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lousubcap

Monday Southern Command update:

“The U.S.A. and Venezuela are working well together,” Trump said on Friday, adding “because of this cooperation, I have canceled the previously expected second Wave of Attacks, which looks like it will not be needed.” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told  Reuters that additional U.S. sanctions on Venezuela could be lifted as soon as this week to facilitate oil sales, and that he will meet with the heads of the IMF and World Bank to discuss their re-engagement with Venezuela. Gregory Svirnovskiy reports for POLITICO; David Lawder reports.

Venezuela is exploring restoring diplomatic ties and sending a delegation to Washington to check on its long-closed embassy, according to a statement from Venezuelan Interim President Delcy Rodríguez. A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department said that U.S. diplomats visited Caracas on Friday to assess the potential resumption of embassy operations. Annie Correal reports for the New York Times.

Trump on Friday signed an executive order aimed at blocking courts or creditors from impounding revenue tied to the sale of Venezuelan oil held in U.S. Treasury accounts, the White House said on Saturday. Several companies, such as ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips, have longstanding claims against the country. The order declares that the revenue is the sovereign property of Venezuela held in U.S. custody for governmental and diplomatic purposes and is not subject to private claims. Ernest Scheyder reports for Reuters. 

Trump said yesterday that he is inclined to keep Exxonmobil out of Venezuela after its top executive was skeptical about oil investment efforts in the country. “If we look at the commercial constructs and framework in place today in Venezuela, today it’s uninvestable,” Exxonmobil CEO Darren Woods said. Seung Min Kim and Julia Nikhinson report for AP News."

lousubcap

Monday Middle East update:

"President Trump said on Saturday that his administration is ready to help the anti-government protestors in Iran, saying “Iran is looking for FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!”Trump also said several times over the weekend that he will use military force if the Iranian regime uses force against protestors. Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

Trump said yesterday that Iran proposed negotiations after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its crackdown targeting anti-government protestors in Iran, as the U.S.-based Human Rights Activist News Agency reports that the death toll has risen to at least 544 people. Trump added, “the meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting.” Trump and his national security team have been weighing up a range of responses, including cyberattacks and direct strikes by the United States or Israel, according to two sources. U.S. officials said that they had to be careful to ensure that military strikes did not galvanize the Iranian public to support the government in Tehran or trigger retaliatory strikes. John Gambrell and Julia Nikhinson report for AP News; Tyler Pager, Eric Schmitt, and Edward Wong report for the New York Times.

“The communication channel between our Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and the U.S. Special envoy [Steve Witkoff] is open and messages are exchanged whenever necessary,” a spokesperson for the Iranian foreign ministry said today, adding that “contradictory messages” from the United States showed a lack of seriousness."

Edit to add:

Hamas said yesterday that it will dissolve its existing government in Gaza once a Palestinian technocratic leadership committee takes over the territory, as per the U.S.-brokered peace plan, but the group gave no specifics on when the change will occur. An Egyptian official said that Hamas will meet with other Palestinian factions this week to finalise the technocratic committee’s formation. Samy Magdy reports for AP News.

lousubcap

Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said it was now up to Russia to show it is interested in peace, after Kyiv and its allies agreed to implement a 20-point peace plan and security guarantees, which would take effect following a ceasefire.

Von der Leyen said that, under the plan, Ukraine would rely first on its own armed forces, which she said were well-trained and battle-experienced. It would be the task of the Europeans to make sure the Ukrainian army is also well equipped, she said.

Von der Leyen added that the second line of defence would be the so-called Coalition of the Willing – 35 states, including most EU countries as well as Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Turkiye."

lousubcap

Tuesday Middle East update:

"President Trump is exploring options for diplomacy with Iran, even as he weighs whether to attack the country to respond to ongoing violence against the anti-government protestors, U.S. officials said yesterday. The Pentagon is presenting a wider range of strike options to Trump than previously reported, including targets such as Iran’s nuclear program and ballistic missile sites, an official said. However, narrower options such as a cyberattack or a strike against Iran’s domestic security apparatus remain more likely, adding that any attack is at least several days away. Trump is expected to discuss options in a meeting with his top national security team today. Edward Wong, Tyler Pager, and Eric Schmitt report for the New York Times; Barak Ravid reports for Axios.  

Trump said yesterday that countries doing business with Iran could be subjected to a 25 per cent tariff on trade with the United States, effective immediately. According to Trade Data Monitor, China, Turkey, Pakistan, and India were among Iran’s largest trading partners. James Politi and Peter Wells report for the Financial Times."

lousubcap

Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia launched a second major drone and missile bombardment of Ukraine in four days, killing four people and injuring several others, officials said today. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on social media that Russia fired almost 300 drones, 18 ballistic missiles, and seven cruise missiles at eight regions overnight. U.S. deputy ambassador to the U.N., Tammy Bruce, yesterday accused Russia of a “dangerous and inexplicable escalation” of the war, pointing toward Russia’s launch of a nuclear-capable Oreshnik ballistic missile last week and the “staggering number of casualties.” Illia Novikov reports for AP News; Edith M. Lederer reports for AP News. 

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said he and his US counterpart Marco Rubio had agreed on the importance of a transatlantic alliance to secure a lasting peace in Ukraine.

Wadephul added that Germany and the US were committed to Article 5 of the NATO treaty, which commits member states to rise to each other’s defence, should one state come under attack.

The German foreign minister added that, at a time of “uncertainty and crises”, unity within NATO “is a clear signal to Russia that it should not try to threaten” the alliance."

lousubcap

Tuesday Southern Command update:

"The Pentagon used a secret aircraft painted to look like a civilian plane in its first attack on a boat that the Trump administration alleged was smuggling drugs, killing 11 people last September, according to officials. The U.S. military has since switched to using recognizably military aircraft for boat strikes, including M-9 drones. Charlie Savage, Eric Schmitt, John Ismay, Julian E. Barnes, Riley Mellen, and Christiaan Triebert report for the New York Times.  

Trump will meet with Venezuelan opposition activist María Corina Machado at the White House on Thursday, according to administration officials. Vera Bergengruen and Kejal Vyas report for the Wall Street Journal.  

Two China-flagged supertankers that were sailing to Venezuela to collect oil for debt repayment turned back toward Asia, LSEG shipping data showed yesterday. The very large crude carriers Xingye and Thousand Sunny, which have not been the subject of sanctions, had remained anchored in the Atlantic Ocean for weeks, waiting for directions amid the U.S. blockade and Venezuela’s political crisis. Marianna Parrago reports for Reuters. "