MOSCOW, September 8. /TASS/. The draft US National Defense Strategy places defending US territory and the Western Hemisphere over containing China; Switzerland is considering participation in a future peacekeeping mission to Ukraine; and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s resignation after just six months intensifies Japan’s political turmoil. These stories topped Monday’s newspaper headlines across Russia.
Vedomosti: US may scale back role in countering China, shifting burden onto regional allies
China’s chances of regaining control over Taiwan may rise under US President Donald Trump, according to the South China Morning Post. This conclusion is based on reports that the draft text of the new US National Defense Strategy, which is still under development, designates the defense of US territory and the Western Hemisphere as its top priority, rather than the containment of China. According to experts interviewed by Vedomosti, Trump’s new defense strategy reflects limited American capabilities, shifts more responsibility to Asia-Pacific allies like Japan and Australia, prioritizes curbing China’s influence in the Western Hemisphere, and may also serve Trump’s domestic political agenda.
Politico reported citing three Pentagon sources that a copy of the new National Defense Strategy, delivered to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth last week, places domestic and regional objectives above countering such rivals as Beijing and Moscow. According to one of them, the new approach will significantly change the situation for the United States and its allies "on several continents," while also casting doubt on Washington’s previous foreign policy commitments. The report emphasized that Hegseth retains the authority to introduce revisions to the draft.
Since the United States lacks the resources to pursue global objectives in the Pacific theater, it plans for now to focus on challenges in its own region and may push its Asia-Pacific allies to assume a more active role in containing China, Dmitry Stefanovich, researcher at the Center for International Security of the Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told Vedomosti.
Trump wants US regional allies such as Australia and Japan to contribute more significantly to the containment system against China, Vladimir Vasilyev, chief research fellow at the Institute for US and Canadian Studies, agreed. Moreover, Washington now aims to focus on the Western Hemisphere and limit China’s influence there by every possible means, including the use of military force.
Yet the expert stressed that Trump also has domestic political goals, which may shape the new National Defense Strategy. He explained that the provisions on deploying armed forces to defend US territory could be used by Trump to justify employing the National Guard and federal troops in Democratic-led states under the pretext of combating crime.
Izvestia: Switzerland weighs sending peacekeepers to Ukraine despite neutrality debate
European countries are discussing the possibility of deploying military contingents to Ukrainian territory once a ceasefire is in place. Neutral Switzerland is also considering joining a peacekeeping mission, with the issue expected to be raised in parliament during the fall session. The State Secretariat for Security Policy (SEPOS), part of the Swiss Ministry of Defense, told Izvestia that participation in peacekeeping operations does not, in its view, contradict Bern’s neutrality principles. Experts, however, argue that peacekeepers are of limited use if the root causes of the conflict remain unresolved, suggesting that observers from the SCO and BRICS countries could instead be sent if necessary.
"Participation in international peacekeeping operations is one of the missions of the Swiss Armed Forces, enshrined in legislation. In line with Switzerland’s long-standing policy and international law, involvement in missions operating under a UN Security Council mandate does not conflict with the Neutrality Act," SEPOS Head of Communications Ursina Bentele told Izvestia.
The Swiss People’s Party, which holds a majority in the National Council (the lower house of parliament), will oppose any plans to send troops to Ukraine, Parliament member Jean-Luc Addor told Izvestia. "Our party will fight resolutely against any parliamentary initiative aimed at deploying Swiss troops to Ukraine. We will use all parliamentary instruments at our disposal to block it," he stressed.
"The Russian side has made it clear on numerous occasions that it will not accept any scenarios involving the deployment of military contingents to Ukraine with the participation of NATO countries. Bern must understand that this position extends to the Confederation as well: while formally outside the military bloc, once-neutral Switzerland has adopted an anti-Russian course by joining sanctions against our country and is becoming increasingly drawn into military cooperation with NATO and the European Union," the Russian Embassy in Bern told Izvestia.
"As a temporary measure along the line of contact in the event of a ceasefire, observers could be deployed to monitor possible violations of the truce. Specialists from the Global South, BRICS and SCO member states and partners, could well serve in this role," Ivan Loshkarev, associate professor at the Department of Political Theory of MGIMO University of the Russian Foreign Ministry, told Izvestia.
Media: PM resignation intensifies Japan’s political crisis, but leaves Moscow ties unchanged
Japan has once again slid into political turmoil, with the country seeing its fourth change of prime minister in just five years. Shigeru Ishiba announced his resignation a little more than six months after taking office. The official explanation was his desire to prevent a split within the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). The ruling coalition, led by the LDP, has already lost its majority in both chambers of parliament. While changes of government have become increasingly frequent in Japan, experts told Izvestia that forming a stable opposition coalition in this case will be challenging.
The prime minister’s exit reflects the LDP’s failure to overcome a crisis of public trust brought on by financial scandals, its inability to deliver on election promises, and its failure to defend the interests of ordinary citizens, Olga Dobrinskaya, senior research fellow at the Institute of China and Contemporary Asia, told Izvestia.
Speaking to Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Valery Kistanov, head of the Center for Japanese Studies at the Institute of China and Contemporary Asia of the Russian Academy of Sciences, noted, "Ishiba is being blamed for having effectively failed in leading the party after coming to power. He lost every election he could possibly lose. As a result, the LDP and its coalition partner lost their majority, were forced to form minority governments, and had to cooperate with the opposition."
"As for the frontrunners in the race for the premiership, no figure of Ishiba’s stature is visible at the moment. The press is naming Shinjiro Koizumi, son of the former prime minister, and Sanae Takaichi, a woman known for her far-right views," Kistanov added.
Relations between Moscow and Tokyo have deteriorated sharply since the launch of Russia’s special military operation. In his policy speech, Ishiba underscored Japan’s continued support for Ukraine and adherence to sanctions against Russia. The looming change of leadership in Japan is unlikely to improve ties between Tokyo and Moscow, Senior Researcher at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences Vladimir Nelidov told Izvestia.
"The overwhelming majority of Japan’s political forces generally adhere to a firmly entrenched anti-Russian consensus aligned with the Western outlook. Accordingly, rapprochement will not occur until the broader crisis in Russia-West relations is resolved," the expert said.
Kommersant: OPEC+ extends output growth with October quota rise of 137,000 bpd
OPEC+ has decided to maintain production increases in October, despite expectations of a pause following the early termination of voluntary output cuts. Analysts interviewed by Kommersant believe the alliance is seeking to recover market share lost during the production restraint period but will likely suspend further increases starting in November, when seasonal demand declines.
Eight OPEC+ member states will collectively boost oil output in October by 137,000 barrels per day (bpd) from the required September level, the organization announced. Russia’s quota will increase from 9.44 mln bpd in September (excluding overproduction compensation) to 9.49 mln bpd in October. Saudi Arabia’s allocation will climb from 9.97 mln to 10.02 mln bpd, while the United Arab Emirates’ quota will edge up from 3.37 mln to 3.38 mln bpd.
The decision was made in light of the stable outlook for the global economy and favorable market conditions, reflected in low oil stockpiles, the alliance stated. A meeting of the eight OPEC+ states to set November production levels is scheduled for October 5. By the end of October, the quotas of the leading OPEC+ countries will have risen by 2.6 mln bpd compared with March, fully offsetting the voluntary 2.2 mln bpd reduction agreed in 2023. Kirill Bakhtin, senior analyst at BCS, told the newspaper that the eight countries are now moving into a new phase - restoring additional 1.65 mln bpd voluntarily cut since May 2023. Although no timeline has been set for this process, at a pace of 0.14 mln bpd per month it could take exactly one year, he added.
The October rise of 137,000 bpd will be the smallest since April, when quotas were raised by a similar amount. In May, June, and July, quotas rose by 411,000 bpd each month, while in August and September the increases were 548,000 and 547,000 bpd, respectively. According to Bakhtin, the modest October figure reflects the traditionally weaker post-summer demand for oil.
The analyst added that continued production increases in the coming months will put pressure on prices and widen the surplus. Strategically, however, Bakhtin argued, the ramp-up will enable OPEC+ to regain market share previously ceded, primarily to producers in North and South America.
Bakhtin forecasts another 137,000-bpd increase in November, bringing Russia’s official quota for the year to 9.99 mln bpd. He expects Russia’s production of liquid hydrocarbons to remain at 516-517 mln tons this year, with a potential 6% increase to 550 mln tons by 2026.
Izvestia: Gold climbs above $3,500 as investors flee US, EU sovereign debt
Gold on global markets last week surpassed another psychologically important threshold, reaching $3,500 per troy ounce. The precious metal shows no signs of a limit, and leading banks suggest the price could soar beyond $5,000. At the same time, silver prices jumped, hitting $40 per ounce for the first time in 14 years. The latest rally was driven largely by speculation over a possible interest rate cut by the US Federal Reserve at its upcoming meeting, Izvestia writes. A key US labor market report released last Friday showed signs of a slowdown, which reinforced expectations that the Fed will act.
Gold stands out sharply against the wider backdrop, largely because it is not a typical commodity. Analysts at Goldman Sachs believe the price could rise to nearly $5,000 per ounce if the independence of the US Federal Reserve were undermined and investors shifted even a small portion of their holdings from US Treasury securities into the precious metal. Gold, the bank argues, is a store of value that does not depend on institutional trust.
The bank outlined several possible scenarios for gold: a baseline forecast of growth to $4,000 per ounce by mid-2026; a so-called "tail risk" scenario (unlikely but with major consequences) of $4,500; and an estimate approaching $5,000 if just 1% of the privately held US Treasury market were to flow into gold.
While bold, the forecast has gained credibility amid recent developments, according to Izvestia. Geopolitical risks are escalating rapidly, prompting central banks to invest more aggressively in neutral assets. Inflation also remains a pressing concern for investors, and gold is viewed as a universal hedge against it.
Even gold’s strong performance in 2025 was outpaced by another metal - silver. Its price has risen by roughly 43% this year, and on September 1 it crossed $40 per ounce for the first time since 2011. In addition to its role as a store of value, silver is prized for its industrial uses, particularly in technologies such as solar panels.
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