We start today’s double podcast providing an update on Ukraine and why Kiev is beginning to feel boxed in with regards to the future trajectory of the war. We then move onto moves to improve relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia and why Tel Aviv may be signaling that there is room for manoeuvre with regards to Palestine. We then move onto relations between China and the EU which gives rise to cautious optimism despite ongoing divisions inside Europe in this regard and discuss how foreign investment in China is progressing contrary to the conventional wisdom of Western media sources. We conclude discussing Iran and how they and Russia are assessing a venture which would transform global energy markets and how certain countries in Europe are keen to cooperate with Iran in terms of energy and non-energy trade.