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The Russian officials took the proposal back to Moscow. It was a remarkably swift conclusion to years of painstaking negotiations between the US and more than half a dozen countries. Key to the deal was President Biden’s ability to persuade German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to release Krasikov, the Russian prisoner most keenly sought by Putin. Officials worked quietly throughout this year to get the German government to agree to release Krasikov — including entreaties from both Biden and Harris. President Biden sent a letter to Scholz in April, and the Germans at last agreed to release Krasikov in early June.

Persons: CNN —, Vadim Krasikov, who’d, who’s, Vladimir Putin, Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Bill Burns, Gershkovich, Whelan, Alsu Kurmasheva, Vladimir Kara, Murza, Kurmasheva, Joe Biden, Biden, Kamala Harris, Serdar Ozsoy, Biden’s, Olaf Scholz, Putin, Krasikov, Brittney Griner, Burns, –, Viktor Bout, Alexey Navalny, Brendan Smialowski, Antony Blinken, James Rubin, Blinken, Annalena Baerbock, Jake Sullivan, Harris, Scholz, “ Chancellor Scholz, “, Jake, ‘, ’, Sullivan, Navalny, Paul, Evan, ”, Ronald Wittek, Kara, Robert Golob, Kurmasheva’s, Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens, Carstens, Jeff Flake, ” Flake, Flake, ” Sullivan Organizations: CNN, CIA, Wall Street, White, Base Andrews, Aircraft, Ankara Esenboga Airport, US Marine, WNBA, State Department, National Security Council, Krasikov, Getty, German, National, Biden, Munich, Conference, US, Munich Security, Aspen Security, Street, Hostage Affairs Locations: Eastern, Russia, Russian, Berlin, Moscow, American, Turkey, Ankara, Chechen, Slovenia, Norway, Poland, Washington , DC, AFP, Germany, ”, Munich, Washington, Slovenian, Mordovia, “

☆ China and Philippines already at odds over South China Sea deal to ease Second Thomas Shoal tensions
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The dilapidated BRP Sierra Madre ship of the Philippine Navy is anchored near Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly group of islands in the South China Sea. Beijing claims “indisputable sovereignty” over almost all of the 1.3 million-square-mile South China Sea, and most of the islands and sandbars within it, including many features that are hundreds of miles from mainland China. Under President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, the Philippines has taken increasingly assertive steps to protect its claim to shoals in the South China Sea, leading to several confrontations off the Philippine islands. The US is not a claimant to the South China Sea, but says the waters are crucial to its national interest of guaranteeing free passage through seas worldwide. A close up view taken on March 29, 2014 of the BRP Sierra Madre beached near the Second Thomas Shoal, part of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, Shoal, Ren’ai Jiao, ”, Mao Ning, pushback, Ritchie, Ferdinand “ Bongbong ” Marcos Jr, Marcos, Jake Sullivan, ” Sullivan, Thomas Shoal, Erik de Castro, Gregory Poling, “, ” Derek Grossman Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, BRP Sierra Madre, Foreign Ministry, The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, BRP, Philippine Navy, coastguard, US Navy, Aspen Security, US National, Reuters, Transparency Initiative, RAND Corporation Locations: Hong Kong, South, Manila, Beijing, Philippine, Spratly, Philippines, China, Palawan, Madre, South China, Second, The Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, Taiwan, The Hague, Scarborough, BRP Sierra Madre, Washington, United States, Sierra Madre, BRP Sierra, Asia

