The Evening: Russian Strategy, Roadblocks to Gas, Cumberland Blues, and More

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Good Evening,

It's Thursday, May 26th.

Russians Attempt to Surround Ukrainian Forces

Russians are attempting to surround Ukrainian forces defending key towns — and appear to have seized the northeastern part of Severodonetsk — as they make slow progress in eastern Ukraine, the Pentagon said Thursday, as the Washington Post

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reports.

Zelensky Rebukes Suggestions Ukraine Should Cede Territory

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine issued a stinging rebuke to suggestions that Ukraine should cede territory to make peace with Russia, as the NYT

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reports.

Roadblocks to Replace Russian Gas

Europe is hitting roadblocks as it tries to find alternatives to Russian gas in the Middle East and North Africa, as talks with big producers like Qatar, Algeria and Libya have become complicated, as the WSJ

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reports.

Executive Education

Understanding Washington

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offers embassy, business, and nonprofit professionals the tools and knowledge necessary to better navigate the Washington policy ecosystem. Course instructors will share their extensive knowledge about navigating the city's distinctive culture, policy dynamics, and political constructs.

Video Shorts

Check out CSIS's YouTube Channel

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for the latest releases in our “Crisis Crossroads: Ukraine” video series.

In That Number

2

Two Russian soldiers pleaded guilty to war crimes in Ukraine in the second trial of its kind since the invasion began. The two men pleaded guilty to firing artillery from inside Russia towards a village near Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine, destroying a school in the process. This violates the laws and customs of war laid out by the Geneva Convention.

Source: NYT

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Critical Quote

“We can’t rely on Beijing to change its trajectory. So we will shape the strategic environment around Beijing to advance our vision for an open and inclusive international system.”

— Secretary of State Antony Blinken

iDeas Lab

Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreements enable certain federal agencies to access goods and services outside the traditional acquisition system to support innovation. Department of Defense OTA obligations rose by 113% last year

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, due in part to its Covid-19 response.

The Andreas C. Dracopoulos iDeas Lab at CSIS enhances our research with the latest in cutting-edge web technologies, design, and multimedia.

Optics

(Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images.) U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks on China at Jack Morton Auditorium of George Washington University May 26, 2022 in Washington, D.C.

Recommended Reading

"Russia Probably Has Not Used AI-Enabled Weapons in Ukraine, but That Could Change

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" by CSIS's Gregory C. Allen.

This Town Tomorrow

At 9:00 a.m.

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, join the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program for a conversation with Pekka Haavisto, the Finnish minister for foreign affairs, on Finland's historic decision to join NATO.

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Then, at 12:00 p.m.

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, join the CSIS Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and Economics for a discussion on how trends in China’s labor market, educational attainment, automation, and rural employment are hardening inequality, which could hurt prospects for growth and undermine political stability.

And, at 2:00 p.m.

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, join the CSIS Missile Defense Project in welcoming Australian Army Major General Simon Stuart to discuss the Australian Army's modernization programs.

Video

CSIS's Bonny Lin and Charles Edel testified before the House Foreign Affairs Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia, and Nonproliferation Subcommittee on the implications of the Ukraine Crisis for U.S. policy in the Indo-Pacific. Watch them recap their testimonies here.

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Podcasts

On the latest episode of Into Africa, Cina Lawson, Minister of Digital Economy and Transformation in Togo, and Lucy Nshuti Mbabazi, Head of Africa Advocacy and Partnerships at The Better Than Cash Alliance, join Mvemba to discuss the rise of digital payments in Africa, spurred by Covid-19 restrictions.

Listen on Spotify

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& Apple Podcasts

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.

Smiles

I’ve been posting a bunch of Grateful Dead covers by the new artists that worship the Dead. Here’s the real thing doing one of their ultimate “get down” tunes—and look at that smile

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on Jerry’s face!

I invite you to email me at [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

and follow me on Twitter @handrewschwartz

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The Evening is my daily guide to key insights CSIS brings to the events of the day. It is composed with the External Relations team: Kendal Gee and Paige Montfort.

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Connect w/ H. Andrew Schwartz



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