BY JAMIE MCINTYRE

ZELENSKY’S GOAL: TOTAL VICTORY: Buoyed by Ukraine’s masterful counteroffensive in the Kharkiv region, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky toured the newly-liberated city of Izyum, thanking his troops and vowing to expel Russia from every inch of Ukrainian territory, including the Crimean peninsula illegally annexed by Russia in 2014.

"We should send signals to our people who, unfortunately, are still under occupation. And my signal to the people in Crimea: we know that these are our people, and it is a terrible tragedy that they have been under occupation for more than eight years,” Zelensky said. “We will return there. I don't know when exactly. But we have plans, and we will return there, because this is our land and our people.”

Zelensky is back in Kyiv today, where he will meet with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to discuss economic assistance, including suspension of import duties on Ukrainian exports to the EU.

ZELENSKY VISITS RECENTLY LIBERATED CITY OF IZYUM

RUSSIA ABANDONED ‘HIGH-VALUE EQUIPMENT’: While some Russian units “retreated in relatively good order,” according to the British Defense Ministry, “others fled in apparent panic,” abandoning significant amounts of materiel, including dozens of tanks and armored vehicles.

“High-value equipment abandoned by retreating Russian forces included capabilities essential to enable Russia’s artillery-centric style of warfare,” the ministry tweeted in its daily intelligence assessment. “Amongst these are at least one ZOOPARK counter-battery radar and at least one IV14 artillery command and control vehicle.”

“Such abandonment highlights the disorganized retreat of some Russian units and likely localized breakdowns in command and control,” the assessment concluded. Meanwhile, “Ukrainian forces continue to consolidate their control of newly liberated areas of Kharkiv Oblast.”

NO MOOD TO NEGOTIATE: Riding a wave of optimism following the devastating psychological blow dealt to Russian forces, Zelensky has made clear in recent interviews that he’s not interested in a ceasefire or peace deal that would leave the Russian military on Ukrainian soil.

“You know that our goal is to de-occupy our whole territory. The main goal is de-occupation. We just cannot allow Russia to continue the same occupation that they started back in 2014,” Zelensky told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria in an interview that aired Sunday.

“I know certain countries will be pushing us toward Minsk process,” Zelensky said, referring to 2014 and 2015 agreements that aimed to end the fighting in the Donbas with Russian-backed separatists. “Minsk is an empty paper to allow Russia to rest before the next phase of the invasion.”

“We cannot agree with Russia now. We cannot discuss the substance with Russia until they get out of our territory. Afterward, yes, we can start talking about the sanction, policy, lifting certain sanctions. We can talk about reparations. We can talk about the monetary payments from them, diplomacy, dialogue,” Zelensky said. “But after they vacate our territory because that's the new page of the history would start from there.”

ZELENSKY SURVIVES CAR CRASH SCARE IN KYIV

Good Thursday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Victor I. Nava. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email and we’ll add you to our list. And be sure to follow us on Twitter: @dailyondefense.

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HAPPENING TODAY: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin welcomes Somali President Hassan Sheik Mohamud to the Pentagon at 12:30 p.m.

ALSO TODAY: The Senate Armed Services Committee holds a hearing at 10 a.m. on the nomination of Air Force Gen. Anthony J. Cotton to be commander of the U.S. Strategic Command.

PUTIN, XI, MEET IN UZBEKISTAN: Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin are set to meet today in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on the sidelines of a meeting of the eight-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

It’s the first time Xi has left China since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020. The two leaders are expected to discuss the situation in Ukraine, according to the Russian media.

DESIGNATING RUSSIA A TERRORIST STATE: Meanwhile, Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) have teamed up to introduce a bipartisan bill that would designate Russia a state sponsor of terrorism, a move opposed by the Biden administration.

“Putin has crossed every line of civilized norms during the war in Ukraine and years before,” said Graham at a news conference. “He has engaged in state-sponsored assassinations, the Wagner group supported by Russia terrorizes the world, and the war crimes being committed in Ukraine on a daily basis shock the conscious. If Putin’s regime is not a state sponsor of terrorism after all this, then the designation is meaningless.”

“What has been revealed in Ukraine’s success on the battlefield is not only its military prowess and Russia’s weakness, but also Putin’s reliance on brutal atrocities, genocide, and war crimes against the people of Ukraine,” said Blumenthal. “Russia has more than earned the right to be among the club of pariah nations.”

When asked on Labor Day, President Joe Biden said he opposed the designation.

“We do not think this is the most effective way to go or the strongest path forward,” said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre the next day. “This designation could have unintended consequences to Ukraine and the world. For example, according to humanitarian experts and NGOs we have spoken to, it could seriously affect the ability to deliver assistance in areas of Ukraine.”

It’s unclear if the Graham-Blumenthal bill will get a vote in the Senate.

TAIWAN POLICY ACT: Graham has also partnered with Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on the Taiwan Policy Act of 2022, which cleared the committee yesterday.

“Among its provisions, the bipartisan proposal expands U.S. efforts to promote the security of Taiwan, ensures regional stability, and deters further People’s Republic of China aggression against Taiwan,” according to a release from Menendez’s office. “The legislation also imposes steep costs on the PRC for hostile action against Taiwan by setting up a broad economic sanctions regime.”

“The bill we are approving today makes clear the United States does not seek war or increased tensions with Beijing. Just the opposite,” said Menendez. “We are carefully and strategically lowering the existential threats facing Taiwan by raising the cost of taking the island by force so that it becomes too high a risk and unachievable.”

ACT CORRECTS ‘STUNNING OVERSIGHT’ SAYS FDD ANALYST: The Taiwan Policy Act prioritizes Taiwan's ability to take excess U.S. defense equipment and fast-tracking delivery of Taiwan purchases of U.S. weapon systems, which corrects a “stunning oversight” in U.S. arms sale programs, says retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery, senior fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

“The most important items are in Title 2, which provides significant capabilities that will improve the Taiwan military capabilities and develop the ability of U.S. and Taiwanese forces to operate side by side in combat, which is currently not the case,” says Montgomery. “Improving these capabilities should serve to deter China from taking coercive actions, but if deterrence were to still fail, these same capabilities will help Taiwan and the U.S. to defeat Chinese aggression.”

UNFREEZING FUNDS FOR AFGHAN PEOPLE: The Biden administration announced yesterday the creation of the “Afghan Fund,” which would allocate $3.5 billion of Afghan central bank reserves for the benefit of the Afghan people.

The money represents about half of the $7 billion frozen by the U.S. after the Taliban toppled the U.S.-backed Afghan government last year.

A key provision of the fund is that it be used to “help provide greater stability to the Afghan economy,” while keeping the funds “out of the hands of the Taliban and other malign actors,” according to a Treasury Department release. “The Taliban are not a part of the Afghan Fund, and robust safeguards have been put in place to prevent the funds from being used for illicit activity.”

The White House announced in February that the other half of the $7 billion in funds would be set aside to settle lawsuits filed by the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

BIDEN'S MOVE TO COMPENSATE TALIBAN VICTIMS LEAVES 9/11 FAMILIES SEETHING

US VIEWS ON N. KOREA: A new 2022 Chicago Council Survey finds that a majority of Americans support using U.S. troops to defend Seoul should North Korea invade.

“Positive feelings are at an all-time high and the public remains committed to defending South Korea should North Korea invade,” the Council survey found. “And while a slim majority say North Korea’s nuclear program is a critical threat, three-quarters say the United States should focus on other pressing problems besides North Korea.”

Bullet points:

• Half of Americans (52%) identify North Korea's nuclear program as a critical threat to the United States.
• Three-quarters (77%) say the United States should focus on other pressing problems besides North Korea.
• A majority (55%) continue to support using U.S. troops to defend South Korea if North Korea invades.
• Seven in 10 (72%) support long-term U.S. military bases in South Korea.

Full survey at: https://www.thechicagocouncil.org/research/public-opinion-survey

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The Rundown

Washington Examiner: Zelensky visits recently liberated city of Izyum

Washington Examiner: Zelensky survives car crash scare in Kyiv

Washington Examiner: US sanctions 10 hackers connected with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

Washington Examiner: Forty percent of women in military have little to no abortion access, RAND study says

Washington Examiner: Hundreds of Filipino workers stranded on island over dispute with contractor: Report

Washington Examiner: Opinion: What might be going on with Darya Dugina's assassination?

Washington Examiner: Opinion: Betraying the US and Europe, Viktor Orban again delivers for his Russian master

AP: Putin, Zelenskyy court major allies as Ukraine makes gains

AP: Xi, Putin hold summit in Uzbekistan as Ukraine war dominates

Reuters: Russia Says Its Navy In Joint Patrols With China In Pacific

Defense One: Ukraine War Offers Clues to Future War, Joint Chiefs Chairman Says

19fortyfive.com: Putin's Military Mess: Can Russia Stop Ukraine's Blitzkrieg?

19fortyfive.com: Russia Might Not Be Able to Fight NATO Thanks to the Ukraine War

19fortyfive.com: What Happens If Russia Uses Chemical or Nuclear Weapons in Ukraine?

