We start today;s double podcast discussing another Chinese development which has huge ramifications for both shipping routes and supply chains. We then move onto developments associated with Ukraine relating to Trump\s recent comments and also how the US is telegraphing that it is run on fumes in terms of its military hardware inventories which will have a profound impact on the course of the Ukraine war. We conclude by assessing changes in US policy initiatives with respect to the QUAD alliance, AUKUS and also European nations under the NATO umbrella.