Situation Reports

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi gave a speech outlining her policies on Feb. 20 to open a special session of the Diet that will last through July 17, according to a readout from the prime minister's office.

North Korea's supreme leader Kim Jong Un gave a speech on Feb. 20 in Pyongyang to open the Workers' Party of Korea's quinquennial party congress, which North Korea's KCNA said began on Feb. 19.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto signed the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade with the United States, lowering U.S. tariffs on most Indonesian exports from a threatened 32% to 19% in exchange for Indonesia eliminating tariffs on roughly 99% of U.S. exports and easing nontariff barriers such as import licensing and local content rules, according to a readout from the Office of the United States Trade Representative published Feb. 20.

Russia's aluminum giant Rusal requested enforcement measures in its 100 billion ruble ($1.1 billion) claim against British-Australian mining company Rio Tinto, including seizure of a stake in an unnamed company widely believed to be Rio Tinto's 66% holding in Mongolia's Oyu Tolgoi copper project, Kommersant reported on Feb. 20, citing a Russian appellate court filing.

Colombia's President Gustavo Petro issued a decree maintaining the 23.7% increase to the minimum wage his government announced in December, but which the country's top administrative court had suspended on Feb. 13, El Pais reported on Feb. 19.

After attending the India AI Impact Summit, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will hold bilateral talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Feb. 21, Bloomberg reported on Feb. 19.

A nuclear cooperation deal between the United States and Saudi Arabia may include provisions for the latter to domestically enrich uranium, Reuters reported on Feb. 19, citing congressional documents.

The U.S. Department of Defense warned it would retaliate if the European Union amends its defense procurement directive in ways that restrict U.S. arms manufacturers' access to member-state contracts, Politico reported on Feb. 19.

South Korean unification minister Chung Dong-young expressed "regret" over recent civilian drone incursions into North Korea and announced three measures to prevent future incidents, including reinstating a no-fly zone near the border, the Korean Broadcasting System reported on Feb. 19.

Three Vietnamese airlines announced about $37 billion worth of Boeing aircraft purchases and related financing and engine agreements as Communist Party chief To Lam visited Washington to finalize the two countries' larger trade deals and attend U.S. President Donald Trump's inaugural Board of Peace meeting, state media Bao Chinh Phu reported on Feb. 19.