Foreign Policy

The possibility of expansion of U.S. sanctions against Russia and the uncertainty it has caused last year has pushed companies’ share prices lower, prompting investment bankers to suggest their clients should delist from local and […]

Venezuela Blocks Humanitarian Aid, Pompeo Demands Corridor To Be Opened

The Venezuelan government, led by embattled President Nicolas Maduro, has blocked a bridge connecting Venezuela to Colombia, according to Colombian officials. The move effectively blocks the passage of humanitarian aid called for by Venezuela’s opposition, […]

U.S.-Germany Dispute Deepens Tensions

Tensions in frail relations between Germany and the United States are becoming more strained with Berlin deporting a terrorist to Turkey instead of to the U.S. Namely, after serving his 11-year prison sentence German-Turkish citizen […]

Democrats Set to Dispute Saudi-Trump Relations

The Democratic majority is set to dispute the relations between President Donald Trump and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, making one of their biggest moves regarding foreign policy since they retook House. According to The […]

February 6, 2019 Focus Washington

Iran Dismisses EU Criticism of Missile Program

Iran dismissed Brussels’ criticism of its missile program, regional policies and rights record on Tuesday, highlighting their increasingly testy relationship as both sides seek to salvage a troubled nuclear deal, Reuters writes. Iran’s comments came […]

February 6, 2019 Focus Washington

Venezuela’s Opposition Plans to Deliver Aid, Maduro Threatens to Jail Guaido

Venezuela’s opposition is preparing to deliver tens of millions of dollars in food and medicine to ease devastating shortages and undermine the authoritarian rule of Nicolas Maduro, New York Times writes. However, some major relief […]

February 6, 2019 Focus Washington

Second Trump-Kim Summit to Take Place at End of Month in Vietnam

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he will meet North Korea’s Kim Jong-un on February 27-28 in Vietnam, where the two will discuss the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The President said the first […]

February 5, 2019 Focus Washington

President’s Iraq Comment Creates Confusion

President Donald Trump said during an interview on Sunday that he would like to keep U.S. forces in Iraq and use a base there to “watch” Iran, causing confusion among Pentagon officials and provoking the […]

February 5, 2019 Focus Washington

U.S. Envoy Visit to North Korea Aims to Restart Denuclearization Talks

U.S. envoy Stephen Biegun travels to Pyongyang Wednesday to meet his North Korean counterpart, where he will try to advance a plan to reinvigorate denuclearization talks ahead of a new summit, Washington Post reported. President […]

President Says Military Intervention in Venezuela Still an Option

President Donald Trump said the use of military force in Venezuela is not off the table yet as the political crisis in the South American nation deepens, adding that he refused to meet with Venezuelan […]

U.S. Congress to Look into German Lender’s Ties to Russian Bank

German lender Deutsche Bank scrambled to unload a $600 million loan to Russian state-owned bank VTB in late 2016 in order to minimize its financial ties to Russia, which had been accused of meddling in […]

Trump Wants to Keep Troops in Iraq to Watch Iran

President Donald Trump plans to keep U.S. troops in Iraq to monitor and maintain pressure on Iran, committing to an American military presence in the region’s war zones even as he moves to withdraw forces […]

Islamic State Makes Inroads Through West Africa

In recent months, as Islamic State has seen its self-described caliphate in Iraq and Syria radically shrink, a Nigeria-born group calling itself the Islamic State West Africa Province, or ISWAP, has taken control of hundreds […]

February 2, 2019 Focus Washington

Treasury Department Says Russia is Reducing it’s Investments in U.S. Bonds

Russia began reducing investments in U.S. government bonds again in November, data from the U.S. Treasury Department reveals, according to Russia Business Today. In November, Russia’s total investment in U.S. securities amounted to $12.814 billion, a decrease […]

February 2, 2019 Focus Washington

Putin Says Russia Will Abandon Nuclear Weapons Treaty

President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia will also withdraw from the nuclear weapons treaty after President Donald Trump’s administration on Friday announced that it would pull out of the pact. “We will respond quid pro […]

