The Week Ahead: Key Developments Impacting Global Politics & Markets

Editor's note: This article is an on-site version of KI Insights' The Week Ahead newsletter covering events from Jan. 13 to Jan. 20. Sign up here to start your week with an agenda of Ukraine-related events, delivered directly to your inbox every Sunday.

With 8 eight days left until the Jan. 20 inauguration of Donald Trump, global policy makers are ramping up preparations for what a Trump 2 presidency could bring. Although the incoming administration has hardly been quite (incl. with concerning statements on NATO, Greenland, Canada and the Panama canal), the coming weeks will provide an indication on what is posturing and what is policy – and what decisions need to be made.

Military planning and security, as well as the viability of major global alliances, will be a key theme. On Jan. 13 NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will attend a joint committee meeting at the European Parliament. The session takes place amid questions about the US commitment to European security (a live stream of Rutte’s remarks and session transcript will be available on the NATO website).

Jan. 15-16 NATO’s Military Committee will convene in Brussels. The meeting will bring together Allied Chiefs of Defense and over 20 counterparts from NATO Partner nations to discuss strategic issues and foster cooperation in addressing global challenges. The first session will feature General Cavoli, the United States European Command commander, briefing on NATO’s readiness to deter and defend the Euro-Atlantic region while safeguarding its one billion inhabitants.

Discussions will explore NATO’s ongoing missions and support for Ukraine, including the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU), which has taken on responsibilities to bolster Ukraine’s defense. Rutte will join the opening session to outline key priorities and challenges for the alliance.

The Ad Hoc Working Party on the Multi-Agency Donor Coordination Platform for Ukraine will convene at the European Council headquarters in Brussels on Jan. 17. This meeting will bring together representatives from EU member states, international organizations, and other stakeholders to coordinate strategies for providing aid and supporting Ukraine’s immediate financing needs and its long-term economic recovery and reconstruction efforts.

In global news, on Jan. 14 South Korea’s Constitutional Court will begin the impeachment trial of President Yoon Suk Yeol (he will not attend, being “holed up” in his residence to avoid arrest). South Korea’s internal turmoil complicates support to Ukraine, which was set to ramp up due to North Korea’s entry into the war.

In the latest chapter of France’s tumultuous internal politics, the new centrist Prime Minister François Bayrou is expected to lay out his policy priorities on Tuesday Jan. 14 in his first address to the French parliament.

A driving force of political disruption, TikTok is set to shut down in the US on Jan. 19 unless President-elect Donald Trump finds a way to save the platform. The Supreme Court has signaled it will uphold the ban, which could impact 170 mn US users.

Looking forward, the diplomatic year will kick off in full swing with the World Economic Forum’s Annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 20-24.

Of note, Ukraine will enter a period of mostly painful historical anniversaries, starting with the Jan. 19 Hrushevskoho street riots (a turning point in the EuroMaidan revolution, following the passage of anti-protest “dictatorial” laws) and the Unity Day on Jan. 22 (when the West Ukrainian People’s Republic and Ukrainian People’s Republic formed a short-lived, independent union). This period will continue through Feb. 24, which will mark 3 years of full-scale war against Russia.

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Other events and milestones:

  • Jan. 13: Online Policy Dialogue: "2025: A Decisive Year for Ukraine" hosted by the European Policy Centre. Key speakers include Andriy Zagorodnyuk, Centre for Defense Strategies Chairman, and Lt. General Ben Hodges. Discussions will focus on Ukraine’s security, conflict resolution, and long-term stability.
  • Jan. 13–17: UN sessions at Palais Wilson, Geneva. Ukraine’s human rights situation and conflict-related issues may feature as part of the broader agenda, which will include meetings of the working groups on discrimination against women and girls and on racial discrimination (i.e., the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action).
  • Jan. 15: Conference: "The Price of Weakness" Hosted by ECR MEP Reinis Pozņaks, this high-level conference will feature discussions on Europe's response to the ongoing war in Ukraine and strategies to address Russian aggression.
  • Jan. 16: The European Parliamentary Research Service will hold a policy round-table "Ten Issues to Watch in 2025" in the Library of the European Parliament in Brussels to discuss key issues anticipated to shape the EU’s agenda in 2025.

2025 – A Turning Point for Ukraine
Editor’s note: This article is a special edition of the KI Insights’ The Week Ahead newsletter, looking at challenges and opportunities facing Ukraine in 2025. 2025 is gearing up to be a decisive year for Ukraine. The country’s leadership will need to navigate a turbulent international landscape, a…
The Week Ahead: Key Developments Impacting Global Politics & Markets

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