Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said in a tweet Monday that "history is watching" former President Donald Trump's praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Driving the news: Last week, Trump called Putin "very savvy" and a "genius" after he recognized two breakaway republics in eastern Ukraine as independent ahead of the Russian invasion. On Saturday at CPAC, Trump said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was "very brave," but reiterated his belief that Putin is "smart."
The U.S. has informed the Russian mission to the UN that it will begin expelling 12 people, who it described as "intelligence operatives" that have "abused their privileges of residency in the U.S.," a spokesperson for the U.S. mission to the UN said Monday.
Driving the news: The 12 envoys engaged in "espionage activities that are adverse to our national security," the spokesperson said. "Today’s action has been in the works for several months."
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) spoke out on Monday against Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's (R-Ga.) and Paul Gosar's (R-Ariz.) recent appearances at a white nationalist event, saying in a statement, "there’s no place in the Republican Party for white supremacists or antisemitism."
President Biden will offer an optimistic message on the economy during his State of the Union address Tuesday night, citing the rapid economic recovery over his first year in office, White House officials told reporters.
But when it comes to the high inflation dragging down Americans' confidence and Biden's approval ratings, the president will offer more of a re-framing of its agenda than new ideas.
Why it matters: The Biden team doesn't have any magic bullets that could bring inflation down rapidly. Instead, it will seek to persuade Americans its policies will help lesson the pain of inflation and bring it down over time.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) will open an investigation into possible war crimes or crimes against humanity in Ukraine, ICC prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan said Monday.
Driving the news: Khan said in a statement that "there is a reasonable basis" to believe that both have been committed as Russia's invasion unfolds. The ICC is the only permanent judicial body with jurisdiction over prosecuting people for international crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky is urging President Biden and NATO to impose a "no-fly zone" over "significant parts" of the country, telling Axios in a statement that Ukraine "can beat the aggressor" if the Western allies "do their part."
Why it matters: President Biden has ruled out sending U.S. troops to fight Russia in Ukraine. That pledge extends to a no-fly zone, which would require the U.S. military to potentially directly engage Russian air forces, White House press secretary Jen Psaki stressed on Monday.
Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, plans to speak to senators at the Capitol on Monday evening, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The visit comes as Russia's invasion grinds into its fifth day, and as lawmakers return from recess. They will begin hammering out the details of a potential multi-billion dollar aid package to Ukraine.
Former President Obama will give the keynote on April 21 at a forum on disinformation at the Cyber Policy Center at Stanford University’s Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies.
Why it matters: With disinformation burgeoning at home and abroad, Obama's views can be expected to get massive news coverage and social-media lift.
The State Department said Monday it closed the U.S. Embassy in Belarus because of "security and safety issues stemming" from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Why it matters: U.S. and Ukrainian intelligence officials have reportedly warned that they believe Belarus will soon officially join Russia's invasion efforts after serving as a launchpad for Russian troops and military equipment for the last several days.
Israeli foreign minister Yair Lapid warned cabinet ministers on Sunday not to help Russian Jewish oligarchs who were targeted by international sanctions or could be targeted in the future, according to three ministers who attended the cabinet meeting.
Why it matters: Oligarchs who are close to Russian President Vladimir Putin are among the main targets of U.S. and European sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Many Russian oligarchs have assets, bank accounts and businesses in Israel.
The big picture: The Bank of Russia also announced a series of measures in response to the sanctions — including that brokers must "suspend the execution of all orders by foreign legal entities and persons who want to sell off their Russian investments, such as stocks and shares," per a BBC translation.
The U.S. will send nearly $54 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine to help "hose affected by Russia's military invasion, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Sunday.
The big picture: The assistance will help international humanitarian groups provide food, safe drinking water, shelter, emergency health care and protection in Ukraine, per a statement from Blinken.
Police in Russia arrested over 2,000 people protesting the invasion of Ukraine, and authorities in Belarus detained more than 400 others in massive crackdowns on the anti-war movement in the countries on Sunday.
