| | | | |  | | By Matt Berg and Eric Bazail-Eimil | |  Sudanese children suffering from malnutrition are treated at an MSF clinic in Metche Camp, Chad, near the Sudanese border on April 6. About 2.5 million more people in Sudan are at risk of dying from hunger by September, and civilians are at “imminent risk of famine,” top U.N. officials warned today. | Patricia Simon/AP | Subscribe here | Email Matt | Email Eric The Biden administration's efforts to bring Sudan’s devastating civil war to an end aren’t getting very far — and top lawmakers on both sides of the aisle want the U.S. to change course. Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group have been battling for more than a year now, a brutal conflict that has led to widespread death, sexual violence and the world’s largest internal displacement crisis. About 2.5 million more people in Sudan are at risk of dying from hunger by September, and civilians are at “imminent risk of famine,” top U.N. officials warned today. The Biden administration has unsuccessfully tried to get both sides to resume talks backed by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia in Jeddah to end the war. On Tuesday, Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN spoke with RSF General ABDEL FATTAH AL-BURHAN about possible peace talks. On Wednesday, a top Burhan aide said the group “will not go to Jeddah, and whoever wants us to should kill us in our country and take our bodies there.” Other top U.S. officials are also trying to make headway. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD has been outspoken about the dire humanitarian situation in Sudan, and Special Envoy TOM PERRIELLO has continuously voiced concerns and worked with partners to end the war in Sudan. Sen. CHRIS COONS (D-Del.), a top ally of President JOE BIDEN who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Subcommittee on African Affairs, said the White House hasn’t done enough to solve the crisis. “The U.S. must do more to empower Sudanese civilians and civil society groups in peace talks, seek accountability for the war crimes committed during this conflict, and continue to support a transition to a civilian-led government that reflects the will of the Sudanese people,” Coons told NatSec Daily. Rep. MICHAEL McCAUL (R-Texas), chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told NatSec Daily that the administration’s sanctions policy is “uncoordinated and not part of a larger strategy to achieve a lasting cease-fire.” He also called on the White House to target countries who supply weapons and materiel to both sides of this conflict. “This administration has consistently not prioritized conflicts in Africa and has stuck with flawed strategies, even when they do not work. Sudan is a perfect example,” McCaul said. Former U.S. officials also say the administration’s efforts don’t seem to be bearing fruit. “There is no evidence that U.S. policy is working,” MICHELLE GAVIN, former U.S. ambassador to Botswana in the Obama administration, told NatSec Daily. “The U.S. appears to be far more invested in the Jeddah process than the belligerents or other influential regional actors.” Asked for a response, the Biden administration emphasized Perriello’s appointment in February, sanctions against nine entities and seven individuals in Sudan and humanitarian assistance to the country. “We have been unequivocal about our position toward this senseless war in Sudan,” National Security Council spokesperson ADRIENNE WATSON told NatSec Daily. “We will continue to push all parties to come to a negotiated settlement that allows the Sudanese people to shape their political future.” The largest obstacles for the U.S. are that neither battling side appears interested in ending the war, and several other countries are directly fueling it. Iran has provided military assistance to Sudan’s army, the United Arab Emirates has been accused of supplying the Rapid Support Forces with weapons and Russia’s paramilitary force Wagner Group has also helped the Rapid Support Forces. There are signs that Moscow may change the side it supports in exchange for establishing a Russian logistics center in Port Sudan. “The U.S. does not have much leverage with the warring parties, and seems unwilling to use real leverage on their foreign supporters,” Gavin said, a point also made this week by BENJAMIN MOSSBERG, a former senior administration official who worked on Africa policy.
| | A message from Lockheed Martin: Constantly evolving to meet emerging threats. In today’s world, you need to spot the threats before they’re seen.
