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Associated Press | Blinken and Xi pledge to stabilize deteriorated US-China ties, but China rebuffs the main US request
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met on Monday with Chinese President Xi Jinping and said they agreed to “stabilize” badly deteriorated U.S.-China ties, but America’s top diplomat left Beijing with his biggest ask rebuffed: better communications between their militaries.
Military.com | New online VA travel reimbursement program is failing veterans, inspector general finds
A new system designed to ensure that the Department of Veterans Affairs reimburses veterans for appointment-related travel quickly and properly is not living up to expectations, frustrating veterans and causing headaches for travel staff.
Wall Street Journal | U.S. launches quiet diplomatic push with Iran to cool tensions
The Biden administration has quietly restarted talks with Iran in a bid to win the release of American prisoners held by Tehran and curb the country’s growing nuclear program, people close to the discussions said.
Military Times | US official says it could take months for allies to give Ukraine F-16s
Any potential transfers of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine – whether from the United States or from an allied operator – would take months to complete, a State Department official said here June 19.
Politico | Biden ‘open’ to plan that eases Ukraine’s path to NATO membership
According to two U.S. officials, Biden would welcome the removal of a Membership Action Plan, or MAP, for Ukraine’s entry into the military alliance. The MAP requires a candidate nation to make military and democratic reforms, with NATO’s advice and assistance, before a determination of membership can be made. By removing that requirement, Ukraine would still need to make some pro-democracy changes, but alliance members could at any point afterward unanimously welcome Kyiv into the club.
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