Around the World in 5 – 3
“Is there any instinct more deeply implanted in the heart of man than the pride of protection, a protection which is constantly exerted for a fragile and defenceless creature?”
Thursday 15th May has seen continued dialogue on key trade negotiations for the Trump administration. While Trump remains on his Gulf tour, India’s government has offered to remove import duties on several key US goods. Trump has previously described India as ‘one of the highest-tariff nations in the world’, so this development offers a degree of reprieve for the administration’s trade outlook. He had initially proposed a 26% tariff against India, later pausing its implementation for 90 days to allow for negotiations. India is yet to issue an official statement regarding the status of the import duties.
Across the Atlantic, Prime Minister Starmer’s government continues to push a Reform-esque immigration stance, with plans to establish ‘return hubs’ for asylum seekers who have been denied residence in the UK. As he marks his first official visit to Albania, Starmer aims to enhance joint efforts on tackling organised crime and illegal immigration. Meanwhile, the UK continues to grapple with nearly 12,000 illegal Channel crossings since January. There remains a lack of clarity about which countries might be involved in receiving deportees or how these return hubs would function.
Echoing broader concerns around national security, several EU leaders are seeking to strengthen the mutual defence clause under Article 42.7 of the Treaty on European Union, aiming to enhance interoperability and mobility between European armed forces. Article 42.7, active since 2009, was last invoked in 2015 following the Paris terror attacks. This move represents a significant shift by the EU to recalibrate its security guarantees away from reliance on the US, and to bolster its own crisis management capacity both domestically and internationally. White papers suggest the bloc could invest upwards of €800 billion in the defence sector.
As conflict continues to engulf Sudan, drone strikes launched by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group targeted an army base in Port Sudan, following an earlier attack on the country’s main fuel depot on Monday. After losing key strategic ground near Khartoum in March, the RSF has shifted its military strategy from ground offensives to drone attacks on critical infrastructure. According to the UN, the war has displaced nearly 13 million people and driven more than half the population into acute famine. The Sudanese army continues to secure key oil-producing areas in retaliatory efforts.
In Malaysia, the day closes with President Putin seeking to expand joint ventures in natural gas and nuclear energy. Malaysia’s Petronas already holds ties with Russia’s Gazprom and is now aiming to increase its equity stake in Rosneft. Putin outlined plans to implement projects in both the gas sector and the ‘peaceful use of atomic energy’. In 2024, Russia ranked as Malaysia’s ninth-largest European trading partner, with bilateral trade totalling $2.48 billion USD.
The Death of General Colbert, Victor Schnetz, c.1809/1810.
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