‘CHINA’S COERCIVE POLICIES’: NATO wrapped up its one-day leaders summit with a communique that cited China’s “coercive policies” and “growing influence” as a threat to the security of the 30-nation alliance.
“This is about taking care of a core responsibility to be able to protect and defend all allies against any threats from any direction,” said NATO Secretary-General Jens Soltenberg at an end-of-the-day news conference. “We see that China’s coming closer to us in cyberspace. We see them in Africa. We see them in the Arctic. We see them trying to control our infrastructure.”
“Russia and China are both seeking to drive a wedge in our trans-Atlantic solidarity. We’re seeing an increase in malicious cyberactivity,” said President Joe Biden at a separate late-night briefing for reporters. “We talked about the long-term systematic challenges that China’s activities pose to our collective security today. We agreed to do more to enhance the resilience of our critical infrastructures around the world, including trusted telecommunications providers, supply chains, and energy networks.”
‘NATO HAS COME A LONG WAY’: NATO is drafting a new Strategic Concept, updating the previous document from 2010, which referred to Russia as a “constructive partner” and didn’t mention China at all. The updated version is to be adopted at next year’s summit, but the allies agreed that China will now be a major part of the revision.
“NATO has come a long way. The first time we mentioned China in a communique and a document in a decision from NATO leaders was 18 months ago, at the summit in London. Before that, we didn’t have any language at all,” said Stoltenberg.
“There is a strong convergence of views among allies,” he said. “China’s growing influence and international policies present challenges to alliance security. Leaders agreed that we need to address such challenges together as an alliance and that we need to engage with China to defend our security interests.”
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JUST OUT THIS MORNING: The White House has just released the first-ever National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism, which is described by President Joe Biden as “a comprehensive approach to protecting our nation from domestic terrorism while safeguarding our bedrock civil rights and civil liberties.”
“Domestic terrorism — driven by hate, bigotry, and other forms of extremism — is a stain on the soul of America. It goes against everything our country strives for and it poses a direct challenge to our national security, democracy, and unity,” said Biden in a statement.
“We will work to ensure that law enforcement operates without bias in countering domestic terrorism and provides for the public safety of all Americans,” says a fact sheet released by the White House. “In a true democracy, violence cannot be an acceptable mode of seeking political or social change.”
HAPPENING TODAY: The Hill is alive today with the sound of DOD budget hearings. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth and Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville are before the Senate Armed Services Committee to testify about the Army’s 2022 request at 9:30 a.m.
At 11 a.m., acting Navy Secretary Thomas Harker, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday, and Marines Corp Commandant Gen. David Berger are before the House Armed Services Committee to support the Navy’s budget.
And at 3 p.m., U.S. Northern Commander Gen. Glen VanHerck, Missile Defense Agency Director Vice Adm. Jon Hill, and Deputy U.S. Space Commander Lt. Gen. John Shaw testify about the administration’s budget request for missile defense and missile defeat programs before the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces.
Check the calendar below for other budget-related hearings and briefings.
ALSO HAPPENING TODAY: President Joe Biden is still in Brussels, Belgium, where he is participating in the U.S.-EU summit. He meets with Belgian King Philippe and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, before departing Brussels for Geneva, Switzerland, where tomorrow, he meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
TOO SOON? At last night’s NATO news conference, Biden scoffed at the suggestion that by meeting with Putin so soon in his administration, he was giving the Russian leader an undeserved “reward.”
“Every world leader here as a member of NATO has spoken today, and most of them mentioned it, thanked me for meeting with Putin now,” Biden said. “They thought it was thoroughly appropriate that I do.”
As for how he would confront Putin in the private meeting, Biden was cagey. “I’ll tell you all that when it’s over,” he said. “Look, I’ve been doing this a long time. The last thing anyone would do is negotiate in front of the world press as to how he’s going to approach a critical meeting with another adversary.”
“I’m going to make clear to President Putin that there are areas where we can cooperate if he chooses. And if he chooses not to cooperate and acts in a way that he has in the past relative to cybersecurity and some other activities, then we will respond,” Biden said. “And the areas that we don’t agree, make it clear what the red lines are. I had met with him. He’s bright, he’s tough, and I’ve found that he is a, as they say, when I used to play ball, a worthy adversary.”
US RUSSIA RELATIONS AT A LOW: In an interview with NBC News in advance of his meeting, Putin said one thing that he and Biden are in agreement on. “We have a bilateral relationship that has deteriorated to what is the lowest point in recent years.”
But Putin also said he’s ready to talk, to “compare notes,” and to look for areas of agreement. “Matters that are of mutual interest can be dealt with in an efficient and effective way in the interests of both the United States and Russia.”
One area is extension and revision of the New START nuclear weapons treaty. “President Biden launched this initiative,” Putin told NBC. “We believe that this is a treaty in the area of containment of strategic offensive weapons, has been worked through and thoroughly, and meets our interests, and meets the U.S. interests.”
BIDEN AND PUTIN EXPECTED TO LAUNCH ARMS CONTROL TALKS WITH REAGAN-GORBACHEV ECHO
UKRAINE’S NATO HOPES: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was hoping to get some signal that his country could get on a fast track to NATO membership, but instead, what he got were assurances of continued support, along with an admonition that Ukraine is not ready yet for admission to the club.
“The fact is they still have to clean up corruption. And the fact is they have to meet other criteria to get into the action plan. And so it’s — you know, school’s out on that question. It remains to be seen,” said Biden. “They have more to do. But that does not justify — the fact they have more to do — Russia taking aggressive action, either in the Donbas or on the sea, or in any part of Ukraine. And we’re going to put Ukraine in a position to be able to maintain their physical security.”
“My main message is that NATO stands in solidarity with Ukraine,” said Stoltenberg “We provide strong political support to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. And we provide practical support, and we are stepping up our practical support, both within the NATO context but also bilaterally, from different NATO allies.”
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The Rundown
THE RUNDOWN:
Washington Examiner: Biden and Putin expected to launch arms control talks with Reagan-Gorbachev echo
Washington Examiner: Biden commits ‘cascade of errors’ ahead of Putin meeting, Polish official warns
Washington Examiner: GOP senators call for HHS and NIH to hand over records on COVID-19 origins and Wuhan lab
Washington Examiner: Evidence mounts Wuhan lab studied live bats despite denials
Reuters: China Urges NATO To Stop Exaggerating ‘China Threat Theory’
AP: Turkey seeks US support to maintain troops in Afghanistan
VOA: CENTCOM Head Says US Will Not Support Afghan Forces with Airstrikes After Troop Withdrawal
Wall Street Journal: U.S., Turkey Leaders Upbeat After Chat
AP: U.S. Military Guns Keep Vanishing, Some Used In Street Crimes
USNI News: MDA: U.S. Aircraft Carriers Now at Risk from Hypersonic Missiles
Air Force Magazine: New GBSD Will Fly in 2023; No Margin Left for Minuteman
Air Force Magazine: Space Force to Reuse Falcon 9 Booster for GPS III Launch
New York Times: A Top Virologist in China, at Center of a Pandemic Storm, Speaks Out
19fortyfive.com: Russia Is Not Happy: The U.S. Navy Has a Destroyer in the Black Sea
19fortyfive.com: The Mediterranean Should Be on Joe Biden’s Mind When He Meets Putin
USNI News: Philippines Again Pauses Withdrawal From Visiting U.S. Forces Agreement
Marine Corps Times: Corps Offers Big Bonus For More Intelligence Marines
Stars and Stripes: Religious Freedom Group Wants Bible Removed From POW/MIA Table At Navy Base In Japan
Stars and Stripes: Army Considers Increasing Public Affairs Staff, Training In Aftermath Of Guillen Case
Washington Post: Reality Winner, the NSA contractor who pleaded guilty to mishandling government secrets, is transferred to halfway house
Calendar
THE CALENDAR:
TUESDAY | JUNE 15
8 a.m. — Asia Society Policy Institute virtual discussion on “the Biden administration’s goals and strategy in the Indo-Pacific region, with Kurt Campbell, White House coordinator for the Indo-Pacific. https://asiasociety.org/new-york/events/conversation-kurt-campbel
9 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: “Zapad 2021 and the Future of Russia’s Force Presence in Belarus,” with retired Army Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, chairman in strategic studies at the Center for European Policy Analysis; Michael Kofman, director of the CNA Russia Studies Program; and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Heather Conley, director of the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program. https://www.csis.org/events
9:30 a.m. G50 Dirksen— Senate Armed Services Committee hearing: “Posture of the Department of the Army in review of the Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2022 and the Future Years Defense Program,” with Army Secretary Christine Wormuth; and Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville. https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings
10 a.m. — Mitchell Institute releases study, “Building a Force That Wins: Recommendations for the 2022 National Defense Strategy,” with authors Mark Gunzinger, director of future concepts and capability assessments, and Lukas Autenried, senior analyst at the Mitchell Institute. They will be joined by Jim Miller, former undersecretary of defense for policy; and Elbridge Colby, former deputy assistant secretary of defense for strategy and force development. Video posted afterward at www.mitchellaerospacepower.org
10 a.m. — Middle East Institute virtual discussion: “Iran’s 2021 Presidential Elections: The Final End of the Reform Movement?” with Nazenin Ansari, managing editor of Kayhan London; Ali Afshari, Iranian political analyst and activist; Negar Mortazavi, journalist and political analyst; and Alex Vatanka, director of the MEI Iran Program. https://www.mei.edu/events
11 a.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Committee hearing: “Department of the Navy Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Request,” with Thomas Harker, acting Navy secretary; Adm. Michael Gilday, chief of naval operations; Gen. David Berger, commandant of the Marine Corps. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings
11 a.m. — Center for a New American Security virtual National Security Conference with James Anderson, special assistant in the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs; former Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Michele Flournoy, chair of the CNAS Board of Directors; and Tina Huang, policy program manager at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence. https://conference.cnas.org/schedule
11 a.m. — Brookings Institution virtual book discussion on “The Art of War in an Age of Peace: U.S. Grand Strategy and Resolute Restraint,” with former Undersecretary of Defense Michele Flournoy, co-founder and managing partner at WestExec Advisers; author Michael O’Hanlon, senior fellow at Brookings; and Helene Cooper, Pentagon correspondent for the New York Times. https://www.brookings.edu/events/the-art-of-war-in-an-age-of-peace/
1:30 p.m. — Project 2049 Institute virtual conference: “Near and Present Danger: U.S.-China Strategic Competition in the Western Hemisphere,” with Adm. Craig Faller, commander, U.S. Southern Command; Rebecca Chavez, former deputy assistant secretary of defense for western hemisphere affairs; and Yuko Mukai, The Yomiuri Shimbun. https://project2049.net/event/near-and-present-danger
2 p.m. 1310 Longworth — House Administration Committee hearing on “Oversight of the January 6th Attack: United States Capitol Police Containment Emergency Response Team and First Responders Unit,” with U.S. Capitol Police Inspector General Michael Bolton; and Gretta Goodwin, director of justice and law enforcement issues at the Government Accountability Office. https://cha.house.gov/
2 p.m. 2154 Rayburn — House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing on “The Capitol Insurrection: Unexplained Delays and Unanswered Questions (Part II),” with FBI Director Christopher Wray; Army Gen. Charles Flynn, commanding general, U.S. Army Pacific; Army Lt. Gen. Walter Piatt, director of the Army Staff; and Yogananda Pittman, acting chief of the U.S. Capitol Police. http://oversight.house.gov
2 p.m. — U.S. Navy Memorial virtual discussion with Navy Vice Adm. James Kilby, deputy chief of naval operations for warfighting requirements and capabilities. https://www.navymemorial.org/new-events
2:30 p.m. 232A Russell — Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Airland hearing: “Army Modernization in review of the Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2022,” with Lt. Gen. Erik Peterson, deputy chief of staff, Army G-8; Gen. John Murray, commanding general, Army Futures Command; and Douglas Bush, acting assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology. https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings
3 p.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces hearing: “FY22 Budget Request for Missile Defense and Missile Defeat Programs,” with Leonor Tomero, deputy assistant secretary of defense for nuclear and missile defense policy; Gen. Glen D. VanHerk, commander, U.S. Northern Command; Vice Adm. Jon Hill, director, Missile Defense Agency; Lt. Gen. Daniel Karbler, commanding general, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command; and Lt. Gen. John Shaw, deputy commander, U.S. Space Command. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings
3 p.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: “Cybersecurity in the Quantum Future,” with Lisa O’Connor, managing director of global security research and development at Accenture; Josyula Rao, CTO of security research at IBM; and Dustin Moody, head of the National Institute for Standards and Technology’s Cryptographic Technology Group https://www.csis.org/events/cybersecurity-quantum-future
WEDNESDAY | JUNE 16
TBA — In Geneva, Switzerland President Joe Biden will meet face to face with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time since assuming office.
9 a.m. — International Institute for Strategic Studies virtual discussion: “The United States – Keeping the Defense Innovation Edge?” with former Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work; and Fabrice Pothier, consulting senior fellow for defense policy and strategy at IISS. http://www.iiss.org/en/iiss-us/iiss-us-s-events
10 a.m. 216 Hart — Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the nominations of Gina Ortiz Jones to be undersecretary of the Air Force; Meredith Berger to be assistant secretary of the Navy for energy, installations and environment; Shawn Skelly to be assistant secretary of defense for readiness; Ely Ratner to be assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs; and Caroline Krass to be Pentagon general counsel. https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings
10 a.m. 192 Dirksen — Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies hearing: “Review of the FY 2022 Budget Request for Military Construction and Family Housing,” with Paul Cramer, performing the duties of assistant secretary of defense for sustainment; Lt. Gen. Jason Evans, deputy chief of staff; Vice Adm. Ricky Williamson, deputy chief of naval operations for fleet readiness and logistics; Lt. Gen. Charles Chiarotti, deputy commandant, installations & logistics; and Lt. Gen. Warren Berry, deputy chief of staff for logistics, engineering, and force protection. https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings
10 a.m. — Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association and George Mason University virtual 2021 Critical Issues in C4I Symposium, with Col. Charles Destefan, chief architect in the Air Force Chief Data Office and liaison officer at the Air Force Materiel Command; and Rand Waltzman, senior information scientist at the Rand Corporation. https://www.afcea.org/event/GMU-Registration
11 a.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Committee hearing: “Department of the Air Force Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Request,” with John Roth, acting secretary of the Air Force; Gen. Charles Q. Brown, chief of staff of the Air Force; and Gen. John Raymond, chief of space operations. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings
11:30 a.m. — Washington, D.C. Chapter of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association virtual discussion: “Space Force: Information Technology Orchestration in a Multi-Domain Environment,” with Reb Butler, strategic adviser to Space Force at the Chief Technology and Innovation Office; Michael Dickey, director of the U.S. Space Force’s Force Design Integration Office; Army Brig. Gen. Charles Parker, deputy director of J6; and Chris Beauregard, founder and principal at Aerospace Advocates. https://dcevents.afceachapters.org/SpaceForce
12 p.m. — Institute for Defense and Government Advancement virtual discussion: “Countering Drones Used by Criminals, Terrorists, and Bad State Actors,” with Wayne Phelps, author of On Killing Remotely: The Psychology of Killing with Drones; and Gary Watson, vice president of solutions at Fortem Technologies https://www.idga.org/aviation/webinars
1 p.m. — Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments virtual discussion: “The Fiscal Year 2020 Defense Budget,” with Rachel Hoff, policy director at the Ronald Reagan Institute; Travis Sharp, director of defense budget studies at CSBA; Eric Edelman, counselor at CSBA; and Thomas Mahnken, president and CEO of CSBA. https://csbaonline.org/about/events/csba-webinar
3 p.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: “Preventing Catastrophe in Afghanistan,” with Earl Anthony Wayne, nonresident senior adviser at the Brookings Project on Prosperity and Development; Annie Pforzheimer, nonresident senior adviser at the Brookings Project on Prosperity and Development; Richard Olson, nonresident senior adviser at the Brookings Project on Prosperity and Development; and Daniel Runde, director of the Brookings Project on Prosperity and Development. https://www.csis.org/events/preventing-catastrophe-afghanistan
4:30 p.m. 222 Russell — Senate Armed Services Committee hearing: “United States nuclear deterrence policy and strategy, Sharon Weiner, associate professor at the School of International Service American University; Matthew Kroeing, professor of government and foreign service Georgetown University; Lisa Gordon Hagerty, former administrator National Nuclear Security Administration; Madelyn Creedon, nonresident senior fellow on foreign policy Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology, Brookings Institute; Tom Collina, director of policy Ploughshares Fund. https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings
THURSDAY | JUNE 17
9:30 a.m. G50 Dirksen — Senate Armed Services Committee hearing: “Posture of the Department of the Air Force in Review of the Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2022 and the Future Years Defense Program,” with John Roth, acting Air Force secretary; Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Air Force chief of staff; and Gen. John Raymond, chief of space operations. https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings
10 a.m. 106 Dirksen — Senate Appropriations Committee hearing: “A Review of the FY 2022 Department of Defense Budget Request,” with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley. https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings
11 a.m. 2018 Rayburn — House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces hearing: “Department of the Navy Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Request for Seapower and Projection Forces,” with Jay Stefany, acting assistant secretary of the Navy; research, development and acquisition; Vice Adm. James Kilby, deputy chief of naval operations warfighting requirements and capabilities; and Lt. Gen. Eric Smith, commanding general, Marine Corps Combat Development Command. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings
11 a.m. — Center for a New American Security virtual National Security Conference, with Chris Dougherty, senior fellow with the CNAS Defense Program, and former senior adviser to the deputy assistant defense secretary for strategy and force development. https://conference.cnas.org/schedule/
11 a.m. — Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies virtual discussion: “Great Power Competition in the Baltic Sea Region,” with Latvian Ambassador to the United States Maris Selga. https://sais.jhu.edu/campus-events
5 p.m. — Politics and Prose Bookstore virtual book discussion on Future War and the Defense of Europe, with co-authors John Allen, president of the Brookings Institution; Frederick Ben Hodges, chairman in strategic studies at the Center for European Policy Analysis; and Julian Lindley-French, senior fellow at the Institute of Statecraft. https://www.politics-prose.com/event/book
FRIDAY | JUNE 18
12 p.m. — Hudson Institute virtual discussion: “The Future of America’s Defense Industrial Base,” with former Defense Undersecretary for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen Lord, senior fellow at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory; former Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary for Industrial Policy Jeffrey “Jeb” Nadaner, executive vice president for government and public affairs at Security America’s Future Energy; Arthur Herman, director of the Hudson Quantum Alliance Initiative; and Bryan Clark, director of the Hudson Center for Defense Concepts and Technology. https://www.hudson.org/events
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I’m going to make clear to President Putin that there are areas where we can cooperate if he chooses. And if he chooses not to cooperate and acts in a way that he has in the past relative to cybersecurity and some other activities, then we will respond.”
President Joe Biden, on what he will tell Putin in Geneva tomorrow.
