The EU is considering an 18th sanctions package against Russia, including disconnecting over 20 banks from SWIFT, lowering the G7 oil price cap to ~$45 per barrel, and banning the Nord Stream pipelines. These measures, alongside approximately €2.5 billion in new trade restrictions, aim to further cripple Russia’s economy and limit its access to Western technology. While requiring unanimous approval from all 27 member states, the package reflects continued EU resolve despite previous criticism of insufficiently strong sanctions. The proposals are currently under review by the European Commission.
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Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the “Rust” film set, was paroled after serving 13 months of her 18-month sentence for involuntary manslaughter in the death of Halyna Hutchins. Her parole, effective immediately, includes conditions such as electronic monitoring and a curfew. Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty in March 2024 and received the maximum sentence despite claiming naiveté. The charges stemmed from the accidental on-set shooting where Alec Baldwin discharged a prop gun containing live rounds.
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Ukraine’s HUR agency has documented over 150 summary executions of Ukrainian soldiers who surrendered to Russian forces, a number likely underrepresenting the true scale of the problem. This surge in executions, confirmed by the UN, is attributed to direct orders given to Russian troops to kill prisoners of war, indicating a deliberate policy. The UN’s findings corroborate HUR’s data, citing numerous accounts of Ukrainian POWs being summarily killed, often in group executions, even while unarmed or wounded. These acts constitute a systematic pattern of war crimes.
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents forcibly detained Leonardo García Venegas, a 25-year-old U.S. citizen, at his Alabama construction job, claiming his identification was fraudulent. Video footage shows the arrest, with agents also detaining other workers, including Venegas’ undocumented brother. Venegas, who maintains he was born in Florida, was released hours later, but returned to find several colleagues still detained. This incident follows previous reports of U.S. citizens mistakenly detained by ICE.
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Merrick Garland, after serving as Attorney General, has rejoined Arnold & Porter’s Appellate & Supreme Court practice group. His career, marked by a prestigious background and Supreme Court nomination stalled by Republicans, saw him lead the Department of Justice under President Biden. While criticized for a perceived lack of aggressive prosecution of the Trump administration, Garland ultimately appointed a special counsel to investigate the classified documents case. His return to Arnold & Porter is considered a significant gain for the firm, leveraging his extensive legal experience.
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A DoorDash driver mistakenly drove miles through restricted areas of O’Hare International Airport, potentially crossing runways, before being noticed from the air traffic control tower. Chicago police investigated and determined the incident to be accidental, issuing no citations. This event follows several recent security breaches at Chicago airports, highlighting ongoing safety concerns, particularly regarding the potential for undetected intrusions, especially at night. DoorDash is currently investigating the driver’s actions.
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Jon Stewart, on Bill Simmons’ podcast, posited that Donald Trump’s pattern of demanding large settlements from media companies—like the $15 million from ABC and the $40 million from Bezos—constitutes a form of “protection money” and reveals a larger strategy. This “pay tribute to the king” approach suggests a terrifying endgame: Trump might ultimately destroy the country for financial gain, viewing his presidency as a massive money-making scheme. The recent CBS settlement, resulting in high-profile departures, exemplifies this, with executives choosing to resign rather than apologize for fair journalistic practices. Stewart concludes that Trump’s actions will continue unless his pattern of appeasement is halted.
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Reliance Defence and Rheinmetall have partnered to establish a large-scale ammunition production facility in India, significantly boosting India’s “Make in India” initiative and defense export goals. The facility will produce artillery shells, explosives, and propellants, supplying both the Indian military and Rheinmetall, strengthening the latter’s supply chain security. This collaboration marks a significant expansion of German-Indian defense ties, driven by geopolitical shifts and a shared desire to diversify defense partnerships away from Russia. The partnership aims to produce up to 200,000 artillery shells annually, along with substantial quantities of explosives and propellants.
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Due to prohibitive costs and lengthy lead times associated with restarting production of the torpedo tube-launched Tomahawk, the Netherlands has abandoned plans to integrate this missile onto its submarine fleet. The decision, detailed in the Defensie Projectenoverzicht 2025 report, affects both the current Walrus-class and the future Orka-class submarines. The Dutch Ministry of Defence explored options for cost-sharing, but ultimately deemed the expense for their relatively small order unfeasible. The plan to equip surface ships with Tomahawks remains unaffected, and alternative deep-strike capabilities for the Orka-class are now under consideration.
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Despite President Trump’s threat of a 50% tariff on all EU goods entering the US, the EU remains committed to securing a mutually beneficial trade agreement based on respect, not coercion. The EU’s trade commissioner emphasized the bloc’s engagement and readiness to defend its interests. However, Trump’s impatience with negotiations and his stated intention to implement tariffs on June 1st, despite potential delays contingent on significant European investment, has raised concerns across Europe. European leaders have warned of the damaging consequences of escalating tariffs, advocating for continued negotiations as the best path forward.
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John Q. Hosedrinker