities, as Germany warns that halting development is unworkable and urges US-China involvement.
China Grows Wary as Putin-Kim Alliance Deepens
Beijing is signaling discomfort with the Russia-North Korea military axis as Pyongyang conducts live-fire drills and fresh troop deployments to Ukraine loom.
Trump Tells Zelenskiy to Stop Striking Russian Diesel Infrastructure
President Trump called on Zelenskiy to halt Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian diesel, citing fuel shortages, as Russia hit near Poland's border and dueling airstrikes alarmed NATO allies.
Ukraine's Refusal to Cede Territory Stalls Russia Peace Deal, Trump Envoy Says
Trump's envoy says Ukraine's refusal to surrender occupied territory has blocked a settlement, as drone strikes and Russian attacks near the Polish border continue.
Modi and Xi Offer to Mediate Russia-Ukraine War, Kremlin Confirms
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and China's President Xi Jinping have both offered to help resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Kremlin confirmed Saturday.
China Expands Influence in Central Asia as Russia's Ukraine War Grinds On
Beijing is deepening economic and political ties across Central Asia as Moscow's military remains consumed by Ukraine, quietly reshaping Eurasia's strategic balance.
House to Vote on Russia Sanctions Bill Backed by Late Senator Graham
The U.S. House is set to vote on Russia sanctions legislation championed by the late Senator Graham as Moscow escalates strikes on Ukrainian targets and peace talks face mounting criticism.
Kim Jong Un Expands State-Sanctioned Fun While Shunning US Talks
North Korea's Kim Jong Un pushes state-run entertainment programs as analysts say Pyongyang sees little to gain from renewed nuclear negotiations with Washington.
Trump Says Putin Wants a Deal on Ukraine—Experts Urge Caution
President Trump claims Vladimir Putin is ready to negotiate a peace deal on Ukraine, but foreign policy analysts say battlefield evidence points in the opposite direction.