“… Zelensky’s top priority and perhaps … main contribution to the nation’s defense had been to keep attention on Ukraine and .. rally the democratic world …. Both tasks would become a lot harder with the outbreak of war in Israel. The focus of Ukraine’s allies in the U.S. and Europe … quickly shifted to the Gaza Strip. … A […]
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“Kyiv wants Marine Corps training, more air defense and longer-range missiles.” “Ukrainian officials and allies in Europe are ramping up their lobbying campaign in the U.S. for new weapons and training …. [A] delegation of Ukrainian officials, troops and advisers visited America’s capital … to share Kyiv’s latest wish list: U.S. Marine Corps training on conducting ship-to-shore operations; new air […]
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“Putin’s war in Ukraine is leaving billionaires who sought to integrate with the West to face the reality of international isolation.” “… Russia’s invasion of Ukraine changed everything for [certain Russian oligarchs] … who prospered under Putin until the U.S. and Europe imposed sweeping sanctions aimed at isolating the Kremlin leader and bringing his economy to its knees. The penalties […]
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(Russia Matters – russiamatters.org) The Kremlin stands to benefit from the Israel-Hamas conflict in three ways, according to Hanna Notte of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies. The conflict distracts the West from the war in Ukraine; it hinders normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel; and it helps Russia to style itself as David to the Western […]
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(Kennan Institute – Victor Andrusiv – Oct. 31, 2023) Victor Andrusiv is a Ukrainian political and civic activist and officer in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. He was previously the Director of the Kyiv School of Public Administration and the former executive director of the Ukrainian Institute for the Future. In successive speeches, President Joe Biden and U.S. Secretary of State […]
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“… Biden [has] … emphasized that … missiles and artillery shells … sent overseas are made in America, providing a local economic boost. … [T]hat may not be a winning argument for [a] significant number of Republican lawmakers …. ‘We are $33 TRILLION in debt, and Ukraine is not the 51st state,’ [posted] Rep. Barry Moore, R-Ala. …. When Russia […]
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“More than a year and a half since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, defense companies have been struggling to hire workers, untangle supply chains and restart mothballed production lines.” “Billions … spent by the federal government to arm Ukraine and replenish U.S. military stockpiles have been slow to translate into a significant number of new [U.S.] jobs … as defense manufacturers […]
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“Chinese and Russian military officials on Monday criticized the United States as an agent of global instability … Russia’s defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, … threatened grave consequences over Western involvement in the war in Ukraine. … Shoigu made the remarks at the Beijing Xiangshan Forum, China’s annual international military summit … [China’s] second-highest-ranked military official, Zhang Youxia, also issued oblique […]
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“… [O]netime Russia advisor to then-President Trump [Fiona Hill] fears … support for Ukraine is gradually eroding, encouraging … Putin to try to wait the West out. … But she’s worried about much more …, beginning with Israel’s war in Gaza …. The two conflicts aren’t directly linked, but each is likely to affect the other. ‘These could be global-system-shifting […]
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“The former White House Russia expert on Biden’s speech linking the two wars—and how Putin might cash in.” “… [T]here are valid reasons to worry about … a wider conflict [] in the Middle East. … [A]s the United States expends time, money, arms, and political capital … containing that crisis, it gives actors in other arenas an opportunity to […]
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(The Whitehouse – whitehouse.gov – Oct. 26, 2023) * * * Kirby: I do want to, if — if you’ll allow me to, just to take a couple of minutes to update you on the battlefield situation in Ukraine. As we have said publicly, Russia has launched a renewed offensive in eastern Ukraine across multiple lines, including around Avdiivka, Lyman, […]
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(Russia Matters – russiamatters.org – Steven E. Harris – Oct. 26, 2023) Steven E. Harris is professor of modern Russian and European history at the University of Mary Washington. He is presently writing a book on the history of Aeroflot and authoritarianism in the Russian Jet Age from Stalin to Putin. When the U.S. and its allies slapped sanctions on […]
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“Ukrainian forces are desperately trying to battle through deep Russian defenses along the south and east of the country before winter sets in. Ukraine has a narrowing window of opportunity for making gains before the weather turns and the infamous muddy season, known as ‘rasputitsa’ in Russian and ‘bezdorizhzhia’ in Ukrainian, arrives.’” “While the world is distracted by geopolitical turmoil […]
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“The president’s team is privately urging lawmakers to focus on the jobs that can be created by money spent on the war.” “The White House has been quietly urging lawmakers … to sell … war efforts abroad as a potential economic boom at home. Aides [reportedly] have been distributing talking points to Democrats and Republicans who have been supportive of […]
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(Moscow Times – Vitaly Egorov – Oct. 25, 2023) Russia’s attack on Ukraine is fueled by a decidedly anti-Western ideology. But in contrast, Russia’s space scientists had been building international ties, entering into partnership projects, and seeking to expand collaboration with Western countries over the previous three decades. For many scientists, Feb. 24, 2022, came as a shock and caused […]
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(PONARS Eurasia Policy Memo No. 860 – Polina Sinovets – Oct. 23, 2023 – PDF: click here) Dr. Polina Sinovets is a Founder and a Head of the Odesa Center for Nonproliferation (OdCNP) at Odesa I.I. Mechnikov National University (Ukraine). This memo is based on a forthcoming NATO Defense College policy brief, “Fifty Shades of Red: Where Does Russia Draw […]
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“Since the invasion in 2022, the Minneapolis institution has faced immense pressure. It has responded by curating bold antiwar exhibitions.” “Overlooking … one of the main arteries … weav[ing] through [Minneapolis] is a tower painted in yellow and blue for the Ukrainian flag. It belongs to the Museum of Russian Art. Museum staff … painted the flag … just days […]
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“Kyiv is converting U.S. missiles for new uses and prioritising joint ventures with western companies.” “… [Ukrainian] Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal [said] … ‘We understand we should produce [ammunition] here in Ukraine because … [globally ammunition is] depleted …. [Ukraine learns from] its dramatic increase in domestic drone manufacturing, he said, … up from ‘a few dozen last year’ to […]
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“Money trickles back in, lured by the chance to help the fight against Russia and score assets on the cheap.” “… Steel-nerved investors are trickling back into Ukraine, lured by the chance to help the country in its fight against Russia — and to score assets on the cheap. … Prospects for Ukraine’s economy remain fragile. … Losing long-term backing […]
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(Moscow Times – Oct. 23, 2023) Ukraine’s CIA-trained intelligence agencies have assassinated “dozens” of Russians and Ukrainian collaborators since the start of Moscow’s invasion, The Washington Post reported Monday, citing more than two dozen anonymous current and former Ukrainian, U.S. and Western intelligence and security officials. The missions involved elite teams that were formed, trained and equipped in “close partnership” […]
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(Russia Matters – russiamatters.org – Simon Saradzhyan – Oct. 19, 2023) Simon Saradzhyan is the founding director of Russia Matters. BOOK REVIEW “Getting Russia Right” By Thomas Graham Polity, October 2023 Multiple books have been published since Vladimir Putin’s re-invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 that explore the sources of Russia’s aggressive conduct. In fact, some of these books were […]
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“… [A DOD] official said … tens of thousands of 155-millimeter artillery shells promised to Ukraine would be diverted to Israel. … an example of the American weapons … [reportedly] needed in both wars, which could stretch … U.S. capacity to keep up …. especially … if Israel’s expected [Gaza] ground offensive … lasts for months. … Ukraine and Israel […]
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“The emergency funding request to Congress, which would also include funds to fortify border security, is expected by Friday.” “… Biden [reportedly] is expected to ask Congress … to approve about $100 billion in emergency funds to arm Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan and fortify the U.S.-Mexico border …. The funding request, which lawmakers expect to receive by Friday morning, would […]
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“If he was he would find that it is cooling toward the concept of ‘as long as it takes.’” “… While the seeming shift in public opinion is … important … and should signal … that the time has come to pursue negotiations, it is clear that those whose opinions matter most — in Kiev, Moscow, and Washington — aren’t […]
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“Ukrainian forces attacked two key Russian air bases behind enemy lines on Tuesday, with Western officials saying that long-range missiles known as ATACMS were used in the strikes.” “Ukraine’s forces [reportedly] struck two air bases in Russian-held territory on Tuesday with American-supplied long-range missiles that were one of the last major weapons systems that Kyiv had sought from the United […]
