WPR Daily Review.

"The U.S. won't abandon Europe" and "Sudan's ties to Russia."

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February 21, 2025

Hello, everyone. Today at WPR, we’re covering the U.S.-Europe alliance and Sudan’s ties to Russia.

But first, here’s our take on today’s top story:

CDU party leader Friedrich Merz speaks at his nomination as the party’s direct candidate for the Hochsauerland district parliamentary constituency, in Schmallenberg, Germany, Nov. 30, 2024 (DPA photo by Christoph Reichwein via AP Images).

German voters head to the polls Sunday for general elections that the center-right Christian Democratic Union, or CDU, is expected to win, although not with an outright majority. The election is taking place earlier than expected, after the three-party governing coalition led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz collapsed in November. (AP)

Our Take: The dominant storyline in international media throughout the run-up to Germany’s elections has been the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD, party, which polls have consistently shown is expected to finish in second place. Indeed, the rise of a party that...

	Subscribe to WPR to read our take on today’s top story.

After a whirlwind week of statements and developments raising serious questions about the U.S. security commitment in the trans-Atlantic alliance, many fear that Europe will soon be on its own when it comes to securing Ukraine and deterring future Russian attempts at territorial aggrandizement.

But as columnist Paul Poast writes, it’s critical not to overreact to the statements and events of last week. The U.S., even under Trump, is not abandoning NATO or Europe.

The U.S. Won’t Abandon Europe By Paul Poast A whirlwind week left observers writing the trans-Atlantic alliance’s eulogy. But the U.S., even under Trump, isn’t interested in abandoning Europe.

*****

During a press conference in Moscow last week, Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Youssif confirmed that plans for Russia’s naval base on Sudan’s Red Sea coast will proceed, declaring there are “no obstacles” to the project’s realization. Meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, Youssif stated that both nations had reached “complete agreement” on establishing the facility.

The issue, which has lingered since 2017, gained renewed attention in the aftermath of Youssif’s comments. However, the reality is far more nuanced than his statement suggests, with the prospect of a Russian base still remote despite reports framing the deal as finalized, Elfadil Ibrahim writes.

Sudan Isn’t as Committed to a Russian Base as It Seems By Elfadil Ibrahim The urgent necessities of civil war have driven Sudan toward Russia, but its leadership would still prefer better relations with the West.

This week, we asked: Do you see U.S. President Donald Trump and his policies as mainly:

The results? 82% of respondents said “A threat to U.S. democracy and the global order,” compared to 18% who said “A necessary correction to flawed domestic and global institutions.”

Read about how we’re approaching covering Trump in this recent edition of the Daily Review.

Yesterday, the U.K. accused Russia of planning to interfere in elections in the Central African Republic scheduled for later this year, saying that unnamed proxies have made plans to suppress political voices and conduct disinformation campaigns in the country.

International media has often focused on Russia’s growing ties in CAR, particularly in support of President Faustin-Archange Touadera, who has tightened his grip on power in recent years. But as Vianney Ingasso, John Lechner and Marcel Plichta wrote in 2023, while support from external powers is important, it will ultimately be local actors who determine Touadera’s future political success.

Wagner Is Only One Piece in Central African Republic’s Messy Puzzle By Vianney Ingasso, John Lechner and Marcel Plichta Jan. 31, 2023 | The Central African Republic’s president has secured a referendum on constitutional reform that would allow him to run for a third term.

*****

The Netherlands agreed Wednesday to return more than 100 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, which has been seeking the return of the artifacts. Thousands of the intricate bronze sculptures and castings were initially stolen by British soldiers during a raid in what is now southwestern Nigeria in 1897.

For decades, European countries and museums did not take the idea of returning cultural, religious or historical artifacts to African countries seriously. But a 2018 report commissioned by France’s president in response to activists’ demands helped jumpstart the restitution movement. As Ayodeji Rotinwa wrote in 2022, restitution successes are scattershot, but the conversation is now “how to return, not whether to return.”

Slowly but Surely, Africa’s Plundered Artifacts Are Coming Home By Ayodeji Rotinwa May 3, 2022 | The conversation around returning African artifacts has completely shifted in the past five years.

*****

The U.S. is reportedly refusing to co-sponsor a U.N. resolution marking the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that demands Russia withdraw its troops from the country and backs Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty. Separately, the U.S. is also reportedly opposing the use of the phrase “Russian aggression” in a planned G7 statement about the war.

The reports come after the U.S. and Russia, following talks earlier this week, said that they would seek a diplomatic reset. Read more in this edition of the Daily Review.

More from WPR

Daniel W. Drezner on U.S. deterrence. John Boyce on threats to the EU’s climate policy. Ulrike Franke on Europe’s trans-Atlantic wakeup call. Joshua Kurlantzick and Abigail McGowan on the Philippines’ brutal drug war.

Read all of our latest coverage here.

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