The Plakhov Group

In May 2026, Donald Trump, accompanied by a high-profile business delegation, visited China for a high-stakes summit with Xi Jinping. Goods trade volume between the United States and China stood at $445 billion in 2025. Infographic by Anadolu Ajansı #USA #China #EU #Europe #NATO #Security #War #Military #Politics #Geopolitics #InternationalAffairs #НАТО #Безпека #Війна #Військоваполітика #Геополітика #Міжнароднівідносини

Western support for Ukraine has increasingly shifted toward Europe as US aid slowed and stalled after President Donald Trump returned to office in 2025. Europe has now surpassed the United States as Ukraine’s largest backer, providing more than $235 billion in aid between January 2022 and February 2026, compared with roughly $135 billion from the US. Infographic by Statista #Russia #Ukraine #RussoUkrainianWar #EU #Europe #NATO #Security #War #Military #Politics #Geopolitics #InternationalAffairs #Росія #Україна #ЄС #Європа #НАТО #Безпека #Війна #Військоваполітика #Геополітика #Міжнароднівідносини

Russia’s economy appears to be losing momentum, with GDP contracting year-on-year in January and February 2026 after several years of relatively strong growth following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The slowdown has coincided with declining fossil fuel export revenues, which had previously helped stabilize the economy despite Western sanctions and war-related pressures. Although recent geopolitical tensions temporarily boosted energy revenues, the broader trend points to mounting structural challenges, including sanctions, dependence on energy exports, and Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure. Infographic by Statista #Russia #Ukraine #RussoUkrainianWar #EU #Europe #NATO #Security #War #Military #Politics #Geopolitics #InternationalAffairs #Росія #Україна #ЄС #Європа #НАТО #Безпека #Війна #Військоваполітика #Геополітика #Міжнароднівідносини

This week, I had the pleasure of returning to the Conference of Defence Associations Institute’s graduate student conference for a second time, presenting my working paper: « Mobilizing the Market: Making SAFE Work for Canada ». It was a pleasure to hear so many insightful presentations and meet stakeholders from all over. In my presentation, I discuss the recent SAFE agreement with the European Union and emphasize the importance of getting defence-industrial cooperation right. By remembering the end user, focusing on value-chain presence, and fostering long-term business prospects, Canada can ensure SAFE delivers tangible benefits to both military and commercial stakeholders. I give my thanks to the judges for their time, as well as the team at the CDA Institute for their invite and organizing the event: Kawtar Kathi, Emmylou Sergent, Kevin Budning, PhD. In the coming months I hope to integrate the feedback I receive and release the work as a publication!

The Supreme Court Battle over Tariffs: Judgement Sources: The New York Times, BBC, The Guardian, Forbes, CBC #USA #Europe #NATO #Security #War #Military #Politics #Geopolitics #InternationalAffairs #США #ЄС #Європа #НАТО #Безпека #Війна #Геополітика #Міжнароднівідносини

The Plakhov Group is looking for a Data Analyst (Volunteer, Part-Time, Remote) to join our team. This role is a great opportunity to work with data in a meaningful way – helping turn complex information into clear, actionable insights while contributing to real-world analysis 🌎 In this role, you will: • Gather, analyze, and visualize data to support insights • Build data models and create dashboards • Identify and communicate key trends • Work with internal and external data sources • Collaborate with team members and present findings clearly We’re looking for someone who brings: • Strong analytical thinking and data skills • Experience with data modeling and statistical methods • Comfort working with large datasets • Clear communication and ability to explain complex ideas Considered an asset: • Interest in geopolitics and global trends • Experience with Excel and tools like Power BI Apply at: demyan@theplakhovgroup.ca 📩 #Data #Analysis #Canada #EU #Europe #NATO #Security #War #Military #Politics #Geopolitics #InternationalAffairs #Канада #ЄС #Європа #НАТО #Безпека #Війна #Військоваполітика #Геополітика #Міжнароднівідносини

Democracy’s global decline may be easing, with the latest EIU index showing that nearly three-quarters of countries held steady or improved, driven in part by gains in Latin America. Notably, while Canada climbed to ninth place, the United States declined amid deepening political polarization and institutional strain, remaining a flawed democracy. Map by The Economist #Canada #EU #Europe #NATO #Security #War #Military #Politics #Geopolitics #InternationalAffairs #Канада #ЄС #Європа #НАТО #Безпека #Війна #Військоваполітика #Геополітика

Daily Ops is your go-to morning brief for what actually matters in global geopolitics 🌎 We track developments throughout the day, cut through the noise, and go straight to the source — so you get a clear, concise picture in just a few minutes, delivered to your inbox every morning 📩 Starting May 4, Daily Ops will move to a paid subscription at $2.99/month to help us keep building and improving the product. Sign up through the link and secure your access: https://lnkd.in/e94cm5CC #Canada #EU #Europe #NATO #Security #War #Military #Politics #Geopolitics #InternationalAffairs #Канада #ЄС #Європа #НАТО #Безпека #Війна #Військоваполітика #Геополітика #Міжнароднівідносини