Diplomacy
President Joe Biden is weighing a trip to Europe.
Sanctions and Consequences
Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman held a call with her counterparts from France, Germany, Italy, and the UK in which they discussed efforts to impose “further economic costs,” as well as further humanitarian and military assistance to Ukraine.
The EU is poised to tighten sanctions against oil companies Rosneft, Transneft, and Gazprom Neft but continues to stop short of an import ban.
Pfizer will not halt its Russia business on humanitarian grounds, but it will donate proceeds from its Russia business to humanitarian aid for Ukraine.
Ukraine Sitrep
The U.S. believes that “almost all” Russian military advances are stalled and that Ukraine still has a “significant majority” of its drones at its disposal.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan held a call with Politburo Member Yang Jiechi in which Sullivan underlined the U.S. concerns with Russia’s request for additional equipment. That said, the U.S. told allies that China has signaled openness to the request. Russia has reportedly asked for surface-to-air missiles, drones, armored vehicles, logistics vehicles, and intelligence equipment. They have also apparently requested meals, ready-to-eat (MREs), which China is taking a close look at because that could be considered less provocative, but it’s still weighing its options. The MRE crunch is also a testament to the depth of Russia’s supply challenges.