Defense & National Security — United Nations calls for Russia to withdraw from Ukraine

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View Online   Defense & National Security Defense & National Security   The Big Story  UN backs Russia withdrawal measure ahead of war anniversary The resolution holds no power but relays a powerful message to Moscow. © AP The United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for Russia to withdraw from all territory in Ukraine was approved by member nations on a 141-7 vote.   The countries opposing the resolution included Belarus, Mali, Nicaragua, Russia, Syria, North Korea and Eritrea.   Russia picked up two additional votes from a previous UN vote on the war in October.   U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the vote will "go down in history."   "On the one-year anniversary of this conflict, we will see where the nations of the world stand on the matter of peace in Ukraine," Thomas-Greenfield said in remarks the day before the vote.   The resolution is purely symbolic, but it allows Ukraine and its allies to build a consensus against Russia. General Assembly votes also serve as a key barometer for the success of each side of the war to sway international opinion.   Thirty-two countries also abstained from the vote, including China, South Africa and India.   India's Ambassador to the U.N. Ruchira Kamboj said the resolution had "inherent limitations" and questions that needed to be answered.   South Africa, China and Russia are holding joint drills in the Indian Ocean this weekend.   The U.S. has also accused China of supplying nonlethal aid to Russia, and several officials warned Beijing is considering sending lethal aid.   Read more at The Hill's Defense page. Welcome to The Hill's Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Brad Dress — 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: How the US could respond if China gives lethal aid to Russia The U.S. could enact strict economic sanctions against China should it support Russia's war in Ukraine with weapons and munitions. Washington has already issued several warnings to deter Beijing from taking the course. The Pentagon, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield all warned of consequences should China supply Russia …  Full Story Biden overhauls policy on transfer of arms to other countries, requiring stricter human rights review The White House on Thursday overhauled its policy on the transfer of arms to foreign countries, requiring a stricter review of potential human rights violations when weapons are exported across the world. A new memo on the Conventional Arms Transfer (CAT) policy says the executive branch will decline the transfer of weapons and munitions if the U.S. “assesses that it is more likely than not” they will be used to …  Full Story Putin says he'll strengthen nuclear forces after suspending Russian participation in treaty Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said he would strengthen Moscow's nuclear forces after he moved to suspend Russia's participation in its major nuclear arms treaty with the U.S. Putin said Moscow will "put our focus on strengthening the nuclear triad" of land, air and sea weapons, according to a transcript from the Kremlin. His remarks came one day before the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. …  Full Story What to expect in the second year of the Russia-Ukraine war The first year of the Russia-Ukraine war has been defined by the resilience of Kyiv's forces and Moscow's diminished military power. The course of the second year will depend largely on forces outside of either country.  Ukraine's success in routing Russian forces will depend largely on how quickly the U.S. and Europe supply decisive arms like long-range missiles, tanks and jets, while Russia's hope for retaking momentum …  Full Story On Our Radar  Upcoming things we're watching on our beat:  Former U.S. National Security John Bolton joins Washington Post Live tomorrow at 11 a.m. ET to talk the Russia-Ukraine war and U.S.-China relations. In Other News  Branch out with a different read from The Hill: Judge says Trump, Wray can be deposed in suits from former FBI officials A federal judge on Thursday greenlighted the depositions of former President Trump and FBI Director Christopher Wray in suits from two former employees of the bureau who argue they were unfairly targeted due to their work investigating the former president's ties to Russia during the 2016 election. … Full Story On Tap Tomorrow  Events in and around the defense world:  The American Enterprise Institute and the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) will discuss the second year of the war in Ukraine during an in-person event starting at 2:15 p.m. in Washington, D.C. The Center for Strategic and International Studies talks with author William Inboden on his new book, "The Peacemaker: Ronald Reagan in the White House and the World" for a hybrid event beginning at 10 a.m. ET. The Royal United Services Institute hosts an event at 5 a.m. ET to discuss Russia's war in Ukraine and the possible future trajectory of the war. What We're Reading  News we've flagged from other outlets: US to expand troop presence in Taiwan for training against Chinese threat (The Wall Street Journal). 'Never saw such hell': Russian soldiers in Ukraine call home (The Associated Press). Trending Today  Two key stories on The Hill right now: DeSantis's office says he will boycott NBC, MSNBC over Andrea Mitchell question on Black history Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will boycott media appearances on NBC News and MSNBC shows, according to his press team, until one of the network’s … Read more Most young men are single. Most young women are not. More than 60 percent of young men are single, nearly twice the rate of unattached young women, signaling a larger breakdown in the social, romantic … Read more Opinions in The Hill  Op-eds related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill: A year into Russia's invasion of Ukraine, what have we learned? The West's next challenge: Russian spy ops beyond Ukraine The 21st century's Gramsci problem You're all caught up. See you tomorrow!  Check out The Hill's Defense page for the latest coverage. Like this newsletter? Take a moment to view all our topical emails here 📩 Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  1625 K Street NW, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20006 Copyright © 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved.

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