Russia
- British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said Wednesday that sending fighter jets to Ukraine isn’t the right approach “for now,” but stressed that nothing should be ruled out. AWC
- A former British MP that held a position in Britain’s Ministry of Defense said on Tuesday that NATO should consider sending troops into Ukraine. AWC
- The head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, thinks Ukrainian forces will be able to take Crimea from Russia, and he hopes it will happen by this summer. AWC
- The American weapons maker General Atomics is offering to sell Ukraine two of its MQ-9 Reaper drone for only one dollar, a move that will put pressure on the Biden administration to approve the deal, which would mark another major escalation of military aid. AWC
- Ukraine is hosting a summit with the European Union in Kyiv on Friday and is hoping to receive news and a timeline on its potential membership. But according to a draft EU statement seen by POLITICO, the bloc is expected to pour cold water on Kyiv’s hopes. AWC
- 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. The Institute
China
- 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 an American military buildup in the Indo-Pacific to prepare for war with China. The Institute
- The US on Thursday opened an embassy in the Solomon Islands as part of its strategy to counter China in the region, as Beijing has forged stronger ties with the Pacific island nation in recent years. AWC
Israel
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview with CNN on Tuesday that the best way to deal with Iran is with sanctions and a “credible military threat.” AWC
