Zelenskyy on elections. Zelenskyy told reporters yesterday that he was ready for elections, adding they could occur within the next three months if their security was guaranteed. Trump has repeatedly criticized Ukraine’s deferred elections, including in an interview with Politico published yesterday in which he accused Zelenskyy of using the war as an excuse for not holding a vote. Zelenskyy has been meeting with European leaders this week to prepare a response to Trump’s peace plan.
Cambodia-Thailand fighting. Both countries accused the other today of targeting civilians during renewed fighting in their border region. The latest wave of fighting has killed at least ten people and displaced hundreds of thousands. Hostilities also appeared to expand to a new front yesterday, as the Thai navy announced it had conducted operations to expel Cambodian forces near the Gulf of Thailand. Trump, who mediated between the countries this year, said last night that he planned to “make a phone call” to address the escalation.
Nobel prize ceremony. Ana Corina Sosa Machado, daughter of Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo today on her mother’s behalf. She delivered a speech written by María Corina that celebrated the history of Venezuelan democracy and the struggle to regain it in recent years. She called democracy a “deliberate, personal choice” that “must be renewed every day.” Following uncertainty over whether María Corina—who has been in hiding—would travel to Oslo, the Nobel Institute confirmed earlier today she was safe and “will be with us in Oslo,” but would not attend the ceremony.
EU corporate sustainability rollback. EU countries reached a provisional deal yesterday to exempt all but the largest companies from the bloc’s requirements on sustainability reporting. A requirement that companies produce climate plans was dropped. Environmental campaigners criticized the shift, which Brussels said would reduce red tape. The United States and Qatar had lobbied for the rollback, saying the sustainability requirements threatened natural gas trade with Europe.
IMF warning on Chinese economy. During a visit to Beijing today, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva urged China to allow its currency to strengthen and boost domestic consumption, rather than relying so much on exports. The IMF has been hesitant to take a position on whether China’s currency should strengthen or weaken in the past, but U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called on the organization this year to take a stronger stance on Beijing’s currency policy.
Social media scrutiny. The Trump administration is considering requiring visitors from countries party to the U.S. Visa Waiver program—a group that includes France, South Korea, and the United Kingdom—be subject to a review of five years of social media history. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection proposal was published for public comment today. Travelers might also have to provide personal data such as their email addresses and their family members’ places of birth and telephone numbers.
EU-India trade talks. India and the EU held trade talks this week in an effort to reach a new free trade deal, envoys from both sides wrote on social media. Hit by U.S. tariffs earlier this year, both parties hoped to reach a trade agreement with each other by the end of 2025. However, an unnamed source told Reuters that differences remained on topics like steel, cars, and carbon levies.
Peru-South Korea defense deal. The countries signed a framework agreement in Lima yesterday that commits to exporting South Korean tanks to Peru. The deal is estimated to be valued around $1.4 billion, which would make it Seoul’s largest sale of ground equipment to Latin America, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported.
