What Actually Mattered This Week: Putin's V-Day Speech, But Without the Victory

I get a lot of questions both here and on the road ranging from bright spots I see on the horizon to the best book I’m reading. 

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WHAT ACTUALLY MATTERED THIS WEEK

My thoughts on some of this week’s biggest news stories:

Putin gives victory day speech, but without the victory

There was no victory declaration from when Putin gave his May 9 V-day speech.

That would’ve been the best possible outcome—him telling the country they’ve defeated the Nazis.

Instead, there are no changes here. No escalation from the speech. Just more fighting.

U.S. Congress plans nearly $40 billion more for Ukraine, COVID aid to wait

I’m all in favor of the United States providing Ukraine with more economic and military aid.

But passing that and delaying necessary COVID funding?

Give me a break, Congress.

Prefer long-form analysis? Here are my thoughts on how Three Global Crises Will Transform Our World—Depending on How We Respond to Them

TRUTHS, DAMNED TRUTHS, AND STATISTICS

Global leader approval ratings as of May 5:

Modi (India) 77%

AMLO (Mexico) 68%

Draghi (Italy) 53% (seems low)

Bolsonaro (Brazil) 42%

Kishida (Japan) 41%

Biden (US) 41%

Scholz (Germany) 36%

Macron (France) 36%

Johnson (UK) 30% (seems high)

- Morning Consult

THE GZERO WORLD WE’RE JUST LIVING IN

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GRAPHIC TRUTH

MY QUICK TAKE

My quick take on Putin’s Victory Day speech and keeping his war cards close:

WORLD IN 60 SECONDS

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Sri Lanka's prime minister resigned. Will its president be next?

Is Sinn Féin's victory a sign that a united Ireland is closer?

Find out in this week’s World in 60 Seconds!

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BECAUSE THE INTERNET

Finland, Sweden getting ready for NATO

WHAT TO READ THIS WEEK

Carbon Democracy: Political Power in the Age of Oil by Timothy Mitchell

Political theorist and Columbia professor Timothy Mitchell weaves an unconventional recount of the correlation between hydrocarbons, political power, and modern democracy. While technological advancements in utilizing these energy systems accelerated urbanization and labor movements at the local level, they also drove geopolitical power dynamics, resource nationalism and concerns of energy security – the likes of which have, yet again, taken hold of our world today. While Mitchell does not foresee the shale and renewable energy revolutions of the 2010s, he does pose powerful questions around the friction between democratic processes, climate change, and energy systems at the backbone of the global economy.

DEEP THOUGHTS

“The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude.” — Oprah Winfrey

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Ian Bremmer is president of Eurasia Group and GZERO Media and foreign affairs columnist at TIME. He currently teaches at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs and previously was a professor at New York University. You can follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.