NATO Summit Tensions, Hormuz Uncertainty, and Container Rate Hikes
This edition covers the delicate diplomacy at the NATO summit amidst US-Europe friction and the ongoing Ukraine war, the persistent supply chain risks in the Strait of Hormuz despite diplomatic efforts, and the continued surge in container freight rates driven by peak season demand and carrier strategies.
Summit To Talk About
Allies seek to tread carefully at NATO summit, while Kyiv and Moscow trade blows in the Donbas.
NATO leaders are gathering in Ankara this week for the alliance’s annual summit, and it is fair to say that many will arrive in the Turkish capital with bated breath as to how it will unfold. The summit comes amidst unprecedented friction between the US and the rest of the alliance on everything from American designs on Greenland to NATO allies’ refusal to join the Iran conflict. Bitter as US President Donald Trump may be that NATO won’t roll over on these points, his scepticism of the alliance is deepest on budget contributions, having long accused European allies of “freeloading”. US complaints about European defence spending are nothing new, but Trump has taken them much further. Trump is expected to establish a system in which higher-spending allies secure “front of the queue” access to US military purchases, and the US Defence Secretary has also started review of US military positions…
Verify to keep reading
This is a preview of this week’s edition — 5 stories in full. Sign in with a verified Affinity Research account to read the rest, plus every research report.
Don’t have access yet? Request it at support@affinityship.com.