WORLD THIS WEEK

Contributed by the National Institute for Advanced Studies, Bengaluru

Compiled by Joeana Cera Matthews, Keerthana Nambiar, Dhanushaa P, Dincy Adlakha and Jeshil Samuel, Sukanya Bali and Avishka Ashok

The US and Russia: The Geneva Summit of Biden and Putin, and an integrated bilateral Strategic Stability Dialogue

What happened?

On 16 June, Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin met in Geneva, Switzerland. In the post-summit press conference, Putin said: "The meeting was actually very efficient. It was aimed at achieving results and one of them was pushing back the frontiers of trust." Biden's remarks followed. He said: "The bottom line is I told President Putin that we need to have some basic rules of the road that we can all abide by."

On the same day, the US-Russia Presidential Joint Statement on Strategic Stability was issued. It said: "The recent extension of the New START Treaty exemplifies our commitment to nuclear arms control. Today, we reaffirm the principle that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought." It also said: "Consistent with these goals, the United States and Russia will embark together on an integrated bilateral Strategic Stability Dialogue in the near future that will be deliberate and robust. Through this Dialogue, we seek to lay the groundwork for future arms control and risk reduction measures."

What does it mean?

For Biden, Russia is a distraction that needs to be addressed, but China is a larger challenge. He is forging an alliance against China, a trend seen throughout his European trip. Biden's emphasis on stable relations provides a renewed opportunity for US- Russia bilateralism.

Second, Biden's statement – 'proof of the pudding is in the eating' implies that it would take months before considering the summit a success. The ambassadors' return is a welcome outcome and will help further negotiations on the table.

NATO Summit: New chapter in the trans- Atlantic partnership, with a focus on China, climate change and cyber

What happened?

On 14 June, the 31st formal meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was held in Brussels, Belgium. The summit indicates the opening of a new chapter in trans- Atlantic relations. NATO issued a communique that highlights the aggressive actions by Russia which constitute a 'threat' and the growing challenges by China. The other agendas in focus were climate change, cybersecurity, and the importance of partnership with the European Union.

What does it mean?

NATO recognizes a need to deter the aggression, disruption, and influence from Russia and China. The alliance is more engaged in growing and preserving stability in the neighbouring European region in which countries are threatened by poor governance, cybersecurity, ethnic and religious conflict, competition for scarce resources, climate change, and various other disruptive factors. The fallout may threaten Western political and economic stability.

G7 Summit: Biden brings the US back to Europe

What happened?

On 13 June, during his visit to Europe to take part in the G7 and NATO summits, the US President declared, "America is back at the table."

On 16 June, in Geneva, Biden remarked: "They're glad America is back, and they acted that way. And then, when we went to NATO, I think it was the same thing. We had really good meetings there and a real response, as well as the EU. I didn't get one single person — not one of the world leaders said to us anything other than thanking me for arranging a meeting with Putin. And I thought, quite frankly, I was in a much better position to represent the West, after the previous three meetings with Putin, that — knowing that the rest of the West was behind us."

What does it mean?

Through the G7 and NATO summits, Biden has built a consensus of the West on Russia and China. With Russia, his meeting with Putin should be seen as a breakthrough to prevent the downward spiralling of the US-Russia bilateral relations. While Biden's Europe tour has consolidated the trans-Atlantic partnership, it has also addressed the recent negativity in the bilateral relations with Russia.

China: Beijing’s stern response to G7 and NATO summits

What happened?

On 15 June, in a statement on the NATO summit, a spokesperson from the Chinese Mission to the EU said: "By claiming that China presents so called "systemic challenges", NATO is slandering China's peaceful development and misjudging the international situation and its own role. It represents a continuation of the Cold War mentality and bloc politics." The statement also read: "China urges NATO to view China's development in a rational manner, stop hyping up in any form the so-called "China threat", and stop taking China's legitimate interests and rights as an excuse to manipulate bloc politics, create confrontation and fuel geopolitical cooperation".

