In Geopolitics Today: Tuesday, February 21st
War in Ukraine Dominates Talks at the Munich Security Conference, Turkey's Leadership in International Humanitarian Aid, and other stories.
War in Ukraine Dominates Talks at the Munich Security Conference
The 2023 Munich Security Conference was dominated by discussions about the conflict in Ukraine. Vice President Kamala Harris accused Russia of crimes against humanity and pledged America’s support for the Ukrainian government.
The prime ministers of the UK and France pledged military support for Ukraine. The conference was marked by NATO discussions about industrial production and munitions stocks, and how best to support the Ukrainian military. The Conference also saw China announce an initiative to end the war, with the country expected to present a document outlining its position soon. The Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva advocated for the creation of a “Peace Club” of states, including India and Turkey, to seek an early end to the war.
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Russia Withdraws from New START Treaty
Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that Russia was suspending its participation in the New START treaty, the last remaining nuclear arms control pact with the United States.
Putin accused the US and its NATO allies of openly declaring the goal of Russia’s defeat in Ukraine and said that Russia should stand ready to resume nuclear weapons tests if the US does so, ending a global ban on nuclear weapons tests in place since Cold War times. The New START treaty, signed in 2010 by the US and Russia, limits each country to no more than 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 700 deployed missiles and bombers.
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Turkey's Leadership in International Humanitarian Aid
Turkey's role as a global leader in humanitarian aid has been reflected in the international response to the devastating earthquakes that have rocked the country and neighbouring Syria since February 6.
Turkey’s reputation as a global leader in humanitarian aid has been part of a swift and deliberate strategy, which has been defined by an emphasis on bilateral humanitarian intervention as opposed to funding multilateral organisations. From 2005 to 2019, Turkey’s official emergency and humanitarian aid increased from $178m annually to $7.5bn. In 2021, Turkey was in the top spot in terms of the proportion of its gross national income allocated to international aid, at 0.86%. Despite Turkey’s overall humanitarian aid decreasing in 2022, the country is still ranked second only to the United States in international humanitarian funding.
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Philippines and the US in Talks for Joint Patrols in the South China Sea
The Philippines and the United States may soon conduct joint coast guard patrols, including in disputed areas of the South China Sea, according to a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson.
Talks about the possibility of a joint patrol with the U.S. Coast Guard have been ongoing, and the U.S. Department of Defense said earlier this month that the two sides had agreed to restart joint maritime patrols in the South China Sea. President Rodrigo Duterte suspended joint patrols and maritime exercises in contested areas of the South China Sea in 2016 but since the election of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as president last July, Manila's stance towards China's assertive actions in the South China Sea has stiffened
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The Illusion of a Liberal World Order
The concept of a “liberal world order” has become popular in Western policymaking, emphasizing a rules-based international system, institutionalized governance, economic globalization, and the expansion of liberal democracy. This vision has its roots in Whig historiography and Wilsonian idealism, which hold that progress and justice are inevitable.
Realist scholars argue that pursuing this utopian vision can have disastrous consequences. Quests to reach a utopian horizon, even if it is motivated by good intentions, can bring about nightmarish outcomes, including war, bloodshed, and chaos. For realism, daydreaming is a recipe for disaster. However, the main problem with the idea of establishing a liberal world order is not the challenge posed by realist thinkers; rather, the most significant shortcoming of said model is that none of its underlying assumptions are supported by empirical reality or historical experience.