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“TO: POTUS FROM: Ambassadors John Herbst, Steven Pifer, Alexander Vershbow, and 40 other national security leaders SUBJECT: A bold agenda for the Washington summit: How to advance vital U.S. interests by helping Ukraine win and defining its path to NATO membership” In 2024 the United States will host a NATO summit marking NATO’s seventy-fifth anniversary. The international order faces an […]
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“… [W]ith the massacres in Israel and the unfolding Israeli assault on Gaza, we have a new front of engagement for American power, a new demand for U.S. resources, a new stress point for our stressed imperium and new risks of a wider war. … [T]here are real strategic choices …, potential trade-offs in hardware shipped and dollars delivered …. […]
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“Slow military progress and cracks in the backing of key allies could also drain vital attention from Ukraine’s battle with Russia, some fear.” “Ukraine, still locked in fierce combat with Russia along hundreds of miles of front line, also finds itself grappling with … [geopolitical] shifts …. The attention of key allies is pivoting to … Gaza, military aid from […]
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“Moscow and Beijing seek to ride the wave of solidarity with Palestinians while taking advantage of American distraction” “The war between Israel and Hamas … is also affecting the global balance of power, stretching American and European resources while relieving pressure on Russia and providing new opportunities to China. … [F]or now, the war launched by Hamas on Oct. 7 […]
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“The United States must prepare for possible simultaneous wars with Russia and China by expanding its conventional forces, strengthening alliances and enhancing its nuclear weapons modernization program, a congressionally appointed bipartisan [Strategic Posture Commission] said …. The panel accepted a Pentagon forecast that China’s rapid nuclear arsenal expansion likely will give it 1,500 nuclear warheads by 2035, confronting the United […]
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“A lawyer for Donald Trump has told a London judge that the ex-president plans to prove that a ‘shocking and scandalous’ report by a former British spy was wrong and harmed his reputation” “… Trump has sued [Orbis Business Intelligence,] founded by Christopher Steele, who created a dossier in 2016 …[with] rumors and uncorroborated allegations about Trump …. Trump allegedly […]
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(Russia Matters – russiamatters.org) As violence escalated between Israel and Hamas after the latter’s indiscriminate attacks against the former, top Russian officials seized the opportunity to blame the crisis on what they described as America’s repeated failure to use its “monopoly” on mediation between the two sides to reach a fair peace deal. Vladimir Putin has also called for a cessation […]
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“Commission urges overhaul of US arsenal to tackle growing threat from two peer adversaries” “The U.S. must expand or restructure its nuclear arsenal to tackle the ‘existential challenge’ posed by the growing nuclear threat from China and existing risk from Russia, a new report … has said. The bipartisan Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the U.S., … tasked […]
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“For the first time … Zelenskyy joined a meeting of more than 50 defense leaders from around the world, making a personal pitch Wednesday for military aid in the face of lagging political support in the United States and new pressure on allies to send weapons to bolster Israel’s war with Hamas. … The meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact […]
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“European officials and experts are concerned that Russia could exploit the chaos surrounding the Hamas attack on Israel, pushing the Kremlin even closer to Iran, …. allied with [Hamas]. There is no sign that Russia provided material support — or even had advance notice — prior to the surprise attack … [that] left at least 900 Israelis dead and scores […]
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“Russia will move to revoke the ratification of a global nuclear test ban to put itself on par with the United States but will only resume nuclear tests if Washington does it first …. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov [said Tuesday] …. He added that if the U.S. conducts a nuclear test, ‘we will be forced to mirror that as […]
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“Expensive, massive tanks destroyed by small and cheap loitering munitions. Drones helping artillery locate targets. A battlefield so flooded with sensors … it’s impossible to stay hidden for long. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the [U.S.] Army has carefully taken note of these trends. … [T]hose changes are reshaping the service’s plans from acquisition to how to approach […]
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“As ‘Ukraine fatigue’ sets in among U.S. voters, a row over more spending in Capitol Hill has alarmed officials in NATO states and in Kyiv.” “… After 18 months of brutal warfare, with no end to the invasion in sight, Joe Biden is facing unprecedented resistance to U.S. support. In both the Republican-controlled House and among voters at large, ‘Ukraine […]
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(Russia Matters – russiamatters.org) 7 Things to Know Putin has shot down proposals to lower the threshold for nuclear weapons use in Russia’s doctrinal documents, but called for Russia to de-ratify the CTBT. When asked by Sergei Karaganov at the Valdai Club meeting on Oct. 5 whether Russia should “modify the doctrine on using nuclear weapons, lowering the nuclear threshold,” Putin said: “[T]here […]
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“While Russian hard-liners voice provocative proposals about using nuclear weapons, Mr. Putin presents himself as a moderating force — while never really taking the threat off the table.” “… Russia’s hard-liners are rattling the nuclear saber vigorously these days, on television and in academic journals, arguing that an atomic blast — in Ukraine, in Europe, or maybe in a test […]
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“U.S. president wants to get issue sorted until next election, say insiders, as Republican sceptics continue to cause problems” “The White House is drawing up plans to ask Congress to release its largest funding package ever for weapons and humanitarian aid, amid concern continued rows over spending could damage the president in next year’s election. … Some officials believe passing […]
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“Ukraine is now America’s new forever war. Americans know that ‘whatever it takes’ is not a strategy.” “…. ‘As long as it takes’ remains the [Biden administration] mantra …. According to reports from September’s U.N. General Assembly meeting, U.S. and G-7 allies expect the war … to continue … at least six to seven years. … [T]he other implication is […]
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“Kyiv has fought too well to simply give up, but Russia and China will achieve their goal of splitting the West.” “[With the loss of U.S. funding for Ukraine,] … the balance on the battlefield [would] shift significantly. Ukraine [wouldn’t] simply surrender … [b]ut given how reliant Ukraine is on [U.S.] arms and ammunition … its situation [would] still get […]
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“More than one million Iranian rounds of munitions … seized by the U.S. … late last year have been sent to Ukraine to assist the effort [to] repel Russia’s invasion, Central Command said. … Iran was sending weapons to Houthi rebels in Yemen. In July, [DOJ] filed a motion to forfeit thousands of rifles, hundreds of machine guns and rocket […]
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Subject: Book release of “Getting Russia Right” Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2023 From: Thomas Graham <tgraham@cfr.org> Dear colleagues, I am pleased to announce the release of my new book, Getting Russia Right, with Polity Books. Drawing on my experience in the Foreign Service and on the National Security Council staff, I argue that the effort to integrate Russia into the […]
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“… To track the war’s course, the Brookings Institution is compiling security, economic, and political data presented in graphic form …. [with] updated information on key metrics including civilian casualties, Western aid, and Ukraine’s economic challenges … track[ing] the trajectory of the conflict and its broader consequences …. The data … is … from a variety of sources (government, international […]
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“A report obtained by POLITICO details specific plans to reform Ukrainian institutions and warns Western support may hinge on cutting corruption.” “… The ‘sensitive but unclassified’ version … lays out … [ways] Washington is … help[ing] Kyiv root out malfeasance and otherwise reform an array of Ukrainian sectors. … The United States appears eager to help Ukrainian institutions build … […]
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“The Pentagon is warning Congress that it is running low on money to replace weapons the U.S. has sent to Ukraine and has already been forced to slow down resupplying some troops …. [according to [a] letter, obtained by [AP] urg[ing] Congress to replenish funding for Ukraine. …” When Congress passed a special fiscal measure hours before an imminent federal […]
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(Moscow Times – Oct. 2, 2023) U.S., French and German corporations continued to dominate the Russian market in 2023 despite the Western business exodus sparked by the war in Ukraine, according to Forbes Russia’s list of the 50 largest foreign companies in the country. [forbes.ru/biznes/497010-50-krupnejsih-inostrannyh-kompanij-v-rossii-2023-rejting-forbes] The latest ranking, which also saw Chinese companies gain ground, reflects the major geopolitical shifts […]
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“… If you’re … Zelenskiy … you’ll take little solace from … Biden’s earnest assurances that the U.S. ‘will not walk away’ …. [I]f you’re … Putin … you will draw the logical conclusion that Kyiv was … thrown under the bus when funding for Ukraine was left out of a spending bill to avert a government shutdown. … Washington […]
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