Foreign Policy

With the November US midterm elections fast approaching, President Trump has unveiled a cluster of foreign-policy moves — a Russia-Ukraine energy infrastructure ceasefire, a Gaza hostage deal framework and a multi-year arms package for Saudi Arabia — in a bid to convert diplomatic momentum into Republican turnout. Yet persistent inflation, a possible federal shutdown and weak consumer sentiment on the economy leave the White House facing a familiar dilemma: foreign-policy wins travel slowly with swing voters, and the ability to translate photo-op diplomacy into ballot-box gains could decide control of Congress.

The US House of Representatives has passed legislation by an overwhelming majority giving the president expanded authority to impose harsher sanctions on Russia and its so-called enablers. The bill, reported by The Guardian, marks a rare moment of cross-party alignment on Russia policy and reflects Washington’s sustained hard line toward Moscow. The new authorities are expected to significantly broaden the toolkit available for targeting Russian individuals, entities and third-country supporters, with knock-on effects for global energy markets, supply chains and geopolitics.

The Financial Times reported on September 16 that the European Union formally rejected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s proposed unique alliance framework, citing a lack of concrete commitments on tariffs, market access, and defense cooperation. The diplomatic setback underscores that Ottawa’s room for strategic maneuver in the face of sustained Trump administration tariffs is structurally constrained, with significant implications for Canada’s economic restructuring, North American supply chain realignment, and the future trajectory of EU external policy.

US President Trump announces retaliatory strikes on Iranian infrastructure in response to threats against international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, marking a dangerous escalation in US-Iran tensions.

US Secretary of State Rubio warns Asian leaders that accepting Iran’s demands in the Strait of Hormuz would set a dangerous precedent for international shipping security.