MNI POLITICAL RISK ANALYSIS – US Daily Brief 11-03-22

Executive Summary:

• 10:15 ET 15:15 GMT: President Joe Biden is set to announce plans to strip Russia of its 'most favourable nation' status at the World Trade Organisation to remove preferential treatment associated with developing nation status. This could be followed by a raft of tariffs on Russian exports.
• Biden held a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan yesterday. Erdogan asked Biden to remove US defence sanctions on Turkey imposed in 2020 by the Trump administration in response to the Turkish purchase of a Russia s-400 missile defence system. There was no word or whether the two leaders discussion the closing of the Bosporus to Russian warships, a potential flashpoint between NATO and Russia.
• The Senate followed the House in rapidly passing the USD$1.5 trillion FY22 omnibus last night. The bill passed with a vote of 68-31 and is now headed for President Biden desk.
• The US will officially recognise Colombia as a major non-NATO ally following a meeting between Biden and Colombian president Ivan Duque Marquez at the White House yesterday. The move follows a similar designation to Qatar recently and is part of a Biden administration drive to firm up bilateral relationships with key energy supplies.
• The Biden administration is expected to announce new sanctions on North Korea aimed at preventing the country from advancing its weapons program after intercontinental ballistic missile tests.

MNI POLITICAL RISK ANALYSIS – US Daily Brief 11-03-22 .pdf