The President's Daily Brief - PDB Afternoon Bulletin | June 21st, 2024: US Policy Shift on Ukraine Strikes, & US-China Anti-Narcotics Talks

Episode Date: June 21, 2024

In this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin: The White House has announced a big revision of its policy toward the use of US weapons in Ukraine, allowing Ukrainian forces further leeway to strike inside Russian territory. US and Chinese officials hold high-level talks to solidify a growing anti-narcotics partnership. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President’s Daily Brief by visiting PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. Email: [e-mail] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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That was a long rambling preamble, wasn't it? I'm Mike Baker. Your eyes and ears on the world stage. Let's get briefed. First, the White House has announced a significant revision of its policy on the use of U.S. provided weapons in Ukraine, allowing Ukrainian forces further leeway to strike inside Russian territory. Plus, U.S. and Chinese officials hold high-level talks to solidify a growing anti-narcotics partnership. Oh, well, now look, talking, negotiations, dialogue, it's always a good idea. But the only thing that really matters here is if the Xi regime actually follows through on pledges of partnership and cooperation, and frankly, given past behavior, well, that's a big if. But first, our afternoon spotlight. in a major shift on the Biden administration's policy on Ukraine's use of American weapons,

the White House has announced that it has expanded its agreement with Kiev, allowing Ukrainian forces to strike across the Russian border wherever Russian forces are engaging in cross-border attacks. Previously, the White House had said that strikes inside Russia would only be allowed against forces carrying out the current offensive in the Kharkiv region. So National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, he's the Dugie Houser of National Security, he outlined the new policy telling PBS news that, quote, it extends to anywhere that Russian forces are coming across the border from the Russian side to the Ukrainian side to try to take additional Ukrainian territory.

He added that it's not about geography, it's about common sense. Okay, so obviously, with that being said, the White House's initial policy where they limited the use to just the Kharkiv area, well, that wasn't based on common sense then, because that first policy, well, that was based on geography. Pentagon spokesman Major Charlie Deetz confirmed the change, saying, quote, it only makes sense to allow Ukraine to hit back against the forces that are hitting it from across the border. Okay, wait, look, I hate to repeat myself, but where was this logic train when they first issued their policy limiting the use to the Kharkiv region?

The new policy is more in line with some European allies, including France and Germany. Last month, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Schultz announced that weapons supplied from their nations can be used on any target inside Russia from which Ukraine is being attacked. The U.S. has also allowed Ukraine to use U.S.-provided air defense systems to shoot down Russian planes preparing to fire into Ukrainian airspace, regardless of the aircraft's location. Speaking of aircraft, Western supplied F-16 fighter jets are nearing deployment in Ukraine. General Arnus Stallman, the commander of the Dutch Air Force, anticipates that aircraft will be operational in Ukraine this summer.

According to Dutch officials, the program faced delays due to challenges in delivery and training for pilots and ground personnel. Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway have committed to supplying Ukraine with approximately 80 U.S.-made F-16 fighters. Now, the new jets represent a major upgrade from Ukraine's current fleet, which consists of outdated Russian-made aircraft, and due to their advanced avionics, superior maneuverability, and versatile combat capabilities. They also have a surprising number of cup holders in them. The F-16s are equipped with cutting-edge radar systems and precision-guided munitions, enhancing both air-to-air and also air-to-ground operations. They're advanced like Electronic warfare systems offer better protection against enemy defenses, and of course their agility

allows for more effective dogfighting and evasion tactics. Additionally, the F-16's multi-role capability means that it can perform a wider range of missions from air superiority to ground attack, providing Ukraine with more flexibility. Like other Western-supplied weapons, Ukraine will be allowed to use the donated F-16s inside Russia, though it'll be limited to, quote, defensive purposes. All right, coming up after the break, China and the U.S. are taking a major step forward, reportedly, in efforts to rein in the fentanyl crisis,

with officials holding high-level talks to solidify their anti-narcotics partnership. I'll have the details when we come back. Kayak gets my flight, hotel, and rental car right, so I can tune out travel advice that's just plain wrong. Bro. Guy coin. Way better than points. Never fly during a Scorpio full moon.

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solar elixir, a radiant expression of joy, ultra-concentrated for amplified impact and lasting power. Find your euphoria. Discover the euphoria elixir collection by Calvin Klein. Welcome back to the PDB afternoon bulletin. While tensions between the U.S. and China continue on numerous fronts, including the South China Sea and, of course, Taiwan, there is potentially a breakthrough in another area. On Thursday, U.S. and Chinese officials held high-level talks to solidify their anti-narcotics partnership. Now, it might be hard to believe, considering the state of U.S.-China relations, but historically,

at least for a while, the U.S. and China collaborated on drug enforcement. Back in 1985, the two countries signed a bilateral agreement known as the Memorandum of Understanding on narcotics control. It formalized cooperation to combat drug trafficking by facilitating information exchange, joint operations, and providing training and technical assistance to enhance Chinese law enforcement. That cooperation, well, it waned over the past several decades due to geopolitical friction, and that lack of cooperation has been especially deadly due to the ongoing fentanyl crisis here in the U.S. Now, fentanyl is at least 50 times stronger. than heroin, and it's been linked to the deaths of over 100,000 Americans annually in recent years,

and that's according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Many of the precursor chemicals are produced in China. However, the recent summit between President Biden and Xi Jinping may have reopened the door to some cooperation, and reportedly it's already yielded some positive results. These latest high-level talks follow a recent breakthrough where the Justice Department announced the dismantling of a major money laundering operation linked to the Sinaloa cartel. The cartel, in collaboration with California-based groups and Chinese underground banking networks, laundered over $50 million from drug trafficking. This case involved U.S. coordination with Mexican and Chinese law enforcement and is now being seen as a model for successful bilateral

cooperation. Chinese authorities apprehended the primary suspect involved in illegal foreign exchange trading. Now, before we get all warm and fuzzy with anticipation over a blockbuster buddy cop movie, China still refuses to acknowledge its role in the ongoing fentanyl crisis. In a statement released yesterday by China's National Narcotics Control Commission, China accused the United States of, quote, baseless accusations and smear campaigns when it comes to the chemical precursors that they produce. And that, my friends, is the PDB afternoon bulletin for Friday 21 June. Remember, if you want to listen to the show ad-free, be sure to check out our premium membership at PDB premium.com pound for pound. It's the best value in news. And of course, every Friday

evening at 10 p.m. Eastern, and if I don't miss my guest, today's actually Friday, a new episode of our weekend PDB Situation Report is unleashed on the world. It's on the first TV, as well as our YouTube channel at President's Daily Brief, and all top podcast platforms. Great guests, news, insight, and no bloviating. It's informative with zero calories and no additives. Check it out. I'm Mike Baker. I'll be back tomorrow. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool. Ryan Reynolds here from MintMobil. I don't know if you knew this, but any Anyone can get the same premium wireless for $15 a month plan that I've been enjoying. It's not just for celebrities.

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