Pony up
The US, Ukraine, Russia, Romania, Poland, Portugal, and Argentina.
The five things you need to know today:
UNITED STATES. As trade talks get testy, Trump threatens unilateralism.
UKRAINE. RUSSIA. Putin keeps everyone talking as his assault continues.
ROMANIA. POLAND. More defeats for MAGA’s European friends.
PORTUGAL. A late-stage renewables debate sees another minority government.
ARGENTINA. Milei’s party scores a symbolic win ahead of October’s midterms.
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UNITED STATES. Going postal
As trade talks get testy, Trump threatens unilateralism.
Tariffs will be reimposed at their 2 April rate if partners don't negotiate in "good faith", Scott Bessent said Sunday. Tariffs would be advised by post because officials did not have time to meet with "150 countries", Donald Trump said Friday.
INTELLIGENCE. As a means of encouraging quick deals, which arguably only the UK and China have achieved, the White House has threatened a return to unilateralism. This is not just a slap to third-country negotiators, who have been waiting in Washington while the USTR's limited staff haggle in Geneva, but to US importers hoping for a reprieve. Trump panned Walmart Saturday for not "eating" the tariffs after the retailer said Thursday it may need to hike prices.
FOR BUSINESS. Washington has a priority list of around 18 countries for bilateral negotiations, though at one point, Trump said it was 90. Depending on their behaviour, countries have moved up or down the queue. This includes the EU (last week called "nastier than China", though this weekend in talks with JD Vance), Japan (which has also sought clarity on its proposed takeover of US Steel) and India (under indirect criticism for planned investments from Apple).
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UKRAINE. RUSSIA. Droning on
Putin keeps everyone talking as his assault continues.
Donald Trump said he would speak to Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky Monday after talks on Friday failed to secure a truce. Russia conducted its biggest drone attack of the war Sunday. Kyiv said Moscow planned an ICBM launch.
INTELLIGENCE. Marco Rubio said Sunday he wanted to know if Moscow was "tapping us along". He already knows