FP _This Week - June 9, 2025 - JUNE 9, 2025 | VIEW IN BROWSER | SUBSCRIBE Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump attend a welcoming ceremony in Beijing, on Nov. 9, 2017. Thomas Peter/Getty Images Today, top U.S. negotiators will meet in London with their Chinese counterparts to kick off another round of trade talks. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick joins the conversation this time around. The meeting comes on the heels of last Thursday’s phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, which the U.S. president wrote “resulted in a very positive conclusion for both Countries.” This isn’t the first time that contact between the two countries has resulted in a boost of positive rhetoric. FP’s Lili Pike reported that after the initial U.S.-China trade talks were held in Geneva in May, the chipper mood quickly dissipated as the United States increased restrictions on semiconductor and aviation exports to the Chinese market. Now, both parties accuse the other of breaching nontariff pledges made at the May meeting. Rare-earth mineral restrictions are at the top of the agenda for this week’s talks. Speaking to CBS on Sunday, White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said, “Those exports of critical minerals have been getting released at a rate that is higher than it was, but not as high as we believe we agreed to in Geneva.” Alex Gilbert and Morgan D. Bazilian wrote about how rare-earth mineral competition between the United States and China is heating up and moving underwater. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called for revoking Chinese student visas for those studying in critical fields or with connections to the Chinese Communist Party. “The students sent packing will take with them not just tuition dollars but also the United States’ competitive edge in the technologies that will define the next century,” wrote Gil Guerra—an immigration policy analyst at the Niskanen Center—who broke down the possible impact of Rubio’s initiative. The 90-day pause on most U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods is due to expire on Aug. 14, and the pause on high tariffs on other trading partners comes in exactly one month. The Trump administration is running out of time to complete its promise of “90 deals in 90 days,” and U.S. tariffs jumping back to 145 percent or more on Chinese goods could throw world markets into chaos again. This week’s negotiations in London might be a turning point—or just another temporary cooling-off. On Our Radar Aerial attacks in Ukraine. Russia launched a retaliatory strike in Ukrainian territory on Friday following Kyiv’s drone strikes on Russian air bases, shortly after Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Christian Caryl writes about how the escalation reflects rapid wartime innovation in Ukraine. Syria’s transition. Trump’s newly appointed special envoy to Syria, Thomas Barrack, visited the country for the first time on May 29. Charles Lister writes that the optics of the visit highlighted the increased threat of Islamic State schemes attempting to undermine confidence in Syria’s transitional government. Hegseth on the Hill. On Tuesday and Thursday, the embattled U.S. defense secretary will speak to both chambers of Congress to discuss the 2026 military budget, but questions will likely go beyond spending. Two weeks ago, Hegseth’s speech at the annual Shangri-La summit outlined a shift to prioritize defense in Asia instead of Europe. FP Live AI in the Age of Great-Power Competition June 11 | 1 p.m. ET China and the United States are competing on several fronts, but perhaps the most important one is the race for artificial intelligence supremacy. How are these two economic powers building out their systems? How will geopolitical shifts affect the landscape of controlling supply chains for critical minerals and developing new technologies? FP’s Ravi Agrawal sits down with Jared Cohen, the president of global affairs at Goldman Sachs, and George Lee, the co-head of the Goldman Sachs Global Institute, to discuss who can make the best AI and how it will change U.S.-China competition. Register now, and submit your questions ahead of the conversation. Note: This discussion is part of a series of episodes brought to you by the Goldman Sachs Global Institute. 