The Week Ahead: Key Developments Impacting Global Politics & Markets

December 8, 2024

By Ukraine

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Editor's note: This article is a shortened on-site version of KI Insights' The Week Ahead newsletter covering events from Dec. 9 to Dec. 15. Sign up here to start your week with an agenda of Ukraine-related events, delivered directly to your inbox every Sunday.

Romania's newly elected Parliament to set a new date for presidential elections after the Constitutional Court nullified the first-round results. The Court's decision came after determining that Georgescu's winning campaign was coordinated from abroad. Recent exit polls had suggested Georgescu was favored to win with 57.8% of votes compared to Lasconi's 42.2%.

Electoral authorities found that Georgescu's support was artificially inflated from 1% to 22% through coordinated TikTok manipulation involving 25,000 accounts. Georgescu, who has taken an anti-Ukraine stance by promising to ban Ukrainian grain imports and halt military aid, represents a growing trend of Ukraine-skeptical leaders within NATO and the EU.

Georgian lawmakers will elect a new president on Dec. 14. The electoral college, controlled by the anti-Western Georgian Dream party, will choose a successor to pro-European Salome Zourabichvili – a move likely to spark new protests. This marks the first time Georgia will use this election procedure since constitutional changes were made in 2017.

Protests have swept across Georgia since Nov. 28, when Georgian Dream announced it would suspend EU integration talks until 2028 while pushing for closer ties with Russia. Thousands have gathered for demonstrations in major cities, where police have reportedly used excessive force during arrests.

The G7 summit will be held online, likely on Dec. 13. Leaders are expected to discuss Russia's aggression against Ukraine and the Middle East situation, among other issues. They will also aim to reaffirm their solidarity in maintaining the international order as they prepare for U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to take office.

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Other events and milestones:

Dec. 9-11: 7th German-Ukrainian Economic Forum, Berlin. The forum hosts key leaders from business, politics, and civil society to focus on the economic opportunities for German-Ukrainian cooperation. Denys Shmyhal and Olaf Scholz expected to attend. Register here.
Dec. 10: “Demographic Forecasting: Refugee Flows in Winter and Post-War Population” online briefing by KI Insights on Tuesday. Register here. Add to your calendar here. Read more event details here.
Dec. 11-12: Ukrainian "Own Elevator" Grain Storage Forum, Lviv. The forum brings together farmers interested in developing grain storage and processing capabilities. The event is organized by The Ukrainian Farmer magazine. Register here.
Dec. 12: “From Pyongyang to Kyiv: The Koreas’ Growing Role in the Russo-Ukrainian War” Q&A session with a renowned North Korea expert Dr. Edward Howell of Christ Church, University of Oxford, on Thursday. Register here. Add to your calendar here. Read more event details here.