U.S., Ukraine Sign Joint Weapons Production Deal

Welcome back to World Brief, where we’re looking at a joint weapons production deal between the United States and Ukraine, upgraded ties between China and Syria, and new interest rate decisions for Japan and Turkey.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Joe Biden launched a joint weapons production deal on Friday, wrapping up a whirlwind 24 hours of diplomacy in Washington. Three Ukrainian corporations signed agreements with more than 2,000 U.S. defense companies to kick-start future collaboration efforts in Ukraine.

Calling it a “historic” achievement, Zelensky said the deal will boost employment rates by expanding Kyiv’s industrial base. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ukraine has struggled to bolster its war-battered economy. According to new data published by Kyiv’s State Statistics Service on Friday, Ukraine’s GDP improved for the first time on an annual basis since the conflict began.

Zelensky also emphasized how the deal will allow Kyiv to manufacture its own air defense systems. Over the last 19 months, Ukraine has worked to advance its domestic weapons production capabilities by reforming its arms industry. Recent efforts have targeted Ukroboronprom, Ukraine’s state weapons manufacturing company, to strengthen transparency, improve manufacturing efficiency, and expand collaboration efforts abroad. Zelensky also noted that Ukraine is hoping to host an arms production forum with more than 20 other countries in the near future.

“We are preparing to create a new defense ecosystem with the United States to produce weapons to strengthen further freedom and protect life together,” Zelensky said.

Alongside the joint weapons production agreement, the United States unveiled a $325 million aid package to Ukraine on Thursday. The deal provides High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, Avenger air defense systems, Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems, and other armaments and munitions.

Since Moscow invaded Ukraine, Washington has approved $113 billion in aid to Kyiv. More than $43 billion of that has centered on security assistance. Alongside the new $325 million package, Zelensky spent much of his trip to Washington seeking $24 billion in additional military and humanitarian aid as well as Army Tactical Missile Systems. Although this may seem like a lot, if Zelensky’s $24 billion request is approved, the total amount of U.S. funding sent to Ukraine will still be less than one-sixth of what the United States has budgeted for its own defense spending in 2023.

“We’re committed to help Ukraine build a force capable of ensuring Ukraine’s long-term security, capable of deterring future threats against sovereignty, territorial integrity, and freedom, which are underway now,” Biden said. “Because that’s what this is all about—the future, the future of freedom. America can never, will never, walk away from that.”

Assad’s new friend. Diplomatic relations between China and Syria got a facelift on Friday when the two nations upgraded their ties to “strategic partnership.” The newfound friendship was finalized during Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s visit to China on Thursday, his first time traveling to the mainland since Syria’s civil war began in 2011. At the talks, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the West to lift its sanctions on Damascus and vowed to help rebuild the country.

Assad hopes that Xi’s endorsement will pave a path forward for Syria to discard is global pariah status. Already, China has helped Damascus make inroads toward international acceptance. In 2022, Syria enlisted in China’s Belt and Road Initiative, and in May, it rejoined the Arab League, much to China’s encouragement.

Interest rates. Japan’s central bank decided on Friday to maintain ultra-low interest rates until inflation sustainability hits its 2 percent target. “With extremely high uncertainties surrounding economies and financial markets at home and abroad, the Bank will patiently continue with monetary easing,” the Bank of Japan announced.

Turkey, on the other hand, raised its interest rate by 5 percentage points on Thursday in another significant, yet expected, hike. The rate now stands at 30 percent. The increase signifies a return to more traditional fiscal practices after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s controversial policy of cutting rates to battle inflation, an approach that ran against conventional economic practice.

Gender legislation. In a major win for women’s rights activists, India’s Parliament approved legislation on Thursday that reserves one-third of seats in India’s lower house and state assemblies for women. This follows six failed attempts to pass such a bill since 1996, due in part to intense disapproval at times from India’s male politicians. The bill now goes to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sign, which he is expected to do.

But not all countries are moving in the direction of stronger gender equality. On Wednesday, Iran’s parliament passed a bill that enforces harsher punishments on women who refuse to wear a hijab. Tehran requires all women to wear the Islamic headscarf when in public. For the next three years, women who refuse to don a hijab as part of an organized protest could face up to 10 years in prison. The decision came on the coattails of the one-year anniversary of 21-year-old Mahsa Amini’s death, who died in police custody after being detained by Iran’s morality police for allegedly not wearing a hijab properly.

People in Serbia are used to seeing deer and squirrels walk through their neighborhoods. But a resident of the northern town of Subotica near the country’s border with Hungary was rather stunned to see a female lion cub step onto the road along the outskirts of town on Thursday. The cub appeared underfed but excited to make new friends. Local officials immediately transferred her to Palic Zoo. We hope she enjoys her new home!

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