🔒Insider Call: A Debrief on the NATO Summit June 25 | 11 a.m. ET Leaders from the 32 members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will convene at The Hague in late June to tackle the alliance’s greatest challenges. Foreign Policy’s team of editors and reporters will be there, interviewing top officials on and off the record. But they’re keeping some of the best dishy details for FP’s Insiders like you. To join a special Insider Access call to debrief on the NATO summit and how the alliance is navigating a changing world order, become an Insider. How Gen Z Thinks About Foreign Policy On Demand People born between 1997 and 2012 are members of Generation Z: a cohort whose formative experiences have included a global financial crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, several wars, and the ever-present doom of the climate crisis. Kyla Scanlon has been dubbed the “economic advisor for Gen Z.” The 28-year-old writer and commentator has legions of social media followers who turn to her for explanations of financial and global trends. Scanlon joined FP’s Ravi Agrawal for a wide-ranging discussion on world affairs. Watch on demand or read the transcript. The Future of War On Demand The nature of warfare is transforming in front of our eyes. From Israel to Kashmir and Ukraine, drones are increasingly salient in conflict, and new digital battlefields are rapidly emerging. Meanwhile, global military expenditure grew by nearly 10 percent last year—the steepest annual increase since the Cold War. Mara Karlin, who served as assistant secretary of defense during the Biden administration and led the development of the 2022 National Defense Strategy, joined FP Live for a discussion on the future of global warfare and the United States’ role in it. Watch on demand. FP COLLECTIONS The AI Arms Race Introducing the second edition of FP Collections, our editors’ guides to the most pressing issues in geopolitics today. In “The AI Arms Race,” Foreign Policy turns its characteristically global gaze on the technology of our time, analyzing the all-out competition for AI supremacy and shifting power dynamics across the globe. FP Collections are available to download and read at your leisure. EXPLORE THE COLLECTION Exercise Your Mind What contentious topic led to the collapse of the Dutch government on June 3? A. Military assistance to Israel B. The Russia-Ukraine war C. LGBTQ+ rights D. Immigration You can find the answer to this question at the end of this email. Test your knowledge with more quiz questions. Most Popular on FP Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with the Russian children’s rights commissioner at the Kremlin in Moscow on June 2. How Russia Responds to Ukraine’s Drone Attack Depends on Trump Trump needs to “defuse this situation,” said a former director of Russia analysis at the CIA. By John Haltiwanger Putin Is a Gambler, not a Grand Master The Russian president has abandoned real strategy for a single goal. By Anastasia Edel The first batch of the Ukrainian-made Peklo drone missile is delivered to a Ukrainian Armed Forces facility in Kyiv on Dec. 6, 2024. The Ukrainians’ New Way of War The audacious drone attack deep into Russia’s rear fits a larger pattern of wartime innovation. By Christian Caryl In an aerial view, electric cars sit parked at a charging station in Corte Madera, California, on May 19. America’s Electric Vehicle Surrender If Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” passes, the entire supply chain could be ceded to China. By Narayan Subramanian, Milo McBride An image from a video released by a source in the Ukrainian Security Service shows a Ukrainian drone striking a Russian aircraft deep in Russian territory on June 1. What Is the Impact of Ukraine’s Raid on Russia’s Air Force? Operation Spiderweb will enter military history as one of the more daring raids. By Franz-Stefan Gady The Novels We're Reading in June This month, we’re taking madcap rides through Ukraine and Nigeria, where reckless decisions drive familial turmoil and quickly spiral out of control. Check out international novel recommendations from FP’s Chloe Hadavas and Allison Meakem. From Around FP 🎧 Economics of Pilates: After diving into the economics of Trump’s controversial domestic policy package, Ones and Tooze took a summer detour to explore the economics and history of Pilates. How did an internment camp workout from World War I transform into a massive industry with exorbitant equipment costs? Listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Stopping tuberculosis: Although global efforts to prevent and treat tuberculosis have saved an estimated 79 million lives since 2000, it remains the world’s leading cause of death from infectious disease. Explore insights about the smart investment in FP Analytics’ new synthesis report. Produced with support from the Stop TB Partnership. The Full Story: FP’s latest collaboration with the Fuller Project examines the political clout of women in South Korea, who have helped topple governments but still have trouble gaining political office. With the widening gender divide among Korean youth and the absence of women’s issues from mainstream politics, Korean women activists are pushing back. Read the article here. The Full Story monthly column is free to read without a subscription. Answer: D. Far-right leader Geert Wilders pulled his party from the governing coalition after it refused to sign off on his party’s migration demands, FP’s Alexandra Sharp reports in World Brief.

