US News

• The Biden Administration appears unlikely to rejoin the Open Skies Treaty. Trump withdrew from the treaty. The Air Force has confirmed it is retiring the spy planes used in surveillance operations allowed under the treaty. The State Department passed a memo to its European allies saying the US was concerned about Russian violations. [Link]
• According to a report from Bloomberg, Biden is considering more sanctions on Russia and expelling Russian diplomats from the US. [Link]
• The US sanctioned two suspected members of a Mexican cartel. [Link]
• The Biden Administration says it will only engage with North Korea diplomatically if the talks lead to denuclearization. [Link]

Ukraine

• Ukraine’s President plans to travel to the war zone today. [Link]
• The US delivered 350 tonnes of cargo to Ukraine, including 35 humvees. [Link]
• Russia warns it may feel compelled to defend its citizens in eastern Ukraine. [Link]

Israel

• Biden plans to restore $200 million in aid to Palestine. [Link] Israel says it opposes the move. [Link]
• Israel announces it will build 540 new settler housing units. [Link]
• Israel carried out airstrikes against Syria’s capital. 
• Israel says the Iran Nuclear Deal risks annihilation for the Jewish State. [Link]

Iraq

• The UK says it carried out several airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq last month. [Link]
• The US says it will eventually remove troops from Iraq, but did not offer a timeline. [Link]