Trump Starmer Meeting

President Trump said on Thursday that he hoped to soon secure a cease-fire agreement to halt the war in Ukraine, while Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain stood at his side and said any deal should not reward Vladimir Putin for his aggression, as the NYT reports.

Trump Plans Another 10% Tariff on Products From China

The U.S. plans next week to impose an additional 10% tariff on imports from China over its role in the fentanyl trade and move forward with 25% tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico, President Trump said Thursday, as the WSJ reports.

Bipartisan Alarm on USAID

A handful of Republican senators have joined their Democratic colleagues in expressing alarm over the Trump administration’s foreign aid freeze and gutting of USAID, writing to their former colleague Marco Rubio that they believe the State Department is not operating in accordance with the law by neglecting to notify and consult with Congress during the process, as The Washington Post reports.

Israeli Army Admits Failures

An investigation by the Israeli military has determined that Hamas was able to carry out the deadliest attack in Israeli history on Oct. 7, 2023, because the much more powerful Israeli army misjudged the militant group’s intentions and underestimated its capabilities, as the AP reports.

Executive Education

Washington thrives on relationships. Knowing who to work with—and when—can make all the difference in achieving your policy goals. Join Washington insiders from March 24-27, 2025, for Decoding D.C.: Policy, Power, and People to sharpen your strategy and learn how to build the right coalitions. Register here by March 12.

Audio Briefs

CSIS experts give short, spoken-word summaries on the biggest takeaways from their latest reports, white papers, and commentaries—in their own words.

Listen here: "Kenya’s Economic Initiatives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo" with CSIS's Mvemba Phezo Dizolele.

In That Number

10 percent

The U.S. next week will impose an additional 10% tariff on imports from China over its role in the fentanyl trade, President Trump said.
Source: WSJ

Critical Quote

“I think he’ll keep his word.”

—President Donald Trump

iDeas Lab

The latest capacity projections for the Chancay Port reflect China's expanding influence in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Chinese port ownership could create strategic vulnerabilities and gain leverage over hemispheric commerce. See the full analysis here.

Optics

(Photo credit: Chris Kleponis/CNP/Bloomberg/Getty Images.) British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and U.S. President Donald Trump shake hands during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 27, 2025.

This Town Tomorrow

At 10:00 a.m., CSIS Renewing American Innovation launches a new report and discusses sustaining U.S. leadership in semiconductor design.

Also at 10:00 a.m., the CSIS Critical Minerals Security Program hosts a conversation on the bilateral U.S.-Canada mineral relationship and its role in driving a competitive U.S. auto industry.

Then, at 11:00 a.m., the Wilson Center discusses lessons learned from the Georgian-Abkhazian War of the early 1990s.

Video

In this week's Conflict in Focus episode, Captain Quinton Packard, U.S. Navy fellow at CSIS, discussed the key takeaways from the Battle of the Black Sea and how these lessons might inform U.S. strategy for future conflicts. Watch the full video here.

Podcasts

CSIS’s Steve Morrison and Caitlin Welsh discuss the fallout from VP JD Vance's Munich speech and its impact on NATO and U.S.-European relations. They also explore European unity on food security, climate change, and health, and the broader effects on global stability.

Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts.

Smiles

Our friends at Playing For Change did it again—more greatness. This time they took on Steve Miller’s masterpiece, “Fly Like an Eagle,” and ripped it across continents. Since it’s Mardi Gras in New Orleans this week and next, I love that they lead off with Ivan Neville on keys and vocals. Ivan’s dad, Aaron, and his brothers covered “Fly Like an Eagle” on their 1992 album “Family Groove.” You should check that out, but first, enjoy this.

I invite you to email me at [email protected] and follow me on Twitter @handrewschwartz

The Evening is my daily guide to key insights CSIS brings to the events of the day. It is composed by Lauren Adler, Ava Rose, and the External Relations team.