The D Brief: Russia pounds Ukraine; Germany sends troops abroad; Pentagon’s retention pricetag; Still no CNO; And a bit more.

After three nights of “record-breaking” Russian missile and drone strikes in Ukraine, Poland’s army chief is visiting the Pentagon. Minister of Protection Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz and his staff dropped by shortly earlier than 10 a.m. ET for talks behind closed doorways with Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth. 

Over the weekend, Russia’s army “launched three of its largest strike packages in opposition to Ukraine during the last three days,” the Washington-based Institute for the Research of Warfare reported in its newest day by day evaluation of Vladimir Putin’s Ukraine invasion, which has been ongoing for practically 1,200 consecutive days. 

Kyiv: “Over 900 assault drones launched in opposition to Ukraine in simply three days, together with ballistic and cruise missiles,” President Volodymir Zelenskyy stated in a video posted to social media Monday. Greater than a dozen folks have been killed within the assaults, and a minimum of 60 have been wounded throughout 13 areas of Ukraine. “There isn’t any army logic on this, however it’s a clear political selection of Russia—the selection to maintain waging struggle.” 

“America’s silence, and the silence of others on this planet, solely encourages Putin,” Zelenskyy stated, including, “The world could go on trip, however the struggle continues, regardless of weekends and weekdays. This can’t be ignored.”

Trump reax: “I’ve at all times had an excellent relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, however one thing has occurred to him. He has gone completely CRAZY!” the U.S. president, who has lengthy praised the Russian autocrat, wrote on social media. “He’s needlessly killing lots of people, and I’m not simply speaking about troopers. Missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no motive in any way.” 

Trump additionally lashed out at Zelenskyy: “All the things out of his mouth causes issues, I don’t prefer it, and it higher cease.”

Knowledgeable reax: “Russia could also be rising strikes in opposition to Ukraine as a part of a cognitive warfare effort to weaken Ukrainian resolve and to undermine Western assist for Ukraine,” ISW wrote in its Monday evaluation. That effort “is rooted in worry and the acknowledgement that Russia’s solely actual hope in defeating Ukraine is by isolating Ukraine from its allies.” Learn extra, right here. 

New: Germany’s new chancellor simply lifted distance restrictions on weapons given to Ukraine—together with long-range missiles from the UK, France, and the U.S., which might unlock Kyiv to strike deeper inside Russia than earlier than, the Related Press reported Monday. 

Price noting: Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his “authorities has stated it can now not present full particulars of the weapons it’s supplying to Ukraine…citing the necessity for ‘strategic ambiguity,’” AP reviews. 

ICYMI, a brand new milestone for Berlin: Germany simply “deployed a everlasting army brigade past its borders [to Lithuania] for the primary time for the reason that finish of World Warfare II,” although it gained’t be totally prepared for an additional two and a half years, NBC Information reported Friday. 

In regards to the brigade: It includes “a heavy fight unit of some 4,800 troopers, tons of of civilian workers, and a pair of,000 automobiles, together with tanks. Will probably be headquartered in Rudninkai close to Vilnius and is predicted to be totally operational by the tip of 2027.” Proceed studying, right here. 

Creating: The U.S. is poised to promote Estonia 800 Javelin missiles for about $300 million. The Pentagon’s Protection Safety Cooperation Company has particulars. 

By the way in which: Eight of the Pentagon’s 11 arms gross sales packages introduced in Could have gone to nations in Europe. That features 1,400 Small Diameter Bombs for Poland, whose deputy prime minister and protection chief is visiting the Protection Division immediately. 

New: The European Union simply greenlit a 150 billion-euro ($170.7 billion) arms fund, Reuters reviews from Brussels, describing it as “the ultimate authorized step in organising the Safety Motion for Europe (SAFE) scheme, utilizing joint EU borrowing to present loans to European nations for joint defence initiatives.”

Associated studying: “Europe’s defence firms scramble for staff as enterprise booms,” Reuters reported individually from Europe on Tuesday.  

Welcome to this Tuesday version of The D Temporary, a e-newsletter devoted to developments affecting the way forward for U.S. nationwide safety, dropped at you by Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston. Share your suggestions and suggestions right here. And in the event you’re not already subscribed, you are able to do that right here. On at the present time in 1958, the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II flew for the primary time; it might stay in service for the U.S. till 1996. 

Across the Protection Division

The Pentagon spent greater than $3 billion on recruiting and retention bonuses previously three years, the Related Press reported on Sunday. “The monetary incentives to reenlist within the Military, Navy, Air Pressure and Marines elevated dramatically from 2022 via final yr, with the Navy vastly outspending the others, in keeping with funding totals supplied by the providers. The general quantity of recruiting bonuses additionally rose steadily, fueled by vital jumps in spending by the Military and Marine Corps.”

Cash properly spent? “Coupled with an array of recent packages, an elevated variety of recruiters and changes to enlistment necessities, the extra incentives have helped the providers bounce again from the shortfalls. All however the Navy met their recruiting targets final yr and all are anticipated to take action this yr.” Learn on, right here. 

It’s been three months since Hegseth sacked the Navy’s prime officer with out rationalization and with out alternative. “The Navy has by no means gone this lengthy with no totally empowered chief of naval operations. Former officers and analysts say the implications of which might be stacking up by the day.” Breaking Protection’s Justin Katz and Valerie Insinna break them down, right here.

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Trump 2.0

White Home dismissed scores of Nationwide Safety Council workers on Friday, a part of an effort to radically shrink the coordination physique, Axios reported on Friday. The cuts have been ordered by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who can be serving as Trump’s nationwide safety advisor after the dismissal of Signalgate principal Michael Waltz. 

“The NSC is the last word Deep State. It is Marco vs. the Deep State. We’re gutting the Deep State,” one official stated of the transfer, which goals to roughly halve the 350-member Council workers. Learn on, right here, and the Washington Submit has its personal reporting. 

Legality standing test: Actions and orders from the Trump administration have violated U.S. legal guidelines so often that greater than 170 rulings from judges have a minimum of quickly paused a few of Trump’s initiatives, the New York Instances reported Friday. 

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