On 14 June, a spokesperson from the Chinese embassy in the UK responded to the G7 summit by saying: "This wanton smearing of China and blatant interference in its internal affairs flagrantly violates the basic norms of international relations and further exposes the ulterior motive of a handful of countries, including the United States. We are gravely concerned and firmly opposed to this." The spokesperson continued: "We urge the United States and other G7 members to respect facts, see the actual situation in perspective, stop slandering China, cease interfering in our internal affairs, stop infringing upon our interests and do more to promote international cooperation instead of creating confrontation and friction."

What does it mean?

First, although China does not pose a direct military threat to the NATO signatories, it has remained a major military force in East Asia. Hence, it becomes difficult to position the alliance against China. However, now that China is extensively discussed in NATO, it will have to reassess its own military standing in the western hemisphere.

Second, China has greatly invested in European countries, and G7 does not possess enough resources to replace Chinese investments. Therefore, any country has to be careful of the long-term implications of terming China as a "threat".

Iran: A predetermined election results in Ebrahim Raisi becoming the new President

What happened?

On 16 June, three Presidential candidates decided to withdraw their participation from the elections. Mohsen Mehralizadeh, one of the three candidates, was, unfortunately, the only reformist candidate in the race.

On 18 June, Iran conducted its 13th Presidential elections with an all-time low voter turnout of 48.8 per cent. The election results were announced on 19 June, with ultraconservative cleric Ebrahim Raisi winning the polls with a landslide victory as expected.

What does it mean?

The electoral processes in Iran would have to change. The Guardian Council, which is not elected by the people, has the power to choose or reject candidates without giving any reason. This unfair screening would reduce the standards and legitimacy of upcoming elections if continued. The Iranian public has already started boycotting regional elections in a quest for a more democratic selection process for future Presidential and Parliamentary candidates.

ALSO IN NEWS

Australia: Signs a new free trade deal with Britain

On 14 June, the UK and Australia announced a free trade agreement in a meeting in Downing Street. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "Today marks a new dawn in the UK's relationship with Australia, underpinned by our shared history and common values." The deal is the first bilateral trade accord signed by Britain since leaving the EU. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said: "This is the most comprehensive and ambitious agreement that Australia has concluded." He also added: "Overall, this is going to be a great win for Australian agriculture."

India: Defense Minister calls for freedom of navigation in the South China Sea

On 16 June, India's Defense Minister at the eighth Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defense Ministers' Plus Meeting said: "India calls for a free, open and inclusive order in the Indo-Pacific, based upon respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations, peaceful resolution of disputes through dialogue and adherence to international rules and laws." He also urged for the outcomes of the negotiations for the code of conduct in the South China Sea, to be in line with international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

On 15 June, Defense Ministers from ASEAN called for an early conclusion of the code of conduct for the South China Sea. According to the maritime code of conduct, the Ministers emphasized "the need to maintain and promote an environment conducive to the early conclusion of an effective and substantive COC in accordance with international law." Recently, the tension in the south China sea has intensified with the rise in presence of China.

Israel: First ceasefire violation in Gaza Strip

On 16 June, an Israeli aircraft engaged in a series of airstrikes targeted at facilities used by Hamas's militants in the Gaza Strip. The airstrikes marked the first violation of the ceasefire signed between Israel and Hamas in May. On 15 June, hundreds of Israelis held public marches while chanting "Death to Arabs" in East Jerusalem. The march was viewed as potentially inciting another round of violence. The Palestinians responded to the protests by releasing incendiary balloons causing fires in Southern Israeli farmlands.

About the authors

Joeana Cera Matthews, Keerthana Nambiar, Dhanushaa P and Dincy Adlakha are research interns with the School of Conflict and Security Studies at the National Institute of Advanced Studies. Jeshil J Samuel is a Masters Student at Christ University and is part of the Peace Course at NIAS. Sukanya Bali and Avishka Ashok are Research Associates at NIAS.

The report has been modified by India News due to space considerations.