That’s why Lockheed Martin’s vision of 21st Century Security® means pushing the boundaries of defense tech to build a new standard of deterrence and protection. Learn more. | | | | | BIDEN: HAMAS NOT A MAJOR THREAT: Israel has degraded Hamas’ military capabilities significantly since October, and the militant group no longer poses a major threat to Israel, Biden told reporters this afternoon. As Matt and ALEX WARD report, Biden offered that analysis while outlining a new three-phase cease-fire proposal Israel has offered Hamas, which would lead to the release of all hostages and a permanent end to fighting. “The people of Israel should know they can make this offer without any further risk to their own security, because they've devastated Hamas forces over the past eight months,” Biden said. “At this point, Hamas is no longer capable of carrying out another Oct. 7.” Administration officials hope that Israel’s latest deal will provide the opening needed to quiet the guns and prompt the final exchange of all remaining hostages. “The deal does stop the war,” said a senior administration official, who briefed reporters on the situation on condition of anonymity. “What’s on the table now is very close to the deal Hamas said they would take” in earlier negotiations, the official added. STRIKES ON KHARKIV: Russian launched a barrage of missiles at Kharkiv overnight, hitting an apartment building and killing at least three people, Al Jazeera reports. The attack on Ukraine’s second-largest city came hours after our colleagues scooped that the Biden administration is allowing Ukraine to use some U.S.-provided weapons to strike inside Russian territory, a move that angered Moscow. Berlin today followed Washigton’s lead, announcing that Ukraine can also use German-provided weapons to strike across the border. But there is some good news on Ukraine: Kyiv and Moscow agreed to their first prisoner swap in months today. Each side handed over 75 people in a deal brokered by the United Arab Emirates, Reuters’ ANASTASIIA MALENKO and OLENA HARMASH report. Read: ‘War has found them’: Biden’s Ukraine gamble sets a new course by Alex, NAHAL TOOSI and JONATHAN LEMIRE INVITE ACCEPTED: Ukrainian President VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY is expected to travel to Singapore to attend a top Asian defense summit and give a speech this weekend, in his latest effort to win over countries in the region, our own ZOYA SHEFTALOVICH reports. Coinciding with the kickoff of the Shangri-La Dialogue, Defense Secretary LLOYD AUSTIN met with his Chinese counterpart in Singapore for in-person talks for the first time since 2022. During their 75-minute chat, Austin and Adm. DONG JUN emphasized the need to keep military-to-military communications open and discussed steps to avoid miscommunication that could lead to potential crises. HOUTHIS HIT: Joint U.S.-British airstrikes aimed at Houthi rebels in Yemen killed at least 16 people and wounded 42 others, the group said today, per The Associated Press’ JON GAMBRELL and LOLITA C. BALDOR. DRINKS WITH NATSEC DAILY: At the end of every long, hard week, we like to highlight how a prominent member of the national security scene prefers to unwind with a drink. Today, we're featuring Kosovo Foreign Minister DONIKA GËRVALLA-SCHWARZ, who spoke to NatSec Daily earlier this week about stability in the Balkans. Gërvalla-Schwarz told Eric that she doesn’t even drink tea during the day “because I work until I'm so done that I just sleep.” But Kosovo has a long tradition of winemaking, she continued, and her drink of choice is a glass of Kosovar wine when she has company. “A good glass of red wine,” she said. “One is always a good idea to finish the week.” We couldn’t agree more. Gëzuar, minister!
| | | | POLITICO is gearing up to deliver experiences that help you navigate the NATO Summit. What issues should our reporting and events spotlight? Click here to let us know. | | | | | IT’S FRIDAY. WELCOME TO THE WEEKEND: Thanks for tuning in to NatSec Daily! This space is reserved for the top U.S. and foreign officials, the lawmakers, the lobbyists, the experts and the people like you who care about how the natsec sausage gets made. Aim your tips and comments at mberg@politico.com and ebazail@politico.com, and follow us on X at @mattberg33 and @ebazaileimil. While you’re at it, follow the rest of POLITICO’s national security team: @alexbward, @nahaltoosi, @PhelimKine, @laraseligman, @connorobrienNH, @paulmcleary, @leehudson, @magmill95, @johnnysaks130, @ErinBanco, @reporterjoe, and @JGedeon1.
| | STAND BY YOUR MAN: Former President DONALD TRUMP’s friends in Europe still like him, even though he’s now a convicted felon. Today, Hungarian leader VIKTOR ORBÁN called Trump a “man of honor,” while Italy’s far-right Deputy Prime Minister MATTEO SALVINI said the former president was a “victim of judicial harassment,” our own ŠEJLA AHMATOVIĆ reports. Kremlin spokesperson DMITRY PESKOV told reporters that “the elimination, in effect, of political rivals by all possible means, legal and illegal, is obvious.” On that note, Rep. NANCY MACE (R-S.C.) compared his legal troubles to the persecution late Russian opposition leader ALEXEI NAVALNY faced. Keep in mind, Navalny was subject to poisonings and assassination attempts, and ultimately died while serving a prison sentence in Siberia. Allies acknowledged the historic nature of the first-ever criminal conviction of a U.S. president but pledged to work with Trump if he’s elected. As our own MATT HONEYCOMBE-FOSTER reports, Labour leader KEIR STARMER, who is leading in polls for this summer’s British general election, said “whether he’s elected president will be a matter for the American people and, obviously, if we’re privileged to come in to serve, we would work with whoever they choose as their president.”
| | ALL RIGHT, WE’RE JAMMIN’: North Korea has conducted numerous actions that have concerned South Korea over the past week, but experts are most worried about the effects of Pyongyang’s recent GPS jamming. “That has the most potential for leading to some sort of clash, conflict, accidental death … because there's a lot of vessels in that area now” since it’s fishing season, VICTOR CHA, senior vice president for Asia and Korea chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told NatSec Daily. Cha said the jamming — which scramble GPS signals and can confuse vessels’ navigation — could pose a danger to boats if they accidentally cross into northern waters.
| | | |   | | | | | NOT WELCOME TO THE GUN SHOW: France has barred Israeli defense companies from participating in a major European arms show over Israel’s assault on the city of Rafah, our own LAURA KAYALI reports. An armed forces ministry official said “the conditions are no longer ripe for welcoming Israeli companies to” Eurosatory, as French President EMMANUEL MACRON calls for “an end to Israeli operations in Rafah." The decision to prevent Israeli companies from participating in the four-day exposition, which this year was expected to feature 2,000 companies, is one of the sharpest showings of Paris’ disapproval with Israel’s prosecution of the war in the Gaza Strip. Seventy-four Israeli companies had registered for the conference. NATO’S BIGGER COMMITMENTS: NATO chief JENS STOLTENBERG is pushing allies to commit billions more to Ukraine in arms financing, our own JOSHUA POSANER reports (for Pros!). Speaking in Prague today, Stoltenberg — who is stepping down as head of the transatlantic alliance — said he wants NATO members to commit to spending more than 43 billion dollars a year in arms financing for Ukraine, which would match current levels of assistance to Kyiv. NATO allies provide 99 percent of the military support for Ukraine, but the former Norwegian prime minister stated “we need predictability” as questions mount about the continued flow of investment. Stoltenberg’s comments come as the alliance’s leaders look to strengthen the transatlantic bloc and ensure member states are pulling their weight. SecState Blinken today said the U.S. expects “over 20” countries to meet the alliance’s defense spending targets by the time the allies convene in Washington this July.
| | | BIBI COMES TO WASHINGTON: Congressional leadership officially invited Israeli Prime Minister BENJAMIN NETANYAHU to address lawmakers, according to The Hill’s MYCHAEL SCHNELL. The Israeli leader will address a joint session of Congress “as soon as the next eight weeks or soon after August recess.” NO MORE ‘DRIP’ TO UKRAINE: Top Republican lawmakers called on the Biden administration today to allow Ukraine to strike further into Russian territory with U.S.-provided weapons. Minutes ago, McCaul, Reps. MIKE TURNER (R-Ohio) and MIKE ROGERS (R-Mich.) said that “Ukraine must be allowed to use U.S.-provided weapons against any legitimate military targets in Russia, not just along the border near Kharkiv,” the lawmakers wrote in a joint statement. Similar calls from hawkish lawmakers have ramped up following other White House shifts in Ukraine policy. “The administration should abandon its ‘drip-drip-drip’ policies and embrace my mantra of ‘more, better, and faster’ to arming Ukraine,” Sen. ROGER WICKER (R-Miss.), ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a statement this afternoon.
| | | | YOUR DAILY DOWNLOAD ON ALL THINGS TECH: Today marks the 200th episode of the POLITICO Tech podcast! That’s 200 incisive conversations with global policymakers, tech executives, social activists and other influential voices reshaping our world, one algorithm at a time. Join host Steven Overly for a daily dive into the major political and policy battles around artificial intelligence, election disinformation, competition with China, TikTok, microchips and much more. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN TODAY via Apple, Spotify, Simplecast or your preferred podcast player. | | | | | | | | WATCH YOURSELF, CHINA: A top Treasury official is warning China that the U.S. could use sanctions to rein in China’s economic support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, our own MICHAEL STRATFORD reports (for Pros!). Deputy Treasury Secretary WALLY ADEYEMO threatened tougher penalties targeted at Chinese firms that help support Russia’s military capacity, calling them “Russia’s indispensable partner in building weapons.” “Beijing may not be sending tanks or missiles to Russia, but the Kremlin cannot produce these weapons at scale or continue its war without the assistance of companies and financial institutions in China,” Adeyemo said. The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to NatSec Daily’s request for comment. INVITE DECLINED: Speaking of Beijing’s position on the war in Ukraine, China won’t attend the Swiss summit in June during which world leaders will discuss how the war could end, arguing that Beijing’s conditions for participating weren’t met. In order to attend, China wants both Ukraine and Russia to be there (the latter has not been invited). There should be “equal participation of all parties, and fair discussion of all peace plans,” Beijing Foreign Ministry spokesperson MAO NING told reporters today. “Otherwise, the peace conference can hardly play a substantive role for restoring peace,” Ning said. China has talked a big game about helping to end the war peacefully, but its increasing ties with Russia and support for its war efforts bring its true motives into question. For what it’s worth, Biden also isn’t scheduled to attend, drawing the ire of Ukranians. FRANCE REVERSES ON RUSSIA: France today said that Russia won’t be invited to the D-Day anniversary, after the U.S. and other allies expressed concern over the possibility of a representative from Moscow attending, our own VICTOR GOURY-LAFFONT reports.
| | — D.C. celebrity chef, philanthropist and activist JOSÉ ANDRÉS is stepping down as CEO of his restaurant group. Andrés, who will remain in an executive role at his restaurant group, will still helm World Central Kitchen, his charity that’s conducting aid efforts in Gaza. — TOMÁS KLOOSTERMAN is joining the State Department as senior adviser in the Office of Global Partnerships. He previously was special adviser for public engagement at the Small Business Administration. — The White House appointed MARIANO-FLORENTINO CUÉLLAR, RONALD S. MOULTRIE and CALVIN SMYRE, to the President's Intelligence Advisory Board.
| | — RICHARD HORSEY, Foreign Affairs: Myanmar Is Fragmenting—but Not Falling Apart — Rep. TIM BURCHETT, National Review: Declassify the UAP Files — JONATHAN CORRADO and RACHEL MINYOUNG LEE, War on the Rocks: Why is the North Korea problem so hard to solve?
| | — Wilson Center's Kissinger Institute on China and the United States, 9 a.m.: 2024 China fellowship conference. — Center for American Progress, 12 p.m.: U.S. policy for Israeli-Palestinian security and peace with Sen. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN (D-Md.) — Middle East Forum and American Jewish University, 2 p.m.: A virtual discussion, on "The West Bank," as part of the Israel's Seven Front War series — Center for Strategic and International Studies, 2 p.m.: A discussion with Gen. JAMES RAINEY on army modernization efforts, future investment priorities and the development of the Army's next warfighting concept — Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, 8 p.m.: A candlelight vigil and ceremony of remembrance commemorating the 35th anniversary of Tiananmen Square Thanks to our editor, Heidi Vogt, who we also suspect is a convicted felon. Thanks to our producer, Emily Lussier, who we would trust to sentence Heidi.
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