Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
Ukrainian tanks and APCs move towards the de-facto border with Crimea. Aleksandr Shulman / AP
The Pentagon and State Department have developed plans to arm Ukraine in its fight against Russia-backed separatists, the Wall St Journal reports.
- U.S. officials told the Journal the weapons are defensive and "meant to deter aggressive actions by Moscow." The U.S. has long accused Russia of arming and supporting the separatist fighters.
- President Trump has not been briefed on the plans, which are in preliminary stages, "and his position isn't known," the Journal reports. U.S. allies are split on how to handle the situation, with France and Germany concerned providing arms will make an already dangerous situation worse. It could be months before a decision is made.
- The move would enrage Vladimir Putin and likely further inflame tensions with Russia. On Friday, in response to sanctions passed by Congress, Putin ordered the U.S. to cut its embassy staff by 755, one of the largest such expulsions in modern history. Trump has not commented on that move.