Washington Planning New Sanctions on Russia

The U.S. State Department’s Special Representative for Ukraine negotiations, Kurt Volker, says both Washington and Brussels could impose additional sanctions on Russia as early as February in case Moscow refuses to release Ukrainian sailors captured […]

U.S. Finds More Offending Russian Missiles As Countries Near Arms Treaty Exit

Russia has expanded its deployment of a missile system the U.S. says violates a 1987 treaty on intermediate-range nuclear forces, widening the differences with Washington over a pact the U.S. is expected to exit on […]

U.S. to Slap Russia with New Set of Sanctions over Ukrainian Ship Incident

The State Department’s Special Representative for Ukraine negotiations, Kurt Volker, said that should Moscow refuse to release Ukrainian sailors captured during an incident in the Azov Sea in November both Washington and Brussels could impose new […]

Second Summit Between Trump, Kim to Be Held in Vietnam

The second summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will most likely take place in Vietnam at the end of this month, said a source familiar with the planning. According to […]

European Countries Establish Trade Channel to Bypass U.S. Sanctions on Iran

Three major European countries have set up a financial mechanism aimed at circumventing U.S. sanctions on Iran and keeping the 2015 Iran nuclear deal alive, a joint statement by the E3 said. The UK, Germany […]

January 31, 2019 Focus Washington

Talks On North Korea’s Denuclearization `Getting Nowhere`

As President Donald Trump hails progress, a source familiar with details of the high-profile visit of North Korea’s top negotiator this month says those discussions, which were at both the State Department level and with […]

January 31, 2019 Focus Washington

U.S.-China Trade Talks Nearing End with Many Questions Unanswered

The American business community has begun expressing concerns over the multitude of unanswered questions remaining in the trade war between China and the United States, as the two countries are nearing the end of their […]

January 30, 2019 Focus Washington

Mnuchin Under Scrutiny from Democrats

Congressional Democrats have increased their pressure on Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to provide details about his ties to Ukrainian billionaire Len Blavantnik as well as the Trump administration’s decision to remove sanctions on three Russian […]

January 30, 2019 Focus Washington

Moscow Secretly Offered Pyongyang a Nuclear Power Plant in Exchange for Dismantling Weapons

Russian officials made a secret proposal to North Korea last fall aimed at resolving deadlocked negotiations with the Trump administration over the North’s nuclear weapons program, said U.S. officials familiar with the discussions, Washington Post […]

January 30, 2019 Focus Washington

Intelligence Chiefs Reveal Gap With Trump on North Korea, Iran and ISIS

President Donald Trump has previously declared that North Korea is no longer a nuclear threat, touted the defeat of ISIS, doubted the effects of climate change and railed against the Iran nuclear deal as “defective […]

January 29, 2019 Focus Washington

U.S. Formally Requests Extradition of Huawei CEO from Canada

Officials in Canada stated on Tuesday that the extradition of an executive at the Chinese telecommunications firm Huawei from Canada was formally requested by the U.S. government. According to The Wall Street Journal, a spokesperson […]

January 29, 2019 Focus Washington

Russia Says U.S. Sanctions on Venezuelan Oil are Illegitimate

Russia on Tuesday described the latest sanctions against the government of President Nicolas Maduro as illegitimate, even as the Russian Finance Ministry acknowledged that its loans to Caracas were at risk because of the crisis, […]

January 29, 2019 Focus Washington

U.S. Files Criminal Charges Against Huawei, Claims It Stole Trade Secrets

The Justice Department has filed criminal charges against China’s tech giant Huawei, striking a blow to efforts by the United States and China to negotiate an end to their trade war. The two cases against […]

January 28, 2019 Focus Washington

Japanese PM Abe Wants Summit with North Korea’s Kim

Japan’s Prime Minister vowed Monday to “break the shell of mutual distrust” with North Korea by meeting leader Kim Jong-un face-to-face and restoring diplomatic relations between the two historic foes, Korea Times informs. In a […]

January 28, 2019 Focus Washington

U.S. Lifts Sanctions against 3 Russian Companies Tied to Oleg Deripaska

The Treasury department on Sunday released a statement that it was rebuking sanctions on three companies tied to Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, Fox News informed. The move comes after Congress attempted to block this action […]