Axios

President Trump's Truth Social announcement of a blockade around Venezuela has left international law experts scrambling to assess how it would be implemented and if it constitutes an act of war.

The big picture: A traditional naval blockade involves military forces cutting off access to a coast, a move recognized under international law as an act of war.

White House envoy Steve Witkoff will meet Friday in Miami with senior officials from Qatar, Egypt and Turkey to discuss the next phase of the agreement for ending the war in Gaza, according to a White House official and two additional sources with direct knowledge.

Why it matters: The U.S. and the three other mediating countries feel that both Israel and Hamas are slow-walking the implementation of the second phase of the deal and are interested in maintaining the current status quo, the sources said.

International Energy Agency head Fatih Birol wants to move Africa's need for clean cooking fuels and tech higher on the global agenda — and sees the U.S. as a fruitful partner.

Why it matters: Widespread use of fuels like wood, charcoal and dung — and open fires or inadequate stoves — is a massive health and economic problem.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's envoy Kirill Dmitriev is expected to visit Miami this weekend for talks with White House envoy Steve Witkoff and President Trump's adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner on the U.S. plan to end the war in Ukraine, a White House official and a source with knowledge said.

Why it matters: Trump's advisers are expected to inform Putin's envoy of progress made in talks between U.S. and Ukrainian officials and try to get Russia's government to agree to the updated proposal on ending the war.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Wednesday that he'd approved an unprecedented $35 billion deal to sell natural gas to Egypt.

Why it matters: The Trump administration has been pressing Netanyahu for several weeks to approve the deal as part of an effort to improve relations with Egypt after the Gaza war.

Crude prices bounced upward early Wednesday from four-year lows following President Trump ordering a blockade of U.S. sanctioned oil tankers going in and out of Venezuela.

Why it matters: The risk of a disruption in supply has stopped — for now — a long slide that steepened this week.

The U.S. Navy wants a new frigate "in the water" in 2028, according to Jason Potter, a senior service official.

Why it matters: It's a hyper-ambitious schedule, considering the previously commissioned frigate, the Constellation-class, was axed just weeks ago.

• That one was dunked on for cost, schedule and design bloat.

Europe must quickly acknowledge a "new reality" in which it must "take responsibility for its own security," Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal said at the Washington edition of the Aspen Security Forum.

• "After decades of sleep," he added, "hesitation is a luxury Europe cannot afford."

Why it matters: The appeal comes directly from the front lines of war with Russia — a country already sabotaging projects across Europe — and amid uneasy transatlantic attitudes.

• Both Kyiv and Brussels have felt the whiplash of America's security-aid rollercoaster.

President Trump designated Venezuela a "foreign terrorist organization" Tuesday and formally ordered a blockade of all U.S. sanctioned oil tankers servicing the country.

Why it matters: Trump's newest escalation, backed by a giant U.S. armada, exerts unprecedented pressure on Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro's regime, threatening to bankrupt the country's already struggling economy.