Good morning, readers!

As we pull down the curtain on a whirlwind week in global politics, it’s clear that the theme of “diversity of interests” stole the show.

From nation to nation, party to party, and even person to person, opinions were so varied we couldn’t keep up with them all.

What we learned: It’s tempting to retreat into an “us vs them” mentality to fight this complexity, but we have to make the effort to consider other opinions as well. Nothing is black and white.

👉🏻 Our first story is a perfect representation of this struggle.

Today’s geopolitics hotspots

Zelensky met with cold shoulders.

Ukrainian President Zelensky visited the US capital for the second time on Thursday. Unlike his first time, he was largely met with rejection, ridicule, and indifference.

🇺🇸 Biden’s mixed signals.

Let’s kick off with a ray of hope for Ukraine.

• President Biden met with Zelensky at the White House and promised to stand by Ukraine "as long as it takes."

• He also unveiled a military aid package worth $325 million, brimming with anti-tank missiles and air defense tech.

• And the cherry on top? The first batch of US Abrams tanks are set to roll into Ukraine next week.

Sounds good, right? Well, not so fast.

• The Biden administration also denied Ukraine the long-range missiles it had its eyes on, which could have given Ukraine the upper hand to strike deep into Russian territory.

🐘 Republicans’ snub.

But Biden wasn’t the only one to rain on Zelensky’s parade. The Republicans in Congress, too, gave him the cold shoulder.

• Led by Sen. J.D. Vance and Rep. Chip Roy, they sent a letter to the White House opposing Biden’s request for more aid for Ukraine.

  • Their argument: They’ve got bigger internal problems to tackle, such as the border crisis and inflation.

• House Speaker Kevin McCarthy also spoke with Zelensky privately but refused to let him speak to the House.

• And he is also considering axing any Ukraine-related provisions from the contentious Pentagon spending bill to avert a government shutdown.

🌎 Global implications.

Zelensky may have left Washington with some new weapons and some nice words, but he also left with a lot of doubts and worries.

Navigating the tightrope of Ukraine war funding is no small feat.

• Yes, the prospect of future leverage over Ukraine’s resources is a compelling argument for the US to open its wallet.

• But let’s not forget, Ukraine’s track record is stained with corruption scandals.

• Plus, the US has mounting internal problems of its own.

Empathy for both perspectives is needed.

✱ ALSO: Now he’s off to Canada, where he is set to address the parliament today.

🌟 Today’s gem

Quick updates

Click the country's name for more.👇🏻

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia:

Saudi prince wants nukes if Iran gets them.

The US is trying to broker a deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia, but there’s a catch: the Saudis want nuclear help from the US. And not just any help, they want to enrich uranium and reprocess plutonium, which could be used to make bombs.

✱ ALSO: Prince Mohammed bin Salman is playing the same game he played back in 2018.

🇷🇺 Russia:

Russia bans fuel exports amid domestic crisis.

You might want to fill up your tank before it’s too late. Russia has just put a halt on exporting petrol and diesel to most countries, effective immediately. The reason? To keep its own fuel market from overheating. The Kremlin says the ban is only temporary.

✱ ALSO: But traders are not buying it. Diesel prices in Europe have soared 5% in response, and crude oil is nearing $100 a barrel.

🇮🇳 India:

India shuts down visa services in Canada.

If you’re a Canadian citizen who wants to visit India, you might want to rethink your travel plans. India has just suspended all visa services for Canadians, effective immediately. This means that Canadians who want to travel to India for tourism, business, or education will not be able to get a visa.

✱ ALSO: India doesn’t allow dual citizenship. So Canadians of Indian origin are concerned about how this might affect their Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card—a long-term visa for such people.

🇱🇧 Lebanon:

Shooting near the US embassy in Beirut.

A gunman opened fire near the entrance of the U.S. embassy in Lebanon on Wednesday night, sparking a security alert and an investigation. The motive and identity of the shooter are unknown. The embassy said no one was injured and the facility was safe.

✱ ALSO: The incident comes 40 years after a deadly bombing attack on the embassy that killed 63 people, including 17 Americans.

🇸🇾 Syria:

Assad seeks China’s cash in rare visit.

Syria’s war-torn president is in China for the first time in 19 years, hoping to get some money from his old friend. But will China cough up the cash for Assad’s reconstruction dreams?

Assad is betting on China’s ambitions in the Middle East and its willingness to host leaders shunned by others—many of whom are autocrats.

✱ ALSO: He may face disappointment, as China has not delivered on its previous promises of investment in Syria—namely, the $2 billion promised in 2017.