Brian Whitmore, Center for European Policy Analysis
This was the week when COVID-19 got real in Russia. Confirmed cases surpassed 1,000—which is still suspiciously low.
In a nationally televised speech, Vladimir Putin postponed the April 22 constitutional amendment. And Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin was placed in charge of the national response.
Hans Von Der Burchard et al, Politico EU
The Netherlands tried Friday to calm outrage in southern Europe over its stance on the economic response to the coronavirus after a Dutch minister's comments were branded "repugnant" by Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa.
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Nicu Popescu, ECFR
After the crisis, the EU will face the same geopolitical problems it did before. But, this time, it might need to tackle them with less internal solidarity and external credibility.
John Ioannidis, National Post
There is a possibility that many of our aggressive measures could be doing more harm than good
Andre Picard, Globe & Mail
When the U.S. sneezes, the old adage goes, Canada catches a cold.
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Frida Ghitis, World Politics Review
The war of words between Chinese officials and President Donald Trump has been furious in recent days, as each side tries to push its own agenda amid the coronavirus pandemic. It would be a mistake, however, to view this crossfire as mutually retaliatory. These are two separate messaging campaigns, each pursuing different, self-interested objectives.
Adam Tooze, Foreign Policy
The pandemic is starting to topple one of the pillars of the globalization era.
Leo Lewis & Mural Ahmed, FT
Tokyo 2020 was supposed to reinvigorate the country and postponement could hit economy hard.
Irfan Husain, Dawn
Vijay Sardana, Indian Express
The government must start planning now to prevent post-lockdown chaos, especially profiteering in the event of shortages. Smooth recovery from the lockdown is as important as managing supplies during the lockdown.
Francis Fukuyama, The Atlantic
The major dividing line in effective crisis response will not place autocracies on one side and democracies on the other.
Angel Ubide, El Pais
The battle against the coronavirus represents an existential challenge for the eurozone, and member countries must mutualize the solution accordingly
Stefano Liberti, Worldcrunch
VERONA — Andrea Fasoli can't harvest his produce. From his fields in the province of Verona, the small-farm owner is sounding alarm bells about the agricultural sector, which is being hit extra hard by the coronavirus crisis.
G. Allison & C. Li, Nat’l Interest
Can the US and China be ruthless rivals and intense partners at the same time? Holding two seemingly contradictory ideas in our head simultaneously will be difficult. But success in defeating this demon will require nothing less.
Seth Frantzman, The Hill
The coronavirus pandemic came to the Middle East in February with reports of its spread in Iran. By early March it was reported in numerous countries, but levels remained relatively low for several weeks. Now, like most of the world, the region is suffering from thousands of new cases a day. However, responses to the pandemic range from lockdowns of the sort we have seen in the United Kingdom to more laissez-faire approaches....
John Authers, Bloomberg View
Margarita Assenova, Jamestown
The timing could not have been worse for Russia to provoke a spat with Saudi Arabia over oil production quotas in early March. Moscow’s decision to withdraw from the OPEC+ agreement restricting oil production in order to maintain higher oil prices triggered a harsh reaction by Riyadh that sent oil prices spiraling down to below $25 per barrel in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic (Oilprice.com, March 24). The price of Russian Urals oil dipped even lower,...