☆ Israeli former national security officials and business leaders blast Netanyahu ahead of his speech to Congress
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —A group of senior Israeli figures including former national security officials, academics and business leaders have sent US congressional leadership a blistering letter accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is set to speak to Congress on Wednesday, of threatening both Israeli and American national security. “Netanyahu severely harms the US national security interests through his approach to this war, which adversely impacts American policy in the Middle East and beyond and further endangers Israel,” it continues. The Obama White House had been blindsided by Netanyahu’s decision to address Congress after another invitation from a Republican House speaker, John Boehner. Typically, a vice president, in their role as president of the Senate, would attend and sit prominently on the dais. However, Vice President Kamala Harris will also miss Netanyahu’s Wednesday speech due to travel, which Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Friday he did not expect to be a repeat of 2015.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, he’s, Tamir Pardo, Aaron Ciechanover, Avishay, Carmi, Morris Kahn, Jeremy Levin, “ Netanyahu, Mike Johnson, Hakeem Jeffries, Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, Pardo, disinvite Netanyahu, ”, Alon Pinkas, “, Biden, –, Pinkas, ” Benjamin Netanyahu, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Schumer, Joe Biden, Biden’s, Obama, John Boehner, Kamala Harris, Jake Sullivan, they’re, ” Sullivan, ’ Organizations: CNN, Israeli, American, Ben Gurion University, Republican, ”, Obama White, Aspen Security, White, Gaza . Senior, Gallup Locations: Gaza, Israel, New York, Washington, Iran, Gaza .

☆ Russia and China are gaining ground on the US in Latin America, US commander says
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewRussia and China are trying to compete with the US for influence in Latin America, according to the US Southern Command commander. Kevin Riehle, a former FBI counterintelligence officer, told BI last December that Russia was using South America to obtain fake identities for its spies. AdvertisementDaniel P. Erikson, deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Western Hemisphere, also warned of Chinese and Russian threats in Latin America at an Atlantic Council event in February. Latin America, in the post-Cold War era, has not seen major wars, the prospect of nuclear weapons, or US rivals seeking to establish military bases and alliances directly, he said. "Nonetheless, the economic needs of Latin America and weak governance in many cases have opened the door for predatory, non-transparent deals, particularly with the PRC, which has expanded its influence," he said, using the initials of the People's Republic of China.

Persons: —, Laura J, Richardson, Vyacheslav Volodin, Craig Faller, Kevin Riehle, Daniel P, Erikson, Evan Ellis, Ellis Organizations: Service, US Southern Command, Aspen Security, Initiative, Business, Russian, Institute for, West . Belarus —, US Special Operations Command, FBI, Strategic, International Studies, Atlantic Council, US Army, Strategic Studies Institute, Southern Command Locations: Russia, China, Latin America, Colorado, America, Nicaragua, Cuba, Venezuela, West . Belarus, Belarus, South America, Washington, DC, Caribbean, East, Ukraine, People's Republic of China, Iran, United States

☆ Facing difficult frontline reality and the prospect of Trump in the White House, Zelensky hints at negotiations with Russia
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-20 | by ( Ivana Kottasová | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Zelensky suggested Moscow should send a delegation to the next peace summit that he hopes to hold in November. Kyiv is currently facing the double whammy of a difficult frontline situation and political uncertainty over the level of future support from Ukraine’s closest allies. Trump and Zelensky spoke on Friday in what Trump called a “had a very good phone call”. Putin said Russia would end its war in Ukraine if Kyiv surrendered the entirety of four regions claimed by Moscow: Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. Despite being considerably bigger and stronger than Ukraine, Russia has not managed to fulfil its territorial goals – even when Kyiv was receiving only limited help from the West.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, –, Germany –, Ukraine John Herbst, Donald Trump, JD Vance, Herbst, Trump, ”, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Orysia Lutsevych, Russia … Putin, Lutsevych, Riley Bailey, Bailey, “, ” Bailey, hasn’t, Vance, Libkos, Ukraine wasn’t, doesn’t, ” Herbst, Ukraine doesn’t, you’re Organizations: CNN, NATO, Monday, Aspen Security, –, Chatham House, Kyiv, Trump, Democrats, ” Locations: Russia, Moscow, Switzerland, Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine’s, United States, Germany, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Eurasia, Chatham, Kharkiv, Europe, Afghanistan, Crimea, Kerch, Russian

☆ Blinken Says Gaza Cease-Fire Deal Is ‘Inside the 10-Yard Line’
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-19 | by ( David E. Sanger | Julian E. Barnes | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and the national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said on Friday that an agreement to free hostages held in Gaza and establish a cease-fire was close, as administration officials prepared for what they expected to be a tense visit to Washington next week by Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Mr. Blinken, speaking at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado, said that the talks were “inside the 10-yard line.” Hours later at the same conference, Mr. Sullivan said there was no expectation that an agreement would be reached before Mr. Netanyahu addressed a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, a speech some American officials fear could throw up new obstacles to an agreement with Hamas. Mr. Sullivan said Mr. Biden would “focus his energy” in his meetings with Mr. Netanyahu “to get this deal done in the coming weeks.”“We are mindful that there remain obstacles in the way,” Mr. Sullivan said, “and let’s use next week to try to clear through those obstacles.”

Persons: Antony J, Blinken, Jake Sullivan, Israel’s, Benjamin Netanyahu, Sullivan, Netanyahu, Biden, Netanyahu “, ”, ” Mr Organizations: Aspen Security, Mr Locations: Gaza, Washington, Colorado

☆ Paul Whelan tells CNN he has ‘sympathy and empathy’ for Evan Gershkovich but expresses hope following sentencing
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-19 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Paul Whelan, an American detained in Russia, told CNN he has “sympathy and empathy” for Evan Gershkovich following the conviction and sentencing of the Wall Street Journal reporter, but expressed hope that the development could open the door for a deal to secure both of their release. Whelan, who called CNN from his remote prison camp in Mordovia Friday, said he was able to watch a news broadcast about the sentencing. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said earlier Friday that the US government is working “quite literally every day” to bring Gershkovich and Whelan home. “Look, any effort to bring any American home is going to be part of a process of back-and-forth discussion, potentially negotiation. And I don’t think that’s dependent on an election in the United States or anywhere else,” he said.

Persons: CNN — Paul Whelan, ”, Evan Gershkovich, Whelan, “, Evan, Trevor Reed, Brittney Griner, Gershkovich, ” Whelan, Antony Blinken, we’re, Paul Whelan, ” Blinken, Blinken Organizations: CNN, Wall Street Journal, US State Department, US, Aspen Security, they’ll Locations: Russia, Mordovia, Moscow, United States

☆ How the world’s tech crashed all at once
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-19 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —When computers and tech systems around the world went down Friday, snarling airports, closing Social Security offices and limiting jail operations, many people had one question: How on Earth could this happen in 2024? CrowdStrike is everywhereNumerous Fortune 500 companies use CrowdStrike’s cybersecurity software to detect and block hacking threats. Computers running Microsoft Windows — one of the most popular software programs in the world — crashed because of the faulty way a code update issued by CrowdStrike is interacting with Windows. Anne Neuberger, a senior White House tech and cybersecurity official, spoke of the “risks of consolidation” in the tech supply chain when asked about the IT outage on Friday. The infamous hack of the US government using SolarWinds software in 2020, which US officials blamed on Russia, came through a tampered software update.

Persons: Costin, CrowdStrike, Munish Walther, Puri, “, ” Walther, Anne Neuberger, ” Neuberger, ” Tobias Feakin Organizations: CNN, CrowdStrike, Windows, White House, Aspen Security Locations: New York, Russia, Russian

☆ Blinken says Iran’s nuclear weapon breakout time is probably down to 1-2 weeks
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-19 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | Kylie Atwood | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday said that Iran’s breakout time – the amount of time needed to produce enough weapons grade material for a nuclear weapon – “is now probably one or two weeks” as Tehran has continued to develop its nuclear program. “Iran, because the nuclear agreement was thrown out, instead of being at least a year away from having the breakout capacity of producing fissile material for a nuclear weapon, is now probably one or two weeks away from doing that,” he said. Blinken said the policy of the US is to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and that the administration would prefer to stop that from happening through diplomacy. The State Department also said that there is no anticipation that the recent election in Iran will change the country’s behavior. “We have no expectations that this election will lead to a fundamental change in Iran’s direction or its policies,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said earlier this month.

Persons: Antony Blinken, ”, “, Blinken, Biden, Trump, Matthew Miller, it’s, that’s Organizations: CNN, Aspen Security, US Defense Department, US, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, UN, State Department, The State Department, ”, “ Locations: Tehran, Iran, “ Iran, “

CNN —President Joe Biden is expected to make a final decision soon on sending long-range missiles to Ukraine for the first time, a major step recommended by the State and Defense departments after months of Ukrainian requests, people familiar with the discussions told CNN. Discussions about sending the long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems, also known as ATACMS, picked up substantially in recent weeks, the sources said. Currently, the maximum range of US weapons committed to Ukraine is around 93 miles with the ground-launched small diameter bomb. ATACMS missiles are fired from HIMARS rocket launchers, the same type of vehicle that launches the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) missiles that Ukraine already employs. “When we talk about long-range missiles for Ukraine, it is not just a whim, but a real need,” the head of Zelensky’s office, Andriy Yermak, said on Telegram on Monday.

Persons: Joe Biden, Volodymyr Zelensky, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Biden, ” Zelensky, Antony Blinken, Lockheed Martin, Andriy Yermak, Abrams, “ I’m, Republican Sen, James Risch of, “, Putin, they’ve, ” Organizations: CNN, State and Defense, Tactical Missile Systems, State Department, Pentagon, Lockheed, Army, Ukrainian, Republican, Aspen Security Forum Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Kyiv, Crimea, France, James Risch of Idaho

☆ Biden says report of Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin's death not surprising
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Steve Holland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"I don’t know for a fact what happened, but I’m not surprised," Biden told reporters. "There is not much that happens in Russia that Putin is not behind, but I don’t know enough to know the answer." Biden and CIA Director Williams Burns spoke separately last month of the potential danger to Prigozhin, although somewhat in jest. "But all kidding aside...I don't think any of us know for sure what the future of Prigozhin is in Russia." Speaking a week later at the Aspen Security Forum in July, CIA Director William Burns said: "I think Putin is someone who generally thinks that revenge is a dish best served cold ...

Persons: Joe Biden, Fumio Kishida, Yoon Suk, Camp David, Evelyn Hockstein, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin, Prigozhin, I’m, Biden, Putin, Williams Burns, I’d, Sauli Niinisto, William Burns, Steve Holland, Humeyra Pamuk, Nandita Bose, Costas Pitas, Dan Whitcomb, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Japanese, South, REUTERS, Reuters, Russia's, CIA, Finland's, Aspen Security Forum, Thomson Locations: Camp, Thurmont , Maryland, U.S, TAHOE , California, Moscow, Russia, Belarus

☆ Who is Travis King, and what comes next for the US soldier in North Korea?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Picture of Travis King, the US soldier who ran across the military demarcation line into North Korea on Tuesday July 18. From Travis King/FacebookThe day before he crossed into North Korea, King was supposed to board a flight to Texas, where he was to face disciplinary procedures. The last American known to be held by North Korea was Bruce Byron Lowrance, who, according to North Korean state media, crossed from China into North Korea in 2018. While in North Korea, he appeared in propaganda films, taught the country’s spies English and spent up to eight hours a day studying the writings of North Korean leaders. He was allowed to leave North Korea in 2004, two years after his Japanese wife, who was kidnapped from her home in Japan in 1978 and left North Korea under a deal between Pyongyang and Tokyo.

Persons: Travis King “, ”, King, Travis King, Bryce Dubee, Christine Wormuth, King “, ” Jaqueda, King’s, “, Claudine Gates, Jonathan Franks, Donald Trump, Kim Jong Un, Trump, Kim, KCNA, Washington “, Private King, Bruce Byron Lowrance, Lowrance, Otto Warmbier, Warmbier, Charles Jenkins, Jenkins Organizations: South Korea CNN, Joint Security Area, North, US, CNN, 6th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat, Armored Division, Army, Incheon International, Aspen Security, South Korean, US Navy, Korean Central News Agency, U.S . Army, Washington, Private, Swedish Embassy, Central Intelligence Agency Locations: Seoul, South Korea, North Korea, Korean, Korea, Fort Bliss , Texas, Texas, Incheon, United States, ” Jaqueda Gates, Pyongyang, Washington, Busan, Japan, North, Maryland, Swedish, China, American, Tokyo

CNN —North Korea on Wednesday confirmed publicly for the first time that US Army Private Travis King crossed into its territory. A statement from the country’s government-controlled Korean Central News Agency claimed King had expressed “his willingness to seek refugee” in North Korea or a third country. King, a junior enlisted soldier assigned to US Forces Korea, had faced assault charges in South Korea and was due to return to Fort Bliss, Texas and be removed from the military just one day before he crossed into North Korea, CNN has reported. KCNA added that he had admitted of “illegally” intruding into the territory of North Korea and said that the investigation is ongoing. Defense officials have said publicly that King “willfully and without authorization” crossed into North Korea while taking a civilian tour of the DMZ.

Persons: Travis King, King, “, ” King, Fort, KCNA, Private King, King “, ”, Christine Wormuth, he’d, ” Wormuth, Jaqueda Gates, King’s, Biden Organizations: CNN, Wednesday, US, Korean Central News Agency, U.S . Army, Joint Security, US Forces Korea, Defense, Private, North, Army, Aspen Security, US Army, South Korean, Geneva Convention Locations: North Korea, South Korea, Fort Bliss , Texas, North Koreans, United States, Geneva

☆ Western allies receive increasingly ‘sobering’ updates on Ukraine’s counteroffensive: ‘This is the most difficult time of the war’
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Jim Sciutto | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Weeks into Ukraine’s highly anticipated counteroffensive, Western officials describe increasingly “sobering” assessments about Ukrainian forces’ ability to retake significant territory, four senior US and western officials briefed on the latest intelligence told CNN. But for them to really make progress that would change the balance of this conflict, I think, it’s extremely, highly unlikely,” a senior western diplomat told CNN. Ukrainian forces have incurred staggering losses there, leading Ukrainian commanders to hold back some units to regroup and reduce casualties. “Russians have a number of defensive lines and they [Ukrainian forces] haven’t really gone through the first line,” said a senior Western diplomat. “The problem, of course, here is the prospect of the blame game that the Ukrainians would then blame it on us,” said a senior western diplomat.

Persons: CNN —, Ukraine’s, “ They’re, ”, We’re, Mike Quigley, haven’t, “, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Mark Milley, Zaluzhnyi, Milley, ” Zaluzhnyi, Putin, ” Quigley, Volodymyr Zelensky, ’, ” Zelensky Organizations: CNN, Illinois Democrat, US, Ukrainian, Joint Chiefs, Staff, Aspen Security Forum Locations: Illinois, Europe, Ukrainian, Western, Ukraine, West

While it still maintains some combat power in reserve, it has now deployed the “main bulk” of the forces committed to the counteroffensive forces, one of the US officials said. “The second wave of the [Ukrainian] counteroffensive has begun” on the Zaporizhzhia front, said Vladimir Rogov, a member of the Russian-installed military-civilian administration in the region. The New York Times was first to report on the commitment of additional Ukrainian forces to the counteroffensive. Zelensky said last week that one reason for the slow progress of the counteroffensive was its later-than-planned start. However, some Ukrainian military officials have recently noted that Russia’s advantage in electronic warfare has blunted the effectiveness of drone operations.

Persons: “, Vladimir Rogov, Rogov, ” Rogov, Bradley, ”, Vladimir Putin, Ukraine’s, Volodymyr Zelensky, Lloyd Austin, ” Austin, they’ve, Oleksii Reznikov, Reznikov, Putin, Zelensky, ” Zelensky, Denys Shmyhal Organizations: CNN, Kyiv, Ukrainian, Leopard, Brigade, Artillery, Bradley, US, The New York Times, Ukraine’s, Aspen Security, United, Army Tactical Missile Systems Locations: Ukraine, Russian, “, Robotyne, Orikhiv, Papua New Guinea, Crimea, Donbas, St . Petersburg, Russia, Kyiv, United States, France, United Kingdom, Ukrainian, Odesa, Moscow

And earlier this week, Russia targeted a Ukrainian port on the Danube River near NATO ally Romania. Now, Russia’s defense ministry has warned that ships sailing to Ukraine’s Black Sea ports will be viewed as military targets. Two thirds of the wheat that left Ukraine via the Black Sea ports went to developing countries, said Power. Russian drones attacked Ukraine's port infrastructure on the Danube river, targeting Ukrainian grain stocks and destroying storage hangars, the Ukrainian Army said. “We believe its targeting might also include attacks against civilian shipping in the Black Sea.

Persons: Barbara Woodward, Moscow’s, United Nations Linda, Thomas Greenfield, “, ”, Samantha Power, Antony Blinken, António Guterres, Bulgaria –, Power, Kees Huizinga, Huizinga, ” Katherine Brucker Organizations: CNN, United Nations, NATO, European, US Agency for International Development, UN, Romania, European Commission, Aspen Security, AP, U.S . Agency for International, Biden, Ukrainian Army, Ukraine Operational Command, European Union, Organization for Security, Cooperation Locations: Ukraine, United, Russia, Odesa, Ukrainian, Turkey, Kerch, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, West, United States, Europe

Long before moving into the White House, President Biden compared the relationship between the United States and Israel to that of close friends. For months, Mr. Biden refused to invite Mr. Netanyahu to Washington, which prevented at least some meetings between lower-level officials. Despite recognizing Israel, Mr. Truman refused to sell the new state offensive arms, as did his two successors. Mr. Biden’s relationship with Mr. Netanyahu has been scratchy going back years. “I don’t think the Jewish American community needs to be overly involved in this,” she said.

Persons: Long, Biden, “, ”, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, Netanyahu, Nathan J, Diament, Isaac Herzog, Robert B, Harry S, Truman, —, Israel —, Israel, Dwight D, Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, George H.W, Bush, State James A, Baker, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Donald J, Trump, Mr, “ Bibi, Biden’s, Netanyahu’s, Kamala Harris, ” —, Eli Cohen, Yair Lapid, Netanyahu “, Satloff, Thomas L, Friedman, Jake Sullivan, “ It’s, ” Mr, Sullivan, Chris Coons, James E, Diana Fersko, Rabbi Fersko Organizations: Israel, Orthodox Union, American Orthodox, Democratic, Washington Institute for Near East, State, State Department, Mr, New York Times, Aspen Security, Republican, Foreign Relations, Jewish, American Jewish, American Locations: United States, Israel, Washington, American, U.S, Egypt, Suez, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Manhattan

Long before moving into the White House, President Biden compared the relationship between the United States and Israel to that of close friends. For months, Mr. Biden refused to invite Mr. Netanyahu to Washington, which prevented at least some meetings between lower-level officials. Despite recognizing Israel, Mr. Truman refused to sell the new state offensive arms, as did his two successors. Mr. Biden urged Mr. Netanyahu “not to rush” his changes and “to seek the broadest possible consensus here.”Aides insist Mr. Biden is not trying to engineer a specific outcome in an ally’s internal politics. “I don’t think the Jewish American community needs to be overly involved in this,” she said.

Persons: Long, Biden, “, ”, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, Netanyahu, Nathan J, Diament, Isaac Herzog, Robert B, Harry S, Truman, —, Israel —, Israel, Dwight D, Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, George H.W, Bush, State James A, Baker, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Donald J, Trump, Mr, “ Bibi, Biden’s, Netanyahu’s, Kamala Harris, ” —, Eli Cohen, Yair Lapid, Netanyahu “, Satloff, Thomas L, Friedman, . Biden, Jake Sullivan, “ It’s, ” Mr, Sullivan, Chris Coons, James E, Diana Fersko, Rabbi Fersko Organizations: Israel, Orthodox Union, American Orthodox, Democratic, Washington Institute for Near East, State, State Department, Mr, New York Times, Aspen Security, Republican, Foreign Relations, Jewish, American Jewish, American Locations: United States, Israel, Washington, American, U.S, Egypt, Suez, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Manhattan

☆ Secretary of State Antony Blinken says US is 'working to put some stability' into relationship with China
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-23 | by ( Kaanita Iyer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told CNN that the US is attempting to strengthen “lines of communication” with China to avoid conflict between the two superpowers. “We are working to put some stability into the relationship, to put a floor under the relationship, to make sure that the competition that we’re in doesn’t veer into conflict,” Blinken told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria in an interview that aired Sunday. His visit was followed by similar trips by other high-level Biden administration officials, including Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and US climate envoy John Kerry. “I was very clear with my Chinese counterparts,” Blinken told Zakaria, referring to his trip last month. CNN previously reported that one of the key issues that did not get resolved during Blinken’s trip was the restoration of military-to-military communications between US and China.

Persons: Antony Blinken, ” Blinken, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, “, Joe Biden, Biden, Janet Yellen, John Kerry, ”, Blinken, Zakaria, Li Shangfu, Li, Lloyd Austin, “ We’ve, Vladimir, Putin Organizations: CNN, Aspen Security, US, Chinese Defense, China’s Equipment Development Department Locations: China, doesn’t, Colorado, Beijing, Moscow, American, Singapore, Ukraine, Russia

☆ The US has no plans to supply the prized long-range Army Tactical Missile System for Ukraine's stuttering counteroffensive, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-23 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

US officials say there's been no change in US policy on sending ATACMS, despite Ukraine's pleas. Kyiv has repeatedly called on the US to send the powerful long-range missiles. No major discussions on the issue have taken place for months, officials told The Washington Post. ATACMS not a priority and could escalate the conflictUS resistance to sending ATACMS to Ukraine is partially down to fears that it could trigger Russian escalation of the conflict. It remains concerned that sending enough missiles to Ukraine would deplete the US's limited stock, weakening its response to other potential conflicts, officials told The Post.

Persons: there's, Biden, Biden's, ATACMS, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Zelensky, Zelenskyy, Andriy Yermak, Storm, Ben Wallace Organizations: Washington, Service, The Washington Post, Army Tactical Missile System, Post, Aspen Security, Forum, Foreign Affairs, UK's Locations: Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Florida

☆ Ukraine's military is overcoming Russia's dense minefields and its counteroffensive is poised to 'gain pace,' Zelenskyy says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine's counteroffensive was poised to "gain pace." Russia's dense minefields have slowed Ukraine's counteroffensive, Ukrainian officials said. OLEKSII FILIPPOV/AFP via Getty ImagesDespite the mine threat, Zelenskyy insisted that Ukraine's counteroffensive was about to "gain pace." But it is not clear how much of Ukraine's forces have so far joined the counteroffensive efforts. Multiple Ukrainian officials recently said that the bulk of Ukraine's forces had not yet been dispatched to the frontline.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Zelenskyy, OLEKSII FILIPPOV, Jake Sullivan Organizations: Analysts, Service, Aspen Security, Financial Times, CNN, Russian, US Army Special Forces, Ukraine, Washington Post, State Emergency Service, Getty, US National Security Locations: Russia, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Florida, Brovary, Kyiv, AFP

King, an active-duty U.S. Army soldier serving in South Korea, sprinted into North Korea while on a civilian tour of the Demilitarized Zone on the border between the two Koreas. Washington is fully mobilized in trying to contact Pyongyang about him, U.S. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said on Thursday, but North Korea had yet to respond. At that time, U.S. officials had just concluded an initial nuclear agreement with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's father, Kim Jong Il. Warmbier was eventually returned to the United States in a coma in 2017, but died days later. "Here's the response we got: one missile launch after another," referring to repeated North Korean missile tests.

