Good morning. President Biden pledged military support to Taiwan, a Russian diplomat resigned in protest, and Times reporters examined whether Trump-era officials were taking advantage of state visits for personal gain. personal interest or not.
Biden pledges support for Taiwan
At a news conference in Tokyo with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, a reporter asked President Biden if he would be willing to “engage militarily to defend Taiwan,” which he has not done with Ukraine.
“Yes,” Biden said. “That’s the commitment we’ve made,” he added when the reporter pressed.
Biden pledges use military force to defend Taiwan If China ever attacked island democracy, which he launched without warning or clarification, it would suffer from the “strategic ambiguity” favored by US presidents.
Biden’s comments also suggest that he will go further toward Taiwan than supplying weapons, as he did in Ukraine. “It would upset the entire region and be another act similar to what happened in Ukraine. And so that is an even stronger burden,” he said of a hypothetical attack on Taiwan.
Background: The White House tried to twist Biden’s comments by reiterating his pledge to “provide Taiwan with military means to defend itself.” But Biden has previously ignored the improper practices of his predecessors related to China and Taiwan during his presidency.
Background: Beijing insists that Taiwan is part of China’s territory and cannot exist as a sovereign state. In the past, the US has warned China against using force against Taiwan, while generally remaining vague about how it would respond.
Diplomatic: Biden almost enlisted in the military a dozen Asia-Pacific countries joins a new, loosely defined economic bloc aimed at countering China and reasserting American influence in the region.
A Russian diplomat resigns in protest
In the highest protest to date by a Russian diplomat about the war in Ukraine, an adviser in Moscow’s mission to the United Nations in Geneva resign on monday.
Boris Bondarev, a mid-level official, wrote in an email to diplomats: “I have never been so ashamed of my country. He described the invasion as a crime against both Ukraine and the Russian people, and told The Times that the Kremlin “basically everything was wrong. ”
In Davos, Switzerland, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine spoke to global business leaders at the World Economic Forum, where Russian diplomats and oligarchs prohibited from attending.
Zelensky called on leaders to establish safe corridors for Ukraine’s grain exports and urged a complete embargo on Russian oil and trade – as well as banning all Russian banks from participating in the trade deals. global financial network.
He also encouraged businesses to leave Russia and set up shop in Ukrainepromises a post-war environment rife with corruption and unpolluted by its association with “war crimes.”
Other updates:
Is Kushner Exploiting Gulf Relations?
Just before the 2020 presidential election, Trump administration officials announced a US government-funded program called the Abraham Foundation, which they say will raise $3 billion for projects around China. Winter.
The fund disappeared when Donald Trump left office. But Jared Kushner, his son-in-law and former adviser, and Steven Mnuchin, Trump’s Treasury secretary, each quickly created a separate fund to further the idea.
A Times test questions whether they find a way exploit official relationships, forged while trying to raise money for the Abraham Foundation, for their private business benefit. The two soon returned to the Gulf court as private citizens to claim the investment.
Background: The foundation promised to capitalize on the Abrahamic Agreements, diplomatic agreements that Kushner championed between Israel and several Arab nations.
Details: Within three months, Mnuchin’s new company received a pledge of $500 million from the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar, and a commitment of $1 billion from the main Saudi sovereign wealth fund. Saudi Arabia. Six months after Kushner left the government, his new company reached a deal for $2 billion from Saudi Arabia.
Background: One Time report Last month’s revelations of Saudi investments sparked warnings from ethics experts and Democratic lawmakers about the emergence of potential payoffs for official acts. in the Trump administration.
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ARTS AND IDEAS
Cannes Summary
At the Cannes Film Festival, you can expect glitz, a minute-long salutation and wild boos. The maximalist festival kicked off last week and will run until May 28. Here’s what you need to know.
Why do people care? Cannes has marked the careers of many filmmakers, like Quentin Tarantino for “Pulp Fiction”. Winning an award can also help arthouse films gain wider distribution and recognition. “Parasite,” which won the top prize at Cannes in 2019, went on to win best picture at the Oscars.
Are there any big movies playing? Define large. For movie buffs, movies by David Cronenberg, Claire Denis and Park Chan-wook running for the top prize. As for potential blockbusters, “Top Gun: Maverick,” a sequel to Tom Cruise’s 1986 hit, and Baz Luhrmann’s biopic Elvis are also showing.
Any highlights so far? Our reviewer Manohla Dargis like “Scarlet”, tells the story of a World War I veteran and his daughter and is “filled with lyrical beauty”.
Did something big happen? A screaming woman covered in paint spilled the red carpet, protest against sexual violence in Ukraine. A few days ago, at the opening ceremony, President Volodymyr Zelensky gave a virtual speech in which he quoted Charlie Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator”: “Human hatred will pass, and dictators will die, and the power they take from the people will return to the people.” – Sanam Yar
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