What We’re Watching: Western allies prep for Alaska summit, Panama plays both sides, Israel proposes new plan for Palestinians

The West huddles ahead of Alaska summit

During a planned group call later today, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and some of his fellow European leaders will press US President Donald Trump to consult Kyiv more deeply. Europe is concerned that Trump will concede to certain Moscow’s demands when he meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. For its part, the White House has dimmed expectations for the summit, saying it would be a “listening exercise.” Meanwhile, Kyiv and Moscow have continued to trade blows this week, with Ukraine attacking a Russian oil facility overnight.

Panama plays both sides in US-China canal rivalry

Panama is leveraging US-China tensions to drive an $8.5 billion infrastructure push, including new ports on the canal’s Atlantic and Pacific coasts, a gas pipeline, and a reservoir. All this is fueled by canal revenues surging to about $5 billion this year — as shippers rushed to beat new US tariffs — and as the government is courting both Washington and Beijing in a high-stakes competition for projects. But the tightrope walk may be tricky to sustain: both the US and China have interests in the possible sale of two key ports from Hong Kong’s CK Hutchinson to US investment giant BlackRock. Will Panama be able to successfully play both sides?

Could Israel send Gazans to South Sudan?

Israel is reportedly talking to South Sudan over whether it can send Palestinians from the Gaza strip to the landlocked East African state — even as South Sudan looks to be close to another civil war. It’s unclear how advanced these talks are, but it could be part of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s broader possible desire to relocate Gaza’s population. If so, Israel wouldn’t be the first country to move people to South Sudan this year: the United States deported eight migrants there in July, even though only one was actually from the country.