In a significant policy shift, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has declared that Ukraine’s aspirations to reclaim all Russian-occupied territories and to join NATO are unrealistic.

This announcement underscores a pragmatic approach, acknowledging the improbability of altering the current territorial status quo without prolonged conflict.

The U.S. is now emphasizing the importance of a negotiated settlement, suggesting that Ukraine should prepare for peace talks backed by international troops.

This move aligns with a broader strategy to prioritize U.S. national interests and to encourage European allies to assume greater responsibility for regional security.

Implications

• Shift in U.S. Foreign Policy: The U.S. is recalibrating its foreign policy to focus more on direct national interests, reducing its involvement in European security matters, and urging European nations to take the lead in supporting Ukraine.

• Encouragement of Negotiated Settlement: By deeming Ukraine’s territorial ambitions unrealistic, the U.S. is pushing for a negotiated settlement, potentially leading to a redefined security architecture in Eastern Europe.

Geopolitical Impact

Helps

• Russia: Benefits from international acknowledgment of its territorial gains and the shelving of Ukraine’s NATO ambitions, aligning with its strategic objectives.
• U.S. Strategic Interests: Allows the U.S. to reallocate resources to other priorities, such as countering China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region, while reducing entanglement in protracted European conflicts.

Hurts

• Ukraine: Facing pressure to concede territory and abandon NATO aspirations, which may be perceived as compromising its sovereignty and security.

The post U.S. Signals Shift: Ukraine Must Face Reality, NATO Membership Off the Table appeared first on Inside Geopolitics.

President Donald Trump has begun talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on ending the war in Ukraine. During a 90-minute phone call, the two agreed to meet in person. Trump also spoke separately with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that restoring Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is unrealistic and that NATO membership is not part of the proposed solution.

Geopolitical Implications:

Shift in U.S. Strategy: The U.S. is signaling a potential pivot away from an all-out push for Ukraine’s territorial integrity, instead prioritizing negotiations and stability.

European Security Realignment: If the U.S. reduces its involvement, European nations may be forced to take on a larger role in ensuring Ukraine’s security.

Geopolitical Impact:

Mixed: Russia, U.S., Ukraine

The post Trump, Putin agree to start Ukraine peace talks after 90-minute call appeared first on Inside Geopolitics.

Inside Geopolitics presents a timeline of armed conflict deaths (state and non-state) in Mexico between 2000 – 2019.

The project relies on the data from the Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP), adopting its definition of an organized violence event: “The incidence of the use of armed force by an organized actor against another organized actor, or against civilians, resulting in at least 1 direct death in either the best, low or high estimate categories at a specific location and for a specific temporal duration.”

Read more about the Uppsala Conflict Data Program here.

NOTE: Conflicts with fewer than 25 fatalities are not individually displayed in the video (those deaths, however, are still added to the total).
For the sake of accuracy and consistency, this video doesn’t feature homicide totals in Mexico. To read more about those numbers, click here.

The post ARMED CONFLICT IN MEXICO: ANIMATED TIMELINE (2000-2019) appeared first on Inside Geopolitics.

The post US should have ditched failed nuke treaty years ago appeared first on Inside Geopolitics.

READ MORE

The post Make no mistake: Russia’s ‘invincible’ nuke poses problems for the US appeared first on Inside Geopolitics.

This story was first published by the Washington Examiner.

President Trump’s hope for a geopolitical detente with Russia was perhaps the most intriguing foreign policy position of the new U.S. administration.

At a first glance, the Kremlin also seemed to embrace the possibility of standing alongside its North American partner as both nations prepared to intensify their anti-terrorism campaigns and broaden cooperation in the sphere of Middle-Eastern security.

Suppressing bilateral hostilities between the two Cold War rivals, however, proved much more difficult than many observers initially speculated. In 12 short months, the flurry of cordial compliments between Trump and Putin quickly deteriorated into relentless verbal artillery that was forcefully backed by acute geopolitical stratagems.

What happened to Trump’s vision of friendship with Russia and how could such an optimistic plan of rebuilding Russo-American diplomacy trigger the worst period of bilateral relations since the collapse of the Soviet Union?

READ MORE

The post Four reasons why Trump’s vision of comradery with Putin failed to materialize appeared first on Inside Geopolitics.

THE DETAILS

“We are confident that it the vicious spiral of confrontation and provocations must be stopped.”

“We spoke about the situation on the Korean Peninsula,” Lavrov said, as reported by the TASS News Agency. “Our position on this matter is unchanged. We are confident that it the vicious spiral of confrontation and provocations must be stopped.”

“We know that North Korea wants first of all to speak with the United States about its security guarantees. We are ready to support it. We are ready to help promote such talks,” he added.

Lavrov’s remarks were made shortly after a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson
On Thursday.

BEYOND THE HEADLINE

Russia has always positioned itself as a mediator in the Korean Peninsula, urging Washington and Pyongyang to avoid military provocation and pursue a diplomatic solution to the standoff.

Despite Russia’s neutral rhetoric, however, Russian president Vladimir Putin has supported the North Korean regime by offering increased economic assistance in response to the crippling U.S. sanctions.

Russia is also seeking to improve its energy trade in Asia, including a plan to construct a natural gas pipeline that could run through North Korea.

The post Russia ready to assist North Korea in dialogue with US appeared first on Inside Geopolitics.

Recognizing the strong role that Beijing plays in assisting Pyongyang, Washington has repeatedly invited China to restrain its aggressive ally in hopes of halting the rapid progression of its nuclear weapons program.

While the relationship between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his Chinese counterpart remains vital to the regime’s stability, Pyongyang also relies on a steady wave of political support from its powerful northern neighbor.

READ MORE AT THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The post What Russia really wants from North Korea appeared first on Inside Geopolitics.

THE DETAILS: The bill moved swiftly through the Russian legislature, passing the Russian State Duma on Nov. 15 and the Federation Council on Nov. 22, TASS reported on Saturday.

The law will subject foreign media outlets to the same restrictions and responsibilities as non-governmental organizations that have to register as foreign agents.

The Russian Embassy in the United States tweeted about the law on Saturday, directing the message at the U.S. departments of Justice and State.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signs into law bill on foreign agent media. The law labels media outlets as foreign agents if they receive funding from abroad
https://t.co/HAx7xpBLT4 @TheJusticeDept @StateDept pic.twitter.com/1945X9Lmqd

— Russia in USA (@RusEmbUSA) November 25, 2017

IN CONTEXT: The law comes as a response to the U.S. demand that a Russian-funded news outlet RT register as a foreign agent.

The Russian Embassy tweeted that the law “is a symmetrical response to US demand that Russian media outlets register as foreign agents.”

The post Putin signs bill requiring media outlets to register as foreign agents appeared first on Inside Geopolitics.