Axios PM: Biden threatens Putin

Plus: NASA's risky plan | Tuesday, December 07, 2021

Open in app View in browser   Presented By Morgan Stanley   Axios PM By Mike Allen ·Dec 07, 2021 Today's PM — edited by Justin Green — is 455 words, a 2-minute read. 🇺🇸 Situational awareness: The funeral for former Sen. Bob Dole will be held at Washington National Cathedral on Friday at 11 a.m. ET (invited guests only).  Leader Dole will lie in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on Thursday. More information.     1 big thing: Biden threatens Putin Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks on a video call with President Biden. Photo: Mikhail Metzel via Getty Images   President Biden threatened President Putin during a two-hour video call with harsh economic sanctions if Russia invades Ukraine. "[T]here was no finger wagging, but the president was crystal clear," said national security adviser Jake Sullivan. The White House said Biden and Putin also discussed the "strategic stability" dialogue between the U.S. and Russia, ransomware attacks and the Iran nuclear negotiations. The big picture: Russia's military activity on Ukraine's border triggered alarms of a potential large-scale Russian invasion in early 2022, Axios' Zachary Basu and Dave Lawler report. Sullivan said Biden made clear to Putin that, "things we did not do in 2014, we are prepared to do now." The other side: Putin has blamed Ukraine's pro-Western government and NATO for escalating tensions with Russia. He sought legal guarantees from Biden that NATO would not expand to the East or deploy offensive missile systems on Ukrainian soil, according to the Kremlin readout.     2. NASA's risky plan Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios   NASA is getting more ambitious with partnerships for its Moon program and space stations, reports Axios Space author Miriam Kramer. Why it matters: This model of public/private partnership can pose risks for NASA, particularly when it comes to extremely difficult pieces of technology. SpaceX founder Elon Musk raised concern last week that the company could go bankrupt if its gamble on building Starship doesn't play out. NASA is relying on SpaceX as its sole provider of a human lander to get people to the Moon. Keep reading.     A message from Morgan Stanley Interrelated sustainability issues: progress and what's next     We gathered government and business leaders to discuss solutions for big sustainability challenges—climate change, social inequity and healthcare access — which are more interconnected than ever before. Learn how public and private sectors can help.     3. Catch up quick A statue of Robert E. Lee after being removed from Market Street Park in Charlottesville, Va., in July. Photo: John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images   "Swords Into Plowshares": Charlottesville will give the bronze statue of Robert E. Lee removed from public display to an African American history museum that plans to melt it down and transform it into public artwork. Go deeper. Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows will no longer cooperate with the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, his attorney said. Go deeper. Kyle Rittenhouse told a conservative podcast it was "probably not the best idea to go down" to Kenosha, NBC News reports. The U.S. reached 60% vaccination: 71% of the population has received a vaccine dose and 23% has been boosted. Go deeper.     4. The day that lived in infamy Photo: Via Getty Images 80 years ago today, the Japanese military bombed Pearl Harbor, leading to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's "Day that will live in infamy" speech and the U.S. entry into World War II. Below: President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden place a wreath at the World War II Memorial to mark National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Photo: Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images     A message from Morgan Stanley Interrelated sustainability issues: progress and what's next     We gathered government and business leaders to discuss solutions for big sustainability challenges—climate change, social inequity and healthcare access — which are more interconnected than ever before. Learn how public and private sectors can help.   Like this email style and format? Learn more about Axios HQ. It'll help you deliver employee communications more effectively.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. If you're interested in advertising, learn more here. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Axios, 3100 Clarendon B‌lvd, Suite 1300, Arlington VA 22201   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios. Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.   Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox.   Follow Axios on social media: