US News

• There have been over 1,000 fatalities on the US southern border since Biden took office. Reuters
• Lockheed Martin has experienced an increase in demand for its HIMARS systems after the US transferred several to Ukraine. Newsweek
• President Biden and Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks met virtually with the CEO of Lockheed Martin and representatives from other companies to discuss advancing a piece of legislation that would subsidize the domestic manufacturing of semiconductors. AWC
• With just two and a half months to go in the fiscal year, the Army has achieved just 50% of its recruiting goal of 60,000 soldiers, according to Lt. Col. Randee Farrell, spokeswoman for Army Secretary Christine Wormuth.  Army Gen. Joseph Martin, vice chief of staff for the Army, said it is projecting it will have a total force of 466,400 this year, down from the expected 476,000. And the service could end 2023 with between 445,000 and 452,000 soldiers, depending on how well recruiting and retention goes. Military.com

Ukraine

• The White House announced a $270 million weapons package Kiev on Friday. The latest transfer will send four additional High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS and drones to Ukraine. AWC
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Russia would capitalize on any ceasefire to give its troops rest and to re-equip its military. He claimed that a break in fighting would prolong the war. AWC
• A bipartisan group of House lawmakers visited Kiev, and two members of the delegation told Fox News that they support the idea of the Pentagon sending military advisors to Ukraine, which would significantly escalate US involvement in the war. AWC
• Russia said that attacks it launched on the Ukrainian port of Odesa only hit military targets, including a stockpile of US-provided Harpoon anti-ship missiles. AWC
• Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban called for peace talks between the US and Russia to end the war in Ukraine and said the EU needs a new approach to the conflict. AWC
• Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow will help the Ukrainian people “get rid of the regime” in Kyiv, suggesting Russia’s war aims have expanded even more. AWC
• A Ukrainian official said Monday that Kiev hopes it can begin shipping grain out of its Black Sea ports this week under an UN-brokered deal that was signed in Turkey. AWC
• Russia’s Gazprom announced Monday that it will further reduce gas supplies through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline down to 20% of its capacity over a turbine that needs repairs. Nord Stream 1, which connects Russia and Germany, was already operating at only 40% of its capacity over delays caused by Western sanctions. AWC

China

• The Washington Post reported that Biden administration officials increasingly fear that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s planned trip to Taiwan next month risks sparking a major crisis across the Taiwan Strait. AWC
• Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley accused the Chinese military of being more “aggressive” in the Asia Pacific region. AWC
• The National Guard is considering a sizeable expansion in its operations in the Indo-Pacific to counter China. AWC

Afghanistan 

• European Union officials say they have a “tremendous consensus” among themselves in not recognizing the Afghan Taliban as the government of Afghanistan, citing a bad economic and food situation there. AWC

Iran

• Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak said Iran is nearing the ability to obtain a nuclear weapon and Israel does not have a military solution for the problem. Haaretz
• Iran’s Intelligence Ministry announced a network of agents with ties to Israel were arrested after entering Iran to carry out attacks on “sensitive” targets inside the country. AWC
• A lot of progress has already been made in negotiations, and Iranian officials warn that they will not be “rushed” into deciding to finalize the nuclear deal just because everyone else keeps saying the time is running out. AWC
• Iran warns that it will keep IAEA cameras off until a new nuclear deal is reached. AWC

Middle East

• Turkey denies it was behind an airstrike in Iraqi Kurdistan that killed several civilians.  AWC
• A Turkish drone strike destroyed a car in a residential area near Qamishili, killing at least three people and causing more injuries. AWC
• According to the Yemeni Oil Company, one of their ships carrying 31,000 tons of gasoline was captured by Saudi and coalition forces. The ship had a permit from the UN to deliver into the country. AWC