HUFFPOST (U.S. News) - U.S. Clears Way For $24.3 Billion Fighter Jet Sale To Saudi Arabia
The State Department said that it has approved the potential sale of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II fighter jets to Saudi Arabia.
AXIOS (Barak Ravid) - Zelensky to Axios: Ukraine needs missile interceptors to head off winter disaster
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Axios in an interview Tuesday that he asked President Trump for an emergency "winter package" of Patriot air defense interceptors to help thwart Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Why it matters: Ukraine's stockpiles of the interceptors have been almost depleted, and without them the country can't defend itself against ballistic missiles. It was the reason Ukraine couldn't stop recent Russian attacks on Kyiv. - If this problem isn't solved by winter, Russian missile attacks could destroy Ukraine's power plants, shutting off heating for millions of Ukrainians and creating a humanitarian crisis. - The war with Iran has also drawn down U.S. stockpiles of Patriot interceptors,…
What is the reported status of U.S. mediation efforts between Russia and Ukraine?
U.S. mediation efforts have been put on the back burner due to the war with Iran, though envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff remain in touch with negotiators from both sides.
Q&A ID e4bdb8e8-a1ed-4b97-9931-665c4f34dfff
What claims did Zelensky make regarding North Korea's involvement in the conflict?
Zelensky claimed that North Korea is supplying ballistic missiles and other weapons to Russia and is building infrastructure for 30,000 additional troops to be sent to fight in Ukraine.
Q&A ID b9d72527-0724-4d2e-8d6d-68f4537f2376
What is Ukraine exploring as a faster and cheaper alternative to obtaining Patriot missiles?
Zelensky stated that he and U.S. defense companies are exploring modifying Ukrainian-made ballistic missiles to turn them into anti-missile interceptors with capabilities similar to Patriot missiles.
Q&A ID 169852b5-12dd-433f-9368-17e26c98ea6a
What are the potential consequences if Ukraine cannot defend its power plants before winter?
Russian missile attacks could destroy Ukraine's power plants, which would shut off heating for millions of Ukrainians and create a humanitarian crisis.
Q&A ID c81b1842-c2ae-4ae0-880f-8f5079ec7c72
How many ballistic missiles does Russia reportedly use in its major strikes against Ukraine?
Zelensky stated that Russia uses 30 to 40 ballistic missiles in every major strike and conducts three to five such attacks every month.
Q&A ID 05a6ff35-72fd-4dbb-8bbb-003e8bedab50
What is the proposed long-term solution discussed between Zelensky and Trump to reduce Ukraine's dependence on U.S. stockpiles?
They discussed the possibility of the U.S. providing Ukraine with licenses to produce Patriot interceptors domestically to boost overall production.
Q&A ID 9c9835da-7b70-4ceb-86b0-d423402992b0
Why is Ukraine struggling to secure Patriot interceptors from the United States?
The U.S. stockpiles of Patriot interceptors have been drawn down due to the war with Iran, making it difficult to sell them to Ukraine.
Q&A ID 8c8eb25e-6bf3-4dd8-82e3-f827a452c050
What specific request did President Zelensky make to President Trump regarding air defense?
Zelensky requested an emergency "winter package" of Patriot air defense interceptors to protect Ukrainian energy infrastructure from Russian attacks, specifically seeking 300 interceptors by winter.
