World Briefing Plus: From Chișinău to Yerevan: Fault Lines, Fuel Shocks and a New Caucasus Crossroads
Reporting from Moldova, I unpack Strait of Hormuz chaos, travel pain, Russian oil lifelines extended by the Trump Administration - and why the South Caucasus matters now
World Briefing Plus is back - and this week I’m reporting from Chișinău, gateway to my next assignment: Armenia.
Starting Monday, I’ll spend a week on the ground in one of the world’s most underreported yet strategically important countries - a nation with major potential as a remote-work and creator hub, and as a vital new trade and energy corridor linking Europe, the Caucasus and beyond as it carefully pivots away from Russia, manages a fresh peace deal with Azerbaijan, and explores renewed ties with Turkey. I’ll also head to Armenia’s border with Iran to hear directly from people living on a sensitive geopolitical fault line.
But first: this week’s big global shocks.
I unpack the worsening instability in the Strait of Hormuz, where attacks on shipping and fresh Iranian threats are once again rattling global energy markets - despite rosy declarations from Washington. From Manila to Bangkok to Odesa to Chișinău, higher fuel costs are squeezing households, businesses and airlines alike. I explain why travelers should brace for more pain ahead.
I also examine the highly controversial U.S. decision to extend sanctions relief on Russian oil - a move that risks funnelling yet more money into the Kremlin’s war machine as Ukrainian cities remain under attack.
And I revisit the key arguments in my latest Globe and Mail op-ed: why Volodymyr Zelensky should use newfound leverage with Gulf states to pressure Moscow - and why Turkey, not Washington, should be seen as the more credible bridge toward serious negotiations.
This is the kind of on-the-ground analysis only paid subscribers receive each Saturday. Upgrade today to a paid subscription to support independent journalism and unlock the full video. You can also support my reporting and commentary mission via my Patreon page or through PayPal.
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***I invite you to view a clip from my opening keynote to the annual Toronto Ukrainian Film Festival, which I delivered live early Friday morning from Odesa. Click here to watch
