After months of indecision, the Joe Biden administration has come out in favor of using international mechanisms to punish Russian officials for the “crime of aggression” in Ukraine. The White House has resisted Kiev’s effort to prosecute President Vladimir Putin and other Russian leaders at the International Crime Court (ICC) over fears that American officials could face similar accountability.
UN Has Plan to Curb World Hunger, But EU Won’t Lift Sanctions
UN Secretary-General António Guterres is attempting to persuade the European Union to lift sanctions on the Belarusian fertilizer industry but is making little progress, according to Politico. The UN believes removing the export restrictions will help get more agricultural products to Africa. However, the EU claims the sanctions are key to applying pressure on Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
Ukrainian Casualties Top 100,000, Including ‘Most Experienced’ Forces – Politico
American officials estimate that at least 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed or injured in the year since Russia invaded. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin painted a grim picture for Kiev, warning “Ukraine doesn’t have any time to waste.”
US, Allies Plan for Information War with China
American defense officials discussed waging an information war against China with its allies, according to the commander of Naval Information Forces.
EU to Train 30,000 Ukrainian Troops as Kiev’s Losses Mount
The European Union doubled its pledge to train Ukrainian forces from 15,000 to 30,000 troops. The EU made the announcement shortly after Berlin found Kiev was losing hundreds of soldiers a day fighting in just one Eastern Ukrainian city.
Growing Number of Americans Say US Is Giving Ukraine Too Much Aid
As the war in Ukraine nears the end of its first year, Americans are starting to believe Washington is sending too much support to Kiev. Pew Research conducted a poll in January and found the proportion of Republicans that are opposed to the current level of assistance is now at 40%. The US has pledged well over $100 billion in aid to Kiev, mostly in arms and other military equipment.
US to Open Four New Sites in the Philippines, Accelerating ‘Pivot to Asia’
Washington and Manila are close to inking an agreement that would see four new American installations opened in the Philippines. The new sites are part of a US military buildup in the Indo-Pacific to prepare for war with China.
Oxfam Finds Scores of Civilians Killed By US, UK Weapons in Yemen
A human rights monitoring group has released a new report finding at least 87 Yemeni civilians were killed with American or British weapons during a 14-month period. The Oxfam report reviewed 1,700 attacks on civilians and found Saudi Arabia used US or UK weapons in over a quarter of those incidents. For this report, Oxfam reviewed incidents that occurred between January 2021 and February 2022. The author of the report, Martin Butcher, Oxfam’s Policy Advisor on Arms and Conflict, said, “[t]he intensity of these attacks would not have been possible without a ready supply of arms. That is why...