US News

• A bipartisan group of Senators sent a letter to the Defense Department chief calling for an investigation into major American arms dealers accused of systemic “price gouging,” on Wednesday, according to The Hill. The Institute 
• The debt ceiling agreement reached between the White House and House Republicans that was announced Sunday caps military spending at $886 billion for 2024, matching President Biden’s requested budget. AWC

Kosovo

• NATO troops stationed in Kosovo under the alliance’s Kosovo Force (KFOR) mission were wounded Monday while trying to disperse a group of ethnic Serb protesters in the town of Zvecan. AWC

Russia

• Russian authorities said Tuesday that eight Ukrainian drones targeted civilian areas of Moscow, marking the largest attack on the capital city since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine last year. AWC
• Russia has issued an arrest warrant for Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) over his comments about Russians dying in Ukraine and calling US spending on the proxy war with Russia the “best money we’ve ever spent.” AWC
• Ukraine called for Moscow to establish a demiliterized zone 100 km into Russia as a condition to ending the war. Reuters
• Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the Western plan to send F-16s to Ukraine as unacceptable and “playing with fire.” Kyiv Independent
• Politico reports the war is being exploited by corrupt players in Kiev to create a new oligarch class. Politico 
• Several members of the Democrat Party in Congress are urging the White House to provide Kiev with significantly more military support.The Institute 

China

• The US said Monday that China has declined an offer for a meeting between Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chinese Defense Li Shangfu, who is under US sanctions. AWC
• The US, Japan, and the Philippines will hold their first-ever trilateral coast guard exercises in the South China Sea starting this week amid rising tensions with China in the region. AWC
• Taiwanese media has reported that Taiwan received delivery of Raytheon-made Stinger anti-aircraft missiles from the US as part of a $500 million package of free military aid that Washington has been preparing for Taipei. AWC

Middle East

• Israel launched airstrikes in Syria on Sunday night, hitting targets near the capital Damascus that caused material damage, Syria’s SANA news agency reported. AWC
• The US on Tuesday imposed new sanctions on Syria for the first time since the country was brought back into the Arab League as part of a normalization push between Damascus and regional governments. AWC