Q&A ID 60a080f3-65ee-412c-826f-0b0221ad923e
AXIOS (Dave Lawler) - Iran war drives multi-year missile defense gap
The war in Iran has exacerbated a shortage of missile-defense weaponry that is likely to plague the U.S. and its partners — from Ukraine to Taiwan — for years to come. Why it matters: The conflict is draining weapons stockpiles far faster than American factories can replace them, leaving the Pentagon and its allies scrambling to ramp up production and find cheaper alternatives. - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote to President Trump this week urgently requesting interceptors to knock down expected Russian missile barrages. - But Iran has taken top priority, and a new analysis suggests it will take years to replace munitions expended in that war. Breaking it down: A report from the Center for Strategic and International…
AXIOS (Jim VandeHei) - Trump is cashing in on the presidency like no president ever has
Never in 250 years has America witnessed a sitting president shield himself and his family from tax scrutiny, after leveraging policies that benefit his own businesses and personal portfolios, as Donald J. Trump has done. Why it matters: This isn't a hidden scandal. Trump has done this publicly and proudly . Last year, we called it the "most unprecedented presidency in 250 years." In doing so, he has set a precedent — once so unfathomable as to be laughable — that it's OK for presidents and family members to make billions off deals affected by government decisions, then use the Justice Department to secure lifetime protection from scrutiny of their past tax returns. - Trump's crypto venture alone has been a windfall unlike anything…
NPR (Anthony Kuhn) - Military drills on the edge: U.S. and allies test capabilities near Asia's flash points
From drone boats to long-range missiles, the U.S. and its allies tested new military tactics in the Philippines, sharpening deterrence as tensions with China intensify.
| Keywords | uschinaphilippinesmilitarydefensewargeopoliticsforeign-policymissilesdronesdeterrenceindo-pacificasiataiwanjapansouth-koreausadrillstacticslockheed-martin |
ABCNEWS - WATCH: President Trump speaks with Artemis II astronauts
Trump called the Artemis II astronauts after the historic lunar flyby on Monday and invited them to the Oval Office upon their return to Earth.
AXIOS (Alex Fitzpatrick) - Artemis II successfully launches for historic Moon mission
NASA's Artemis II Moon mission successfully launched from Florida's John F. Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday afternoon at 6:35pm ET. Why it matters: Artemis II's planned crewed lunar flyby is set to mark the closest humanity has come to the Moon since the Apollo days. - It's also a key step towards NASA's grand ambition to return human boots to lunar soil, and the Trump administration's dreams of a permanent Moon base. The latest: President Trump congratulated NASA and the astronauts on the successful launch during his address to the nation on Wednesday night. - "These are brave people," Trump said. "God bless those four unbelievable astronauts." Driving the news: NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, plus…
AXIOS (Alex Fitzpatrick) - NASA's Artemis II Moon mission is set to make space history
Just a few hours remain in the countdown for Artemis II, NASA's mission to return astronauts to lunar orbit for the first time since the Apollo era. - The agency's new lunar hopes and dreams are sitting on pad 39B at Florida's Kennedy Space Center in the form of a 322-foot-tall rocket set to launch three Americans and one Canadian on a 10-day flyby of Earth's nearest celestial companion. Why it matters: The mission — a crewed dress rehearsal for a lunar landing, like Apollo 8 and 10 decades ago — will set several space milestones. - NASA astronauts Victor Glover and Christina Koch will become the first person of color and woman to travel beyond low Earth orbit, respectively. - Canada's Jeremy Hansen will become the first…
AXIOS (Sam Sabin) - Cyber warfare starts to get personal in war between U.S., Israel and Iran
Iranian hackers are now taking their psychological warfare tactics directly to government officials and employees at major companies. Why it matters: Even unproven threats from Iranian hackers can create fear, uncertainty and doubt — draining attention and forcing targets to divert time and resources from their own operations. Driving the news: In the last week, Iran-linked hackers paired two data leaks with intimidation tactics aimed at individuals. - Handala Hack Team — a pro-Iran hacktivist group linked to Iran's intelligence services — leaked a trove of emails on Friday purportedly from FBI Director Kash Patel's personal Gmail. - The group also released data earlier last week allegedly tied to U.S.- and Israel-based Lockheed…
AXIOS (Josephine Walker) - Exclusive: Lockheed Martin's Martell says warfare requires human-machine teamwork
The future of warfare involves humans and machines working together, Lockheed Martin's chief technology officer Craig Martell predicted on Wednesday at Axios' AI+DC Summit. Why it matters: As the military expands autonomous weapon use, debates are intensifying over when or whether to trust these systems and who is accountable for mistakes or misfires. What they're saying: "I want us to really focus on human-machine teaming, because ... I don't believe statistics at scale is going to get us to cognitive machines," Martell said to Axios' Colin Demarest. - He said it's a human's job to train with the AI system they plan to deploy and to figure out what errors and limitations it has. - "Then you can make the rational decision if you want to…