Compiled by Maya Nicholson
Articles
The Case for a Binding Security Agreement with Ukraine
Eric Ciaramella argued that to credibly support Ukraine in its fight against Russia for the long term, the United States, ideally with congressional support, should establish a legally-binding security arrangement with Kyiv.
What the U.S. can do now is develop an interim security framework that ensures Ukraine can defend itself and deter future Russian attacks and that anchors it in the European security order before formal membership in NATO and the EU. Fortunately, the building blocks for a robust arrangement are already in place. Several of Ukraine’s partners have made, or are on the verge of making, serious long-term commitments to provide military, intelligence, and defense industrial support to Kyiv. These agreements will not constitute a guarantee to commit troops to Ukraine’s defense. But this strategy, if designed and resourced properly, will raise the cost of Putin’s aggression to such a point that he will be hard-pressed to continