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In a striking move, the United States took yet another step back from Ukraine and its allies by abstaining from a key vote at the International Labour Organization (ILO). This is the second such abstention in Geneva, following a similar move at the World Trade Organization last month. At the UN General Assembly, the US went even further, voting with North Korea and other Russian allies against a western-backed resolution denouncing the invasion and tabling a more conciliatory text, raising concerns that Ukraine may no longer rely on the US as a leading force to plead its cause at multilateral bodies.
Trade policy uncertainty and the prospect of more tariffs could disrupt global goods trade, according to a World Trade Organization report released this week. Global goods trade was steady in the fourth quarter of last year and appear to continue growing in the first months of 2025, but that could be undone by a looming global trade war.
March 13 the Senate confirmed Jeffrey Kessler as Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security by a mostly party-line vote of 54 to 45. Upon taking office, Kessler has pledged to review and reform BIS operations, particularly its role in preventing China and other adversaries from accessing advanced U.S. technologies. He has expressed skepticism about the AI Diffusion Rule, questioning its effectiveness in addressing national security risks and signaling his intent to revisit its implementation.
