Russia

• A British official has confirmed that the UK will be providing Ukraine with depleted uranium shells to be used with the British-made Challenger 2 tanks despite warnings from Russia that it would consider the use of the toxic ammunition the same as a dirty bomb. AWC
• The Pentagon is looking to speed up the delivery of the Abrams tank to Ukraine by refurbishing older models instead of manufacturing new ones. AWC
• Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping in Moscow on Monday and said they would discuss a 12-point peace proposal for the Ukraine war that Beijing has put forward. AWC
• The US on Monday announced a new $350 million arms package for Ukraine that includes ammunition for the HIMARS rocket launchers, artillery rounds, and High-speed Anti-radiation missiles (HARMs). AWC
• Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Moscow on Tuesday that a 12-point peace plan put forward by Beijing could be the “basis” for a peaceful settlement in Ukraine. AWC
• Four leading Republicans in Congress have sent a letter to President Biden urging him to provide Kyiv with cluster bombs, controversial munitions that endanger civilians by spreading small bomblets over large areas. AWC
• The Pentagon is looking to speed up the delivery of the Abrams tank to Ukraine by refurbishing older models instead of manufacturing new ones. AWC
• The US Army has officially opened its first permanent military garrison on NATO’s “eastern flank” in a ceremony on Tuesday. The Institute 
• Sixty-five Ukrainian soldiers have completed their training on Patriot air defense systems in the United States, the Pentagon said, announcing that Washington would now send Patriot launchers and Abrams tanks to Kiev ahead of schedule. The Institute 

China

• Former Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou will lead a delegation to mainland China next week in an effort to improve cross-strait relations as tensions are soaring in the region. AWC
• Taiwan confirmed on Tuesday that President Tsai Ing-wen will visit the US on her way to Central America but did not say if she will hold talks with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). AWC
• Taiwan’s military has agreed to temporarily put on hold controversial proposed amendments to a law that would criminalize the spread of rumors during times of war, The South China Morning Post reported Monday. AWC
•  The US provided India with unprecedented intelligence-sharing during a clash between Indian and Chinese troops in December 2022 along the disputed border high in the Himalayas, known as the Line of Actual Control, US News reported on Monday. AWC
• China and Cambodia have launched their first-ever joint naval drills as the two Asian nations continue to forge stronger ties despite objections from Washington. AWC

Middle East

• The Houthis and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government have agreed on a major prisoner swap that will release over 800 detainees after the two sides held 10 days of talks in Geneva, Switzerland. AWC
• The United Nations estimates that 43,000 Somalis starved to death last year. At least half of those who died are said to have been children less than five years old. The Horn of Africa nation is suffering from a drought as well as a US military campaign targeting the insurgent group al-Shabaab. The Institute