The Evening: Israeli Shift, Iran’s Reduced Nukes, When Will I Be Loved, and More

Newsletter - February 26, 2024

Israel-Hamas Talks

In a major shift, Israeli negotiators have signaled that Israel could release a group of high-profile Palestinian prisoners serving lengthy jail terms in exchange for the freedom of some of the Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza, as the NYT reports.

Iran Reduces Near-Weapons-Grade Stockpile

Iran reduced its stockpile of near-weapons-grade nuclear material even as it continued expanding its overall nuclear program, the United Nations' atomic watchdog said Monday, as the WSJ reports.

Hungary Approves Sweden's NATO Bid

Hungary's parliament voted Monday in favor of Sweden's long-delayed bid to join NATO, clearing the final obstacle to a historic expansion of the military alliance, as The Washington Post reports.

U.S. Set to Become a Major Hub of Leading-Edge Logic Chip Manufacturing

The Biden administration is aiming to make the U.S. a major manufacturer of state-of-the-art semiconductor chips before 2030 to compete on the global market, increase national security, and create more jobs, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said today in a speech at CSIS, as CNBC reports.

Executive Education

​​​​Ready to take the next step towards policy success in Washington? Join CSIS experts March 18-21, 2024, at CSIS Headquarters for "Decoding D.C.: Policy, Power, and People," to unlock the secrets to thriving in the capital's unique policy landscape. Register hereby March 4.

Audio Briefs

CSIS experts give short, spoken-word summaries on the biggest takeaways from their latest reports, white papers, and commentaries-in their own words.

Listen here:"Japan's Leadership Role on Ukraine" with CSIS's Yuko Nakano.

In That Number

31,000

Ukrainian President Zelensky said Sunday that 31,000 Ukrainian troops have been killed since Russia invaded, marking the first time he has provided an official estimate of Ukraine's military losses during the conflict.
Source: The Washington Post

Critical Quote

"We think our investments in leading-edge logic chips, leading-edge logic chip manufacturing, will put this country on track to produce roughly 20 percent of the world's leading-edge logic chips by the end of the decade. That's a big deal. Why is that a big deal? Because, folks, today we're at zero."

-Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo speaking today at CSIS

iDeas Lab

Satellite imagery of the Zhu Hai Yun docked next to People's Liberation Army warships in January 2023 reveals the blurred lines between civilian and military shipbuilding in China. Read the second edition of the Hidden Reach Snapshots series here.

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

Optics

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo delivers an address at CSIS on CHIPS Act implementation on February 26, 2024.

Recommended Reading

"Russian Nuclear Calibration in the War in Ukraine" by CSIS's Heather Williams, Kelsey Hartigan, Lachlan MacKenzie, and Reja Younis.

This Town Tomorrow

At 9:00 a.m., the Carnegie Endowment analyzes U.S. policy toward China with the Economist'sDavid Rennie.

Then, at 10:30 a.m., the Atlantic Council hosts a discussion with former U.S. ambassadors to Ukraine and Russia on the war in Ukraine.

Later, at 2:00 p.m., Brookings unpacks Iran, its self-described "axis of resistance," and U.S. policy in the Middle East.

Video

Today, the CSIS Renewing American Innovation Project welcomed U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo to discuss CHIPS Act Implementation. Watch the full video here.

Podcasts

Photo: CSIS

In the latest episode, the Trade Guys discuss the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference taking place this week.

Listen on Spotify& Apple Podcasts.

Smiles

It's warm in DC today and while I'm under no illusions that spring is here, I'm starting to think about spring and summer. If you read this space, you probably know that my favorite place to be in the summer is Malibu. One of the best things about spending extended time in Malibu is the sounds of the ocean mixed with the sounds of the LA rock scene, old and new. It's not uncommon to be driving along the Pacific Coast Highway or tooling around the canyons to hear classic LA rock blasting out of cars. Whether it's Linda Ronstadt, The Byrds, The Doors, Beach Boys, Mamas and Pappas, Buffalo Springfield, Tom Petty, or Stevie Nicks, it always makes me smile.

I invite you to email me at [email protected] and follow me on Twitter @handrewschwartz