In the weekly overview of major international events, analyst Peter Zalmayev and journalist Vitaly Portnikov discuss Donald Trump's meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea. Trump rated the meeting with Xi 12 out of 10 and promised to lower tariffs on Chinese goods in exchange for action limiting fentanyl exports to the US. Portnikov believes this step highlights China's growing leverage: now Beijing can dictate terms to the US as both a seller and a buyer, especially regarding American soybean imports.
The Russia-Ukraine war was another focus. Trump declared a willingness for the US and China to cooperate on Ukraine, but there was no substantive detail about possible actions. Portnikov emphasized China’s interest in prolonging the conflict, supporting Russia just enough, but not to the point of total victory or defeat.
Taiwan’s security remains a key topic. While formally upholding the "One China" policy, the US offers no clear guarantees to defend Taiwan if China opts for military action. Experts see global uncertainty as to how the US might react to an escalation around the island.
The discussion also covered possible US nuclear weapons tests as a response to Russian actions, and shifting US rhetoric regarding its European military presence—namely, a reduction in Romania. This move has caused concern among both local governments and societies.
The program concluded with an analysis of European peace initiatives for the war in Ukraine. Portnikov noted that without genuine Russian participation, such plans have little chance of implementation.