Persons: Travis King, Christine Wormuth, Joe Biden, Trump, It's, Thomas Hubbard, Bobby Hall, Kim Jong Un's, Kim Jong Il, Hubbard, King, Mickey Bergman, Bill Richardson, Bergman, Jenny Town, Charles Robert Jenkins, ‘, Tae Yong, Otto Warmbier, Warmbier, Otto’s, Fred, He’s, Antony Blinken, Biden, Blinken, Simon Lewis, David Brunnstrom, Idrees Ali, Don Durfee, Stephen Coates Organizations: Army, U.S . Army, U.S, North, Koreans, United Nations Command, Richardson, . Army, Reuters, Aspen Security, Korean, Thomson Locations: United States, North Korea, South Korea, . Washington, Pyongyang, U.S, Washington, North, Korea, Koreans, Sweden, New York, Jenny, Korean, Korea's

☆ Zelenskyy says the Kerch Bridge 'feeds the war' and that Russia's link to Crimea must be 'neutralized'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the Kerch Bridge in Crimea must be "neutralized." Zelenskyy said the bridge is a legitimate military target as Russia uses it to "feed the war." The bridge opened in 2018 and links the illegally occupied Crimean peninsula with Russia. In remarks to the Aspen Security Forum, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking by video link, said Friday evening that the bridge is a legitimate military target. Zelenskyy described the bridge Friday as "an enemy facility" that was built in defiance of international law.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Zelenskyy, coy, Vladimir Putin Organizations: Service, Aspen Security Forum, Moscow, Kremlin, Associated Press Locations: Kerch, Crimea, Russia, Crimean, Wall, Silicon, Moscow, Ukraine, Russian

☆ Putin is trying to buy time with Prigozhin but will get revenge since he is the 'ultimate apostle of payback,' CIA director William Burns says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Azmi Haroun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The director of the CIA believes that Putin has yet to play all of his cards against Yevgeny Prigozhin. Right now, Putin is buying time and seeing how he can still benefit from Prigozhin and Wagner Group. But Putin is the 'ultimate apostle of payback' CIA director William Burns said at the Aspen Security Forum. CIA Director William Burns, speaking at the Aspen Security Forum 2023 on Thursday, discussed Prigozhin's failed mutiny and the potential blowback to come. For now, Burns said, Putin is buying time, but when the time is right, Prigozhin may have a target on his back.

Persons: Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, William Burns, Wagner, Vladimir Putin, Joe Biden, Prigozhin's, Burns, NPR's Mary Louise Kelly, Prigozhin, Russia's, Alexander Lukashenko, Kelly Organizations: CIA, Wagner, Aspen Security, Service, Wagner Group, Belarusian Locations: Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Russian, Rostov, Moscow, Belarus, Ukrainian, Bakhmut, Syria, Africa

☆ Wagner boss Prigozhin was just winging it with his armed revolt and making things up as he went along, CIA director says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Yevgeny Prigozhin shocked the world when he called on his Wagner Group fighters to invade Russia. CIA Director Bill Burns said this week that Prigozhin was likely improvising during the armed rebellion. Prigozhin was "making some of this up as he went along," Burns told the Aspen Security Forum. Head of the Wagner Group Yevgeny Prigozhin left the Southern Military District headquarters on June 24, 2023 in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. Within hours, the Wagner Group had captured the southern city of Rostov-on-Don without meeting any resistance.

Persons: Yevgeny Prigozhin, Bill Burns, Prigozhin, Burns, Wagner, Joe Biden, I'm, William Burns, Sergei Shoigu, Valery Gerasimov, Wagner Group Yevgeny Prigozhin, Stringer, he'd, Alexander Lukashenko, Reuters Prigozhin, he'll, Russia —, Vladimir Putin, they've, Putin's misjudgment, Russian Wagner, Mark Milley, Milley Organizations: Wagner Group, CIA, Aspen Security, Service, Russian Defense, Southern Military, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Kremlin, Reuters, Belarus —, Wagner, Belarusian Defence Ministry, REUTERS, Ukrainian, Joint Chiefs, Staff, NATO Locations: Russia, Wall, Silicon, Moscow, Ukraine, Rostov, Don, Prigozhin, Russian, Voronezh, Belarus, Belarusian, Africa, Osipovichi, Kyiv

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