Issue #22 - Mr. Putin Goes to North Korea, Netanyahu’s Hubris Will Be His Undoing, & Fahrenheit 911
June 21, 2024
This week, the Russia-North Korea deal may actually be good news for Ukraine if Western Allies step up, Netanyahu weighs a war with Hezbollah, a move that will likely be his undoing, and over 550 deaths in Mecca from heat-related causes is a wakeup call for us all.
As well, a roundup of some of the interesting, uplifting, and good news from the week.
Mr. Putin Goes to North Korea
SLIVERS OF HOPE
Western powers may regain incentive to end the war in Ukraine to prevent further developing ties between Russia and North Korea.
This could mean new ceasefire and peace negotiations.
There could also be renewed efforts to expediate Ukraine’s admission into the European Union and NATO.
Biden, in particular, does not want to be dragged into a war with Russia so close to the election.
The U.S.’s wavering support for Ukraine may change as they work to avoid the strengthening of this allegiance.
CATALYST
It is never a good thing when two rogue states join forces.
However, while this visit to North Korea by Putin is concerning, it is really just a formalization of a relationship that has already existed. What raises alarm is the details of the deal, not the deal itself.
With this new formalization between Russia and North Korea, Western powers are likely to hear increased calls to deal with the war in Ukraine, not only from Ukrainians but also South Koreans.
But this may just be the kick in the pants Western powers need to finally commit to ending the war in Ukraine.
So far, the Western powers have been supplying Ukraine with arms to fight their war, but have offered little else in support since the initial invasion in February 2022. Namely, not admitting them to the European Union or NATO. The West has been all too eager to pass the buck of dealing with Putin and Russia to Ukraine.
And Ukraine wants to win their territory and safety back, understandably. But this win at all costs attitude (bolstered by Western powers) sets the stage for such alliance as is being seen now between Russia and North Korea. There has been little in the way of peace negotiations, ceasefire agreements, or any other diplomatic solution. So, the war grinds on.
However, if the war ends, Putin will no longer need the additional arms from North Korea, and may even be disincentivized to uphold his end of the bargain, which includes helping to bolster North Korea’s nuclear program.
There has to be a renewed push for a ceasefire and an end of the war in Ukraine as that is what is driving this new formalized allegiance between Russia and North Korea. That’s the only thing that will stop these two in their tracks.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Catalyst News to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.