Latest news for 5 June 2026

RUSSIA

Your place or mine.

The Kremlin has dismissed responded to the Ukrainian president’s open letter proposing direct leader-level peace talks on neutral turf, instead noting Zelensky “can come to Moscow any time.” Meanwhile, the US is reportedly halting Patriot sales to Germany out of concern it could be seen as “escalatory” by Moscow. (Politico)

Comment: Even as major outlets catch up to the notion Putin is cooked, that standard maximalist “dare you to come to Moscow” response suggests he’s still just getting told what he wants to hear. And he’ll be pleased to hear of halted Patriot sales, because it confirms he can still huff and puff then let major free-world powers dance in response.

BRAZIL

A Brazilian reasons.

According to government and Petrobras projections reported this week, Brazil plans to increase its oil output 30% by 2032, which would theoretically push it into the world’s top five producers. (Nikkei $)

Comment: Asian buyers (particularly China, India, and Japan) are already shifting towards Brazilian crude as an alternative to Iranian supply, and President Lula is now throwing his weight behind further expansion, including in the Equatorial Margin.

NORTH KOREA

What’s the (nuclear) matter?

Dictator Kim Jong Un has used his tour of a new weapons-grade nuclear material facility to pledge he’ll expand the country’s nuclear forces “at an exponential rate”. He’s already got ~50 nukes, with enough enriched uranium for another ~40. (CNN)

Comment: As always, Kim’s sabre-rattling has three audiences in mind: domestic (regime strength), US/South Korea (deterrence), and China (leverage reminder). On that last one, Kim’s regime has finally confirmed something we foreshadowed last month: China’s Xi is indeed paying a visit to Pyongyang this Monday and Tuesday. Meanwhile in Seoul, the won has weakened sharply towards 16-year lows while 10-year bonds have spiked amid fears the chipmaking boom could stoke inflation.

EUROPEAN UNION

Okay let’s talk.

All members of the European Union have finally agreed to kick off Ukraine and Moldova’s accession talks later this month. (RFE/RL)

Comment: Why so long? Hungary’s Putin-friendly ex-leader had long vetoed talks, but the new guy (Magyar) has now agreed after clinching a deal on the treatment of Ukraine’s ethnic Hungarians. Meanwhile, the US House has just passed a bill to send more security support to Ukraine, though it now faces an uncertain fate in the Senate.

INDONESIA

No free lunch.

President Prabowo’s flagship free-school-meals program, which promised to feed 80 million kids every day, is turning sour amid poisonings, corruption allegations, and now a criminal ‘causing state losses’ probe into the program’s boss. It’s all contributing (with oil prices) to the rupiah’s continued slide, with Finance Minister Purbaya now having to deny rumours he might resign. (Independent)

BOLIVIA

Ministers resign.

The Bolivian defence and education ministers both resigned earlier this week, in a further sign of pressure on new-ish President Paz after weeks of anti-government protests. (Reuters)

Comment: We wrote about the chaos engulfing Bolivia — and the broader implications for the region — right here.

SOUTH AFRICA

Anti-immigrant violence.

Authorities are investigating the killings of Mozambicans amid what the broader region now condemns as a surge in xenophobic attacks. Various governments, including Nigeria, Ghana, Malawi, and Mozambique, have already started organising repatriation flights for their citizens to leave South Africa. (Guardian)

Comment: It’s becoming a crisis on several fronts for South Africa: the drivers seem to include unemployment, inequality, and service delivery failures, leading not only to the scapegoating of African migrants, but also now a collapse in South Africa’s regional standing plus even the risk of retaliatory measures ahead. That’s why Ramaphosa is now sending envoys across the continent in hopes to calm the storm.