Today’s Headlines and Commentary

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The United States will host leaders from Latin America in Los Angeles at the Summit of the Americas, reports the Washington Post. This week’s summit will be the first one hosted in the United States since 1994. The Post notes that the summit comes as China has strengthened its economic presence in Latin America. 

A Russian missile struck the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv for the first time in weeks, writes the New York Times. According to local media reports, at least five missiles hit the city early Sunday morning, injuring one individual. Before Sunday’s attack, the last time Kyiv was hit by Russian missiles was in late April. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a visit to frontline troops in Ukraine’s eastern regions, reports the Wall Street Journal. Zelenskyy’s visit comes amid a Russian assault on the eastern regions that he visited, including Donbas and Luhansk. According to the Institute for the Study of War, Russian forces have allegedly prioritized taking Severodonetsk, the capital of Luhansk. In a video address on Monday, Zelenskyy said, “We brought something to the military … we brought confidence.”

Britain joined the United States in pledging to supply Ukraine with long-range missile systems, according to the New York Times. Britain’s announcement came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened to attack new targets if Western countries provided Ukraine with such rocket systems.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will face a no-confidence vote that could force him out of power, reports AP News. Conservative lawmakers triggered the vote after months of scandal about parties held at Downing Street that flouted coronavirus restrictions during the height of the pandemic. Many political observers predict Johnson will defeat the challenge because he has no clear successor within his party.

Israel has developed a prototype of a powerful laser that is capable of zapping threats such as rockets, mortar shells, drones and anti-tank missiles out of the sky, writes the New York Times. According to Israeli defense officials, the laser has successfully intercepted and destroyed a rocket, a mortar shell and a drone in a recent series of tests. The Israeli government has reportedly dedicated hundreds of millions of dollars to create the weapon over two decades of research and experimentation. Despite the recent progress, officials report that the weapon is “several years away” from being fully operational in the field.

ICYMI: This Weekend on Lawfare

Dina Esfandiary explained how the Russian invasion of Ukraine is changing the relationship between the United States and the United Arab Emirates. 

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