 

JUNE 9, 2025  |  VIEW IN BROWSER  |  SUBSCRIBE

Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump attend a welcoming ceremony in Beijing, on Nov. 9, 2017. Thomas Peter/Getty Images

Today, top U.S. negotiators will meet in London with their Chinese counterparts to kick off another round of trade talks. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick joins the conversation this time around. The meeting comes on the heels of last Thursday’s phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, which the U.S. president wrote “resulted in a very positive conclusion for both Countries.” This isn’t the first time that contact between the two countries has resulted in a boost of positive rhetoric. FP’s Lili Pike reported that after the initial U.S.-China trade talks were held in Geneva in May, the chipper mood quickly dissipated as the United States increased restrictions on semiconductor and aviation exports to the Chinese market. Now, both parties accuse the other of breaching nontariff pledges made at the May meeting.  Rare-earth mineral restrictions are at the top of the agenda for this week’s talks. Speaking to CBS on Sunday, White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said, “Those exports of critical minerals have been getting released at a rate that is higher than it was, but not as high as we believe we agreed to in Geneva.” Alex Gilbert and Morgan D. Bazilian wrote about how rare-earth mineral competition between the United States and China is heating up and moving underwater.  Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called for revoking Chinese student visas for those studying in critical fields or with connections to the Chinese Communist Party. “The students sent packing will take with them not just tuition dollars but also the United States’ competitive edge in the technologies that will define the next century,” wrote Gil Guerra—an immigration policy analyst at the Niskanen Center—who broke down the possible impact of Rubio’s initiative. The 90-day pause on most U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods is due to expire on Aug. 14, and the pause on high tariffs on other trading partners comes in exactly one month. The Trump administration is running out of time to complete its promise of “90 deals in 90 days,” and U.S. tariffs jumping back to 145 percent or more on Chinese goods could throw world markets into chaos again. This week’s negotiations in London might be a turning point—or just another temporary cooling-off.

On Our Radar Aerial attacks in Ukraine. Russia launched a retaliatory strike in Ukrainian territory on Friday following Kyiv’s drone strikes on Russian air bases, shortly after Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Christian Caryl writes about how the escalation reflects rapid wartime innovation in Ukraine.  Syria’s transition. Trump’s newly appointed special envoy to Syria, Thomas Barrack, visited the country for the first time on May 29. Charles Lister writes that the optics of the visit highlighted the increased threat of Islamic State schemes attempting to undermine confidence in Syria’s transitional government. Hegseth on the Hill. On Tuesday and Thursday, the embattled U.S. defense secretary will speak to both chambers of Congress to discuss the 2026 military budget, but questions will likely go beyond spending. Two weeks ago, Hegseth’s speech at the annual Shangri-La summit outlined a shift to prioritize defense in Asia instead of Europe.

FP Live AI in the Age of Great-Power Competition June 11 | 1 p.m. ET China and the United States are competing on several fronts, but perhaps the most important one is the race for artificial intelligence supremacy. How are these two economic powers building out their systems? How will geopolitical shifts affect the landscape of controlling supply chains for critical minerals and developing new technologies? FP’s Ravi Agrawal sits down with Jared Cohen, the president of global affairs at Goldman Sachs, and George Lee, the co-head of the Goldman Sachs Global Institute, to discuss who can make the best AI and how it will change U.S.-China competition. Register now, and submit your questions ahead of the conversation. Note: This discussion is part of a series of episodes brought to you by the Goldman Sachs Global Institute.   Insider Call: A Debrief on the NATO Summit June 25 | 11 a.m. ET Leaders from the 32 members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will convene at The Hague in late June to tackle the alliance’s greatest challenges. Foreign Policy’s team of editors and reporters will be there, interviewing top officials on and off the record. But they’re keeping some of the best dishy details for FP’s Insiders like you. To join a special Insider Access call to debrief on the NATO summit and how the alliance is navigating a changing world order, become an Insider.   How Gen Z Thinks About Foreign Policy On Demand People born between 1997 and 2012 are members of Generation Z: a cohort whose formative experiences have included a global financial crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, several wars, and the ever-present doom of the climate crisis. Kyla Scanlon has been dubbed the “economic advisor for Gen Z.” The 28-year-old writer and commentator has legions of social media followers who turn to her for explanations of financial and global trends. Scanlon joined FP’s Ravi Agrawal for a wide-ranging discussion on world affairs. Watch on demand or read the transcript.   The Future of War On Demand The nature of warfare is transforming in front of our eyes. From Israel to Kashmir and Ukraine, drones are increasingly salient in conflict, and new digital battlefields are rapidly emerging. Meanwhile, global military expenditure grew by nearly 10 percent last year—the steepest annual increase since the Cold War. Mara Karlin, who served as assistant secretary of defense during the Biden administration and led the development of the 2022 National Defense Strategy, joined FP Live for a discussion on the future of global warfare and the United States’ role in it. Watch on demand.

FP COLLECTIONS The AI Arms Race Introducing the second edition of FP Collections, our editors’ guides to the most pressing issues in geopolitics today. In “The AI Arms Race,” Foreign Policy turns its characteristically global gaze on the technology of our time, analyzing the all-out competition for AI supremacy and shifting power dynamics across the globe. FP Collections are available to download and read at your leisure. EXPLORE THE COLLECTION

Exercise Your Mind What contentious topic led to the collapse of the Dutch government on June 3?     A. Military assistance to Israel     B. The Russia-Ukraine war     C. LGBTQ+ rights     D. Immigration You can find the answer to this question at the end of this email. Test your knowledge with more quiz questions.

Most Popular on FP

How Russia Responds to Ukraine’s Drone Attack Depends on Trump Trump needs to “defuse this situation,” said a former director of Russia analysis at the CIA. By John Haltiwanger

Putin Is a Gambler, not a Grand Master The Russian president has abandoned real strategy for a single goal. By Anastasia Edel

The Ukrainians’ New Way of War The audacious drone attack deep into Russia’s rear fits a larger pattern of wartime innovation. By Christian Caryl

America’s Electric Vehicle Surrender If Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” passes, the entire supply chain could be ceded to China. By Narayan Subramanian, Milo McBride

What Is the Impact of Ukraine’s Raid on Russia’s Air Force? Operation Spiderweb will enter military history as one of the more daring raids. By Franz-Stefan Gady

The Novels We're Reading in June This month, we’re taking madcap rides through Ukraine and Nigeria, where reckless decisions drive familial turmoil and quickly spiral out of control. Check out international novel recommendations from FP’s Chloe Hadavas and Allison Meakem.

From Around FP  Economics of Pilates: After diving into the economics of Trump’s controversial domestic policy package, Ones and Tooze took a summer detour to explore the economics and history of Pilates. How did an internment camp workout from World War I transform into a massive industry with exorbitant equipment costs? Listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Stopping tuberculosis: Although global efforts to prevent and treat tuberculosis have saved an estimated 79 million lives since 2000, it remains the world’s leading cause of death from infectious disease. Explore insights about the smart investment in FP Analytics’ new synthesis report. Produced with support from the Stop TB Partnership.  The Full Story: FP’s latest collaboration with the Fuller Project examines the political clout of women in South Korea, who have helped topple governments but still have trouble gaining political office. With the widening gender divide among Korean youth and the absence of women’s issues from mainstream politics, Korean women activists are pushing back. Read the article here. The Full Story monthly column is free to read without a subscription.

Answer: D. Far-right leader Geert Wilders pulled his party from the governing coalition after it refused to sign off on his party’s migration demands, FP’s Alexandra Sharp reports in World Brief.