Share and Follow

Facebook X Reddit Pinterest

<!–
*{box-sizing:border-box}body{margin:0;padding:0}a[x-apple-data-detectors]{color:inherit!important;text-decoration:inherit!important}#MessageViewBody a{color:inherit;text-decoration:none}p{line-height:inherit}.desktop_hide,.desktop_hide table{mso-hide:all;display:none;max-height:0;overflow:hidden}.image_block img+div{display:none}sub,sup{font-size:75%;line-height:0}#converted-body .list_block ol,#converted-body .list_block ul,.body [class~=x_list_block] ol,.body [class~=x_list_block] ul,u+.body .list_block ol,u+.body .list_block ul{padding-left:20px} @media (max-width:620px){.desktop_hide table.icons-outer{display:inline-table!important}.image_block div.fullWidth{max-width:100%!important}.mobile_hide{display:none}.row-content{width:100%!important}.stack .column{width:100%;display:block}.mobile_hide{min-height:0;max-height:0;max-width:0;overflow:hidden;font-size:0}.desktop_hide,.desktop_hide table{display:table!important;max-height:none!important}.reverse{display:table;width:100%}.reverse .column.first{display:table-footer-group!important}.reverse .column.last{display:table-header-group!important}.row-10 td.column.first .border,.row-12 td.column.first .border,.row-8 td.column.first .border{padding:5px 5px 15px 25px}.row-10 td.column.last .border,.row-12 td.column.last .border,.row-8 td.column.last .border{padding:5px 20px 25px 5px}}

Presented by GE Aerospace —

{beacon}

Defense &
National Security

<!–

PRESENTED BY

The Big Story

US puts Putin in hot seat with Ukraine ceasefire proposal

The United States has, for the first time, shifted the pressure to Russia in President Trump’s push for a ceasefire in Ukraine.

After securing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s support for a 30-day truce in the war, Secretary of State Marco Rubio came out of talks in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, saying the geopolitical ball was now in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s court.

Steve Witkoff, special envoy and top Trump negotiator with Russia, was reportedly planning a meeting with Putin as soon as this week. Senate Republicans expressed doubt Wednesday that Russia would back the ceasefire and warned that Putin was not an honest broker.

“I am extremely skeptical that Russia will accept the ceasefire, and I am very doubtful they want to end this war. Zelensky has passed the test of wanting peace. It is now up to Putin to show his cards,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) wrote in a post on the social platform X.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) shared a similar skepticism.

“I personally am skeptical, because [Putin’s] ideologically driven of wanting to restore the Russian empire, and he’s shown that he doesn’t respect any agreements,” Cornyn said.

Trump signaled Wednesday that he could exert pressure on Putin if Russia holds back from joining a ceasefire agreement.

“I can do things financially that would be very bad for Russia, I don’t want to do that because I want to get peace,” he said, echoing past threats to tariff and isolate Moscow economically.

Putin is likely to assert his demands in the deal, dragging out the process toward a ceasefire, Bloomberg reported Wednesday.

“What we want to do is have the best possible negotiating position for Ukraine, because we know we can’t trust Russia,” said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), the ranking member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

“We’ve seen that. What we need is to hold Vladimir Putin accountable for what he’s done.”

Read the full report at TheHill.com.

Welcome to The Hill’s Defense & National Security newsletter, I’m Ellen Mitchell — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond.

Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.

Essential Reads

How policy will affect defense and national security now and in
the future:

Reagan ‘would be heartbroken’ over Trump isolating US: Patti Davis

Former President Reagan’s daughter says her father “would be heartbroken” by actions under President Trump that have signaled America’s shift toward isolation from longstanding allies. “I think he would be grieving,” Patti Davis said during a Tuesday night appearance on CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360.” “The America that I grew up in, that we all have known, is one that had alliances …

Full Story

Greenland opposition party wins election held in Trump’s shadow

Greenland voters sent a strong signal Tuesday that they support leaders who will support the Arctic island’s sovereignty, even as President Trump pushes to annex the territory. Greenland’s center-right Demokraatit party, whose leaders have been critical of Trump’s takeover talk, won nearly 30 percent of the vote — a dramatic jump from the last election four years ago. Naleraq, the most aggressively pro-independence …

Full Story

Safety board calls for helicopter ban on certain routes near DC airport: ‘Intolerable risk’

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Tuesday issued two “urgent” safety recommendations after discovering thousands of close calls between helicopters and planes near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport following a midair collision in January. The board recommended that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) permanently ban certain helicopter routes around the airport, also known as DCA, when specific …

Full Story

On Our Radar

Upcoming things we’re watching on our beat:

President Trump will host the NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House tomorrow.
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman, and Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith will speak at a Defense One event at 2 p.m.

A MESSAGE FROM GE AEROSPACE

GE Aerospace T901 Engine Powers Black Hawk for First Time

GE Aerospace’s T901 engine officially became the power of the Black Hawk in January after successful ground runs, marking a significant milestone in the Improved Turbine Engine Program. Learn more.

In Other News

Branch out with a different read from The Hill:

Perkins Coie sues over Trump’s order stripping security clearances

Law firm Perkins Coie has launched a suit to challenge President Trump’s stripping of security clearances for lawyers at the firm, saying it was targeted due to its past work for Democrats. Perkins Coie, which represented Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in 2016, was the …

Full Story

On Tap Tomorrow

Events in and around the defense world:

The Center for Strategic and International Studies will hold a virtual discussion on “War in Ukraine and Lessons for Asia,” at 9:30 a.m.
Wilson Center will have a talk on “Germany’s Election Aftermath: Implications for Foreign Policy,” at 11 a.m.

What We’re Reading

News we’ve flagged from other outlets:

Military leaders warn of risks to armed forces’ readiness in temporary funding bill (The Associated Press)
Thousands of potential recruits could lose access to military entrance exam testing with program shuttered (Military.com)

A MESSAGE FROM GE AEROSPACE

GE Aerospace T901 Engine Powers Black Hawk for First Time

GE Aerospace’s T901 engine officially became the power of the Black Hawk in January after successful ground runs, marking a significant milestone in the Improved Turbine Engine Program. Learn more.

Trending Today

Two key stories on The Hill right now:

Senate Democrats insist on voting on 30-day government funding bill

Senate Democrats say they will not vote for the House-passed six-month government funding package, which would boost defense spending and cut nondefense … Read more

Senate Democrats struggle with funding dilemma as shutdown deadline looms

Senate Democrats are staring down a major dilemma as they agonize over how to handle the GOP’s stopgap spending bill in the face of a potential government … Read more