US News

• A report released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) on Friday shows the intelligence community is purchasing massive amounts of Commercially Available Information (CAI) that can “reveal sensitive and intimate information about individuals.” The Institute 
• An AP investigation found as $400 billion in pandemic welfare was stolen or inappropriately distributed. The Hill
• The number of operational nuclear weapons around the would is increasing. Guardian

Russia

• The Biden administration is expected to provide Ukraine with controversial depleted uranium ammunition for use with US-made Abrams tanks, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday. AWC
• The Biden administration on Tuesday announced a new $325 million arms package for Ukraine that includes Bradley and Stryker armored vehicles and ammunition for various weapons systems. AWC
• A report from the Department of Defense Inspector General found Pentagon employees in Poland failed to follow procedures to account for military equipment being transferred to Ukraine. The Institute 
• Putin says Russia was deceived by the West over the grain export agreement. “Unfortunately, we were once again deceived. Nothing has been done to liberalize our grain supplies to foreign markets,” he said. TASS
• French President Emmanuel Macron said Ukraine’s offensive could last weeks or months. Politico 
• German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Monday that Berlin won’t be able to replace every German-made Leopard tank that Ukrainian forces lose in their fight against Russia. AWC
• Several Western media outlets reported Tuesday that the CIA warned Ukraine last year not to bomb the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines that connect Russia and Germany. AWC
• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday that Sweden should not expect Ankara’s approval to join NATO at the alliance’s upcoming summit that will be held in Vilnius this July. AWC
• Ukraine is eyeing dozens of US-made F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets that have been retired by the Australian Royal Air Force as part of its efforts to secure more Western-made aircraft. AWC
• The New York Times reported on Wednesday that President Biden is under pressure from many of the US’s European allies to support giving Ukraine a clear path toward NATO membership. AWC
• Germany and Poland are expected to reach an agreement to establish a Leopard repart base in Poland. Pravda
• Congress is likely to pass another emergency funding bill for Ukraine, but it would probably receive less support, according to the New York Times. The Institute 

China

• NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg met with President Biden in Washington on Tuesday and said Russia must lose in Ukraine to send a message to China as the Western alliance increasingly has its eyes on the Asia Pacific. AWC
• The head of the US Coast Guard said that its ships will conduct more activities in the Indo-Pacific to contest China’s territorial claims. The branch will attempt to increase its joint operations with other nations in the region as well. The Institute 
• The State Department confirmed on Wednesday that Secretary of State Antony Blinken will be visiting China, making him the highest-level Biden administration official to make the trip. AWC

India

• The US is pushing India to buy drones. AJ

Middle East

• The House passed a bill to create a special envoy to help facilitate normalization agreements between Israel and Arab states. Haaretz
• Axios reported Tuesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the Israeli Knesset’s foreign relations committee that the US and Iran have been holding indirect talks on a “mini agreement” related to Iran’s nuclear program. AWC
• Israeli airstrikes hit targets outside of the Syrian capital of Damascus early Wednesday, wounding at least one Syrian soldier, Syria’s SANA news agency reported. AWC
• Washington is attempting to pressure Tel Aviv into pulling back on its ties and trade with China, according to a report in Voice of America. After the European Union and the United States, the People’s Republic is Israel’s largest trade partner. The Institute 
• A spike in demand for weapons from Europe and the Abraham Accords made 2022 a banner year for the Israeli arms industry. Tel Aviv’s weapons exports reached a record $12.5 billion last year.  The Institute