The Treasury Department announced a new set of sanctions on Wednesday against key figures involved in Iran's ballistic missile program.
Why it matters: The sanctions were triggered by a trio of Iranian-backed missile attacks, including a missile strike in Iraq, an "Iranian enabled" Houthi missile strike of a Saudi Aramco facility, and Houthi attacks by "Iranian proxies against Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates."
The Pentagon concurs with reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin has "not been fully informed" by his advisers about the developments of the war in Ukraine, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said at a briefing Wednesday.
Driving the news: Reports emerged Wednesday alleging that U.S. and European Union officials believe Putin has been misinformed by his advisers as to Russia's performance in the war, at least in part because some of his senior advisers were afraid to tell him the truth, Reuters reported.
The wave of terror attacks inside Israel came as the U.S., Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Authority were all focused on a different issue: preventing potential escalation in Jerusalem next month during Ramadan and the Passover and Easter holidays.
Driving the news: One of the primary goals of Secretary of State Tony Blinken’s trip to the region was to remind both Israelis and Palestinians of the need to avoid provocative actions, a message he reiterated in every meeting in Jerusalem and Ramallah, U.S. officials say.
The wave of terror attacks that have killed 11 Israelis in the last week is the biggest test so far for Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and his fragile coalition.
Why it matters: If the attacks continue, they could lead to the collapse of Bennett's 10-month-old coalition government, which is made up of right, left and center parties, including an Arab party.
Tuesday's meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed helped bring down tensions and "move the relationship between the UAE and the U.S. back on the right track," UAE ambassador to Washington Yousef Al Otaiba told me.
Why it matters: Relations have been strained since a Houthi missile attack on Abu Dhabi in January.
U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken asked Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and other Israeli officials for their alternative to a nuclear deal with Iran that will limit Tehran's uranium enrichment, a senior State Department official and an Israeli official told me.
Why it matters: After months of indirect negotiations between Iran and the Biden administration, a draft agreement for returning to the 2015 nuclear deal is almost done.
During Secretary of State Tony Blinken's visit to the Middle East, Israeli officials sought to reassure the Biden administration they are taking steps to prevent Russian oligarchs from using Israel to evade U.S. and European sanctions.
Why it matters: Israeli officials have told me they were concerned in recent weeks about growing criticism in Washington — mainly in Congress and in the U.S. media but also among mid-level officials in the Biden administration — over its policy toward Russia.
Around 7 in 10 Americans (72%) have a lot or some confidence in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, higher than any other international leader recorded, a new Pew Research survey found.
During a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday, President Biden informed him that the U.S. intends to give Ukraine an additional $500 million in direct budgetary aid, according to a White House readout of the call.
Ukrainian regional leaders said Wednesday that Russian forces have stepped up their shelling of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and the northern city of Chernihiv, targeting civilian infrastructure, including homes, shops and libraries, AP reported.
Why it matters: The attacks come a day after Russia's Defense Ministry said it would drastically reduce military operations near those cities as partial steps toward a peace deal, though U.S. and British officials disputed those claims.
The former director of a top U.S. government sanctions office is leading a new Ukrainian government legal team, records show.
Why it matters: Ukraine's new representatives, from the white-shoe firm Morrison & Foerster, show its U.S. advocacy remains heavily focused on sanctions policy as Washington pushes punitive measures against the Russian economy and individual Kremlin officials, including President Vladimir Putin.
NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei and two cosmonauts, Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrov, returned to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft that touched down in Kazakhstan on Wednesday morning.
Why it matters: The landing, which concludes Vande Hei's NASA record-breaking 355 consecutive days in space, comes as the U.S. and Russia's relationship in space has become significantly damaged over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
Germany initiated the first step of an emergency energy plan on Wednesday to preempt a potential disruption or halt in gas supplies from Russia, according to Reuters.
Why it matters: The unprecedented move indicates that the European Union is concerned that President Vladimir Putin's demands that Europe and the United States pay for gas exports in rubles could result in a Russian gas cut-off.
Russia's defense ministry said Tuesday it would drastically scale back military operations near the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv in order to "increase mutual trust" for a potential peace deal with Ukraine — though advances on both cities had already stalled.
The latest: U.S. and British officials cast doubt on the claims. Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said the U.S. had seen a "small number" of Russian forces moving away from Kyiv, but it's "too early" to tell if the pullback will be significant. Russian units were reorganizing and resupplying in Russia and Belarus due to heavy losses, per a U.K. intelligence update Wednesday.
The big picture: Officials say thousands of people remain trapped in the besieged city, with food, water and medicine in short supply. U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price has said "some of the most egregious accounts of what could constitute war crimes" by Putin's forces "have emanated from Mariupol."
The State Department warned "Russian government security officials may single out and detain U.S. citizens" in Russia and Ukraine, per fresh advisories against Americans traveling to the countries on Tuesday.
Driving the news: Americans in Russia face being harassed by Russian security officials, as well as "detention, the arbitrary enforcement of local law," according to the travel warning.
Four more Ukrainian children suffering from cancer safely arrived in the U.S. on Monday for treatment at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Why it matters: Earlier this month, the State Department facilitated the transfer of four other Ukrainian children undergoing cancer treatment from Poland to the Memphis, Tennessee, children's hospital.
