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Opinion: The future of the China-US-Russia triangle after Pelosi's visit to Taiwan

Opinion: The future of the China-US-Russia triangle after Pelosi's visit to Taiwan

Since February 24, 2022, the international community's focus was concentrated entirely on the war in Ukraine and the growing Russia – West confrontation. It seemed that nothing could change the situation until the end of hostilities in Ukraine. However, on August 2 and 3, almost everyone’s attention shifted from Ukraine to Taiwan. As the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, stated her intention to visit Taiwan, up to half a million people were watching the trajectory of her plane on air flight tracking sites. The negative reaction of China, including the warning of President Xi during his conversation with President Biden that those who played with fire would be perished by it, created hype around this visit. Many were discussing the possibility of Chinese military jets closing the airspace over Taiwan and preventing Pelosi’s plane from landing in Taiwan, while some enthusiasts were even contemplating the possibility of a US-China direct military clash. As Pelosi landed in Taiwan and met with the Taiwanese President, the global social media was full of amateur assessments about the strategic victory of the US and the confirmation of the US global hegemony. However, as the dust settles down, and information noise and manipulation eventually decreases, a more serious assessment is needed to understand the real consequences of this visit.
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The 3+3 Initiative in Retrospect: A Framework Out of Step with Current Realities

The 3+3 Initiative in Retrospect: A Framework Out of Step with Current Realities

On September 8, 2025, during his address at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed the potential revival of the “3+3” format in the South Caucasus while commenting on Russia’s relations with regional countries. He noted that the initiative was initially proposed by Turkey and Azerbaijan and highlighted that it is also supported by Iran, signaling broader regional backing. Lavrov further referenced the trilateral agreement between Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia on restoring transport links and welcomed the ongoing process of normalization between Armenia and Turkey.
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Denmark to invest in long-range weapons for first time citing Russia threat

Denmark to invest in long-range weapons for first time citing Russia threat

Denmark said on Wednesday that it would for the first time acquire "long-range precision weapons", citing the need to deter Russia, as Moscow's ambassador to Copenhagen called the move "pure madness". Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told a press conference that the move was "a paradigm shift in Danish defence policy". "For the first time, Denmark is to build up military capacity in the form of long-range precision weapons," she told reporters.Frederiksen added that Russia would constitute a threat to Denmark and Europe "for years to come" and a decision was made to create a "credible deterrence".
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Donald Trump meets Keir Starmer on final day of state visit to UK

Donald Trump meets Keir Starmer on final day of state visit to UK

US President Donald Trump is meeting UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday 18 September, the final day of the U.S. leader’s state visit to the UK with tech investment, steel tariffs and potentially tricky topics on the agenda. The President and first lady Melania Trump were feted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Wednesday at Windsor Castle with significant pageantry including gold-trimmed carriages, scarlet-clad soldiers, artillery salutes and a glittering banquet in a grand ceremonial hall. 
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Symbolism Meets Realpolitik in Armenia-Türkiye Normalization Efforts

Symbolism Meets Realpolitik in Armenia-Türkiye Normalization Efforts

The prospect of peace in the South Caucasus may finally be within reach. Following the high-profile meeting between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at the White House as facilitated by U.S. President Donald Trump on 8 August, hopes are rising that Yerevan and Baku could soon sign a long-anticipated peace treaty. That breakthrough has already been welcomed internationally, sparking renewed movement on the Armenia–Türkiye track as well. Opening the Armenian-Türkiye border has long been a policy objective for successive governments in Yerevan.
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Libya government reaches preliminary accord with powerful armed group

Libya government reaches preliminary accord with powerful armed group

Libya’s UN-recognized government based in Tripoli has reached a preliminary accord with a powerful armed group to end months of tensions that have flared into occasional violence, a government adviser and local media said on Saturday 13 September. Negotiations between the government and the Radaa Force were facilitated by Turkiye, according to the same sources quoted by Arab News. Ziyad Deghem, an adviser to the head of the Presidential Council transitional body, said the details of the accord “will be announced to the public at a later date.” Libyan broadcaster Al-Ahrar on Saturday posted on X a video that it said showed defense ministry forces entering an airport controlled by Radaa.
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Gaza Burning: Israel expands military operation and warns residents to leave

Gaza Burning: Israel expands military operation and warns residents to leave

The Israeli military began a ground offensive targeting Gaza city on Tuesday 16 September slowly squeezing in on the Palestinian territory’s largest city that has seen block after block already destroyed in the Israel-Hamas war. Residents still in the city were warned they must leave and head south. The push marks yet another escalation in a conflict that has roiled the Middle East as any potential ceasefire feels even further out of reach despite months of diplomacy. While the military wouldn’t offer a timeline for the offensive, Israeli media outlets suggested it could take months. Earlier in the day, according to Associated Press, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared that “Gaza is burning” while independent experts commissioned by the United Nations’ Human Rights Council announced that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, joining a rising international chorus of such accusations.
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Ethiopian dam upsets Egypt, whilst China plays a difficult game

Ethiopian dam upsets Egypt, whilst China plays a difficult game

Ethiopia last week opened its mega dam on the River Nile, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). The launch has sparked a tense diplomatic battle between Ethiopia and Egypt, with Cairo denouncing it as “an unlawful unilateral act” and protesting to the United Nations Security Council. During an inauguration ceremony on Tuesday (9 September) Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed described the US$5 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam as a “symbol of Ethiopian unity and national achievement". Several regional leaders, including Kenyan President William Ruto and Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, attended the event. Egypt, whose life has historically centred around the River Nile, believes the dam will threaten its water supply and cause shortages. Following the inauguration, Cairo warned that it reserved the right to take all measures provided for under international law and the UN Charter to “defend the existential interests of its people”. Sudan, has also raised concerns about dam safety and the risk of uncoordinated water releases.