Hello, everyone. Today at WPR, we’re covering the overlooked security gaps in the race toward sovereign AI and the fragile edifice of Western support for Ukraine. | But first, here’s our take on today’s top story: |  | Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, left, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Sept. 17, 2025 (Saudi Press Agency photo via AP). |
| Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a mutual defense agreement Wednesday that obliges both countries to come to each other’s aid in the event of a military attack. The agreement was announced during a visit to Riyadh by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who received a red-carpet welcome complete with a Saudi air force escort of his plane and full royal protocol. | It is an important development for the region’s geopolitical balance of power, though not unexpected given the two countries’ historically close ties. Saudi Arabia was one of the first countries to recognize Pakistan following its independence in 1947, and they have since cooperated closely on security, religious and economic issues. | More recently, the bilateral relationship had become somewhat one-sided, with Saudi Arabia forced to provide multiple bailouts for Pakistan’s struggling economy. But this week’s agreement indicates … | | Purchase a subscription now to get the paid edition of the Daily Review, which contains the full top story. | If you are a paid subscriber and are receiving this non-paid edition by mistake, please reply to this email and let us know so we can make sure you get the correct email. | | In recent years, artificial intelligence has emerged as the most significant driver of global data center demand, which is expected to triple by 2030. The scale of these investments underscores AI’s significance not only for economic competitiveness but also for national security, which is driving governments to pursue “sovereign AI”: the ability of a nation to ensure it can develop, govern and use its AI models. Yet, the race to achieve sovereign AI is overlooking critical security vulnerabilities in the very data centers that power the AI models, Seungmin (Helen) Lee writes. | | | From the moment Donald Trump returned to the White House this year, European leaders made it a top priority to safeguard NATO’s pledge to remain on Ukraine’s side in its war against Russian aggression. Above all, they sought to prevent Trump from undercutting Kyiv in his dealings with Russian President Vladimir Putin. So far, the efforts have proven largely successful. But the fragility of Western backing for Ukraine has become excruciatingly obvious, Frida Ghitis writes in her weekly column. | | | New anti-drone systems that employ lasers are being developed and purchased by a growing number of countries, including in Europe, as the war in Ukraine continues to demonstrate the deadly effectiveness of drone warfare. Laser-based anti-drone systems have particular promise, and one model developed by an Australian defense company claims to be able to shoot down 20 drones a minute at a cost of less than 10 cents per shot, The New York Times reports. | However, because of the variety of combat drone models in existence, and the massive numbers of them that are employed on the battlefield simultaneously, “no single system will ever be able to counter all drones,” Ulrike Franke wrote in an August WPR column. Layered systems that combine many counter-drone technologies, including electronic jamming, kinetic systems like lasers, and physical barriers like netting are likely to achieve the best results, she wrote. |  | | There Will Be No Silver Bullet to Counter Drones | Despite innovations in counter-drone systems, drones continue to fly in mass in Ukraine, underscoring how difficult it is to counter them. | www.worldpoliticsreview.com/drones-counterdrones-ukraine-war |
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| | The sister-in-law of Togo’s longtime ruler Faure Gnassingbe, Marguerite Gnakade, was arrested Wednesday at her home. Gnakade previously served under Gnassingbe as defense minister but became a vocal critic of his government in recent months following a harsh crackdown on anti-regime protests that erupted in June. | There have been periods of political unrest in Togo in the past, but this time the popular mobilization was led not by “political parties or civil society organizations, but instead by young bloggers and web activists—primarily on TikTok,” Tangi Bihan wrote in a July WPR briefing. | | | You are receiving the free version of the Daily Review. The paid edition of this newsletter included additional On Our Radar items. Purchase a subscription now so you don’t miss anything. | | More from WPR | | Read all of our latest coverage here. |
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