NBC News: Republicans plan to grill Gen. Mark Milley if they take back the House

Air and Space Forces Magazine: Skunk Works to Test Expendable ‘Speed Racer’ Collaborative Vehicle With Sub-$2M Price

Washington Post: A Tiny, Unmanned Plane Could Land Almost Anywhere For Military Intel

Defense Daily: CNO: Industry Cannot Build Three Destroyers Per Year Yet

Defense One: Iran’s Attempted Drone Thefts Highlight Challenges Of Protecting Unmanned Vessels At Sea

USNI News: Navy Decommissions Littoral Combat Ship USS Coronado After 8 Years With the Fleet

USNI News: Marine Corps, Navy Remain Split Over Design, Number Of Future Light Amphibious Warship, Divide Risks Stalling Program

Space News: Japan, Germany Declare Moratorium on Anti-Satellite Missile Tests

Air and Space Forces Magazine: Brown Adds to Leadership Library for USAF’s 75th Anniversary

Air & Space Forces Magazine: GE’s AETP Engine Completes Milestone Tests as Air Force Faces Decision on F-35

Breaking Defense: Pentagon to Pour $1.2 Billion Into ‘Critical’ Biomanufacturing Industry

Military.com: Widow of F-16 Pilot Alleges Possible Counterfeit Ejection Seat Parts in Lawsuit Against Defense Contractors

Task & Purpose: This Is How The Navy Decides What To Name (Or Rename) Its Ships

19fortyfive.com: Boeing's F-15EX Eagle II Is Starting To Look Like a Game Changer

19fortyfive.com: What Makes Turkey's TB2 Drone So Good (And Russia So Mad)

Navy Times: Navy’s top enlisted sailor retired honorably after misconduct probe

Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Dramatic Video Shows Navy Jet Crashing Near Fort Worth In 2021 After Bird Hits Engine

19fortyfive.com: Opinion: Don’t Just Applaud Ukraine’s Counteroffensive. Time to Send More Weapons

19fortyfive.com: Opinion: Europe's Economy Is Worth $17 Trillion. Why Is America Helping Pay For Their Military?

Calendar

THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 15

8 a.m. — Hudson Institute virtual discussion: "The U.S.-Australia Alliance on the Anniversary of AUKUS," with Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis.; Andrew Hastie, member of the Parliament of Australia; Brian Clark, director of the Hudson Center for Defense Concepts and Technology; Patrick Cronin, Asia-Pacific security chair at Hudson; and Peter Rough, senior fellow at Hudson https://www.hudson.org/events/2145-the-us-australia-alliance

9 a.m. 106 Dirksen — Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe hearing on "My 'Hell' in Russian Captivity," with Yuliia Paievska, Ukrainian veteran and volunteer paramedic; and Hanna Hopko, co-founder of the International Center for Ukrainian Victory and former Ukraine Parliament chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs https://www.youtube.com/HelsinkiCommission

10 a.m. G50 Dirksen — Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the nomination of Air Force Gen. Anthony J. Cotton to be commander, U.S. Strategic Command https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings

10 a.m. 201 Waterfront St. National Harbor, Maryland — Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association and the Intelligence and National Security Alliance 2022 Intelligence and National Security Summit, with Jeanette McMillan, assistant director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center's Supply Chain and Cyber Directorate; Halimah Najieb-Locke, deputy assistant Defense secretary for industrial base resilience; Principal Deputy Defense CIO Kelly Fletcher; Central Intelligence Agency CTO Nand Mulchandani; Margie Palmieri, deputy chief digital and AI officer at the Defense Department Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office; Lori Wade, intelligence community chief data officer and assistant director of national intelligence for data and partnership interoperability in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence; Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks; Greg Ryckman, deputy director for global integration at the Defense Intelligence Agency; Brig. Gen. Gregory Gagnon, director of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance at the Space Force; Leonel Garciga, director of information management at the Army; Lt. Gen. Leah Lauderback, deputy chief of staff for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and cyber effects operations at the Air Force; Coast Guard Assistant Commandant For Intelligence Rear Adm. Rebecca Ore; Maj. Gen. William Seely, intelligence director at the Marine Corps; and Vice Adm. Jeff Trussler, deputy chief of naval operations for information warfare https://intelsummit.org/

11 a.m. — Defense One's virtual "State of Defense" series, with Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger https://d1stateofdefense.com

11 a.m. — Middle East Institute online event: “Beyond Post-Desert Storm: The Future of the U.S.-Kuwait Security Partnership," with Stacie Pettyjohn, senior fellow and director of the Defense Program at the Center for a New American Security; retired Army Gen. Michael Garrett, former commanding general of U.S. Army Forces Command; and Bilal Saab, MEI senior fellow and director of the Defense and Security Program https://www.mei.edu/events/beyond-post-desert-storm

12 p.m. — New America virtual discussion: "Leaving Afghanistan," with Humaira Rahbin, Afghanistan observatory scholar at New America; Mir Abdullah Miri, Afghanistan observatory scholar at New America; Vanessa Gezari, national security editor at the Intercept; and Candace Rondeaux, director of New America's Future Frontlines https://www.newamerica.org/international-security

12:30 p.m. — Atlantic Council virtual discussion: “What next for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action?" with Kelsey Davenport, director for nonproliferation policy at the Arms Control Association; Nasser Hadian, professor of political science at the University of Tehran; and Azadeh Zamirirad, deputy head of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs' Africa and Middle East Division https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/what-next

2 p.m. HVC-210, U.S. Capitol — House Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing on "Examining women veterans' access to the full spectrum of medical care, including reproductive healthcare, through the Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration,” with testimony from Shereef Elnahal, VA undersecretary for health in the Veterans Health Administration; Patricia Hayes, chief officer for women's health in the Veterans Health Administration; Amanda Johnson, director of women's reproductive health in the Veterans Health Administration; Julianne Flynn, acting assistant VA undersecretary for health for community care in the Veterans Health Administration; Ginny Ryan, professor and division chief for reproductive endocrinology and infertility at the University of Washington Medical Center Montlake; Lindsay Church, U.S. Navy veteran; and Kayla Williams, senior policy researcher for the RAND Corporation, testify http://veterans.house.gov

2 p.m. — POSTPONED — Rescheduled to September 21 — House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing: Putin’s Proxies: Examining Russia’s Use of Private Military Companies,” with testimony from Kimberly Marten, professor, Political Science Department, Barnard College, Columbia University; Catrina Doxsee, associate director, Transnational Threats Project, Center for Strategic and International Studies; and Joseph Siegle, director of research, Africa Center for Strategic Studies, National Defense University https://oversight.house.gov/news/press-releases

FRIDAY | SEPTEMBER 16

10:30 a.m. — Washington Post Live virtual discussion: “Americans held hostage abroad," with Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman https://www.washingtonpost.com/washington-post-live

11 a.m. — Center for a New American Security virtual discussion: "Russia in the Arctic," with Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Doug Jones; Principal Defense Department Director for the Arctic and Global Resilience Greg Pollock; former U.S. Ambassador to Denmark Carla Sands; Rebecca Pincus, assistant professor at the U.S. Naval War College; Katarzyna Zysk, professor at the Norwegian Institute for Defense Studies; and Jim Townsend, adjunct senior fellow at CNAS https://www.cnas.org/events/virtual-event-russia-in-the-arctic

1 p.m. 1200 South Hayes St., Arl. — House Intelligence Committee Republicans and RAND Corporation panel discussion: “Preparedness Against Biological Weapons,” with Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) top Republican on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence; Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH); Jason Matheny, president and CEO, RAND Corporation; Luciana Borio, senior fellow for global health, Council on Foreign Relations; Asha George, executive director, Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense; Daniel Gerstein, senior policy researcher, RAND; John Parachini, senior international and defense researcher, RAND; and Patricia Stapleton, political scientist, RAND https://www.rand.org/events/2022/09/16/register.html

MONDAY | SEPTEMBER 19

7:30 a.m. Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center — Air Force Association Air, Space and Cyber Conference (Sept. 19-21) https://afresearchlab.com/events/afa-air-space-cyber-conference-2022/

WEDNESDAY | SEPTEMBER 21

2 p.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Committee Subcommittee on Military Personnel hearing: "Update on the Implementation of Recommendations of the Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault in the Military and the Establishment of the Office of Special Trial Counsels,” with testimony from Gilbert Cisneros, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness; Gabe Camarillo, undersecretary of the Army; Erik Raven, undersecretary of the Navy; and Gina Ortiz Jones, undersecretary of the Air Force https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings

2 p.m. — House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing: Putin’s Proxies: Examining Russia’s Use of Private Military Companies,” with testimony from Kimberly Marten, professor, Political Science Department, Barnard College, Columbia University; Catrina Doxsee, associate director, Transnational Threats Project, Center for Strategic and International Studies; and Joseph Siegle, director of research, Africa Center for Strategic Studies, National Defense University https://oversight.house.gov/news/press-releases

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