Training on the parade
Ukraine, Russia, China, the UK, the US, Libya, Syria, and France.
The five things you need to know today:
UKRAINE. RUSSIA. Kyiv tests the Kremlin’s nerves ahead of its big bash.
CHINA. RUSSIA. Beijing holds Moscow over a barrel of oil equivalent.
BRITAIN. UNITED STATES. An early deal risks locking London into a bad trade.
LIBYA. UNITED STATES. Tripoli’s rival regimes say no to deportations.
SYRIA. FRANCE. Paris reestablishes a role in the Levant.
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UKRAINE. RUSSIA. Party crasher
Kyiv tests the Kremlin’s nerves ahead of its big bash.
Russia's three-day ceasefire began Thursday after attacks on Kyiv the night before. Ukraine did not say if it would reciprocate, with intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov advising those at Moscow's Victory Day parade to "bring ear plugs".
INTELLIGENCE. Moscow said it shot down 524 Ukrainian drones Wednesday, which either shows the strength or the weakness of its air defences. Kyiv is unlikely to attack the parade directly, but Putin has allegedly ordered a list of retaliatory targets for his hypersonic Oreshnik missile, just in case. Kyiv will also be sensitive to the opinions of the White House, which allegedly overruled the Pentagon to transfer new missile systems and F-16 sustainment funds.
FOR BUSINESS. If Kyiv struck Moscow during a gathering of world leaders (even if most are pariahs), it would show it no longer cared for Washington’s views. That may be the case – the central bank has said it’s pivoting to the euro from the dollar – but it would be a huge gamble. For now, it’s calling the ceasefire a ruse, and says Russia is still bombing Sumy, adjacent to Russia’s Kursk region, which Ukrainian troops have reportedly made another attempt at.
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CHINA. RUSSIA. Xi's the boss
Beijing holds Moscow over a barrel of oil equivalent.
Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow Wednesday. In a signed op-ed in Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Xi called on China and Russia to "firmly maintain the post-war international order." Xi has made similar comments to Europe. Ukraine slammed the visit.
INTELLIGENCE. Xi will judge that his show of support to Vladimir Putin won't irrevocably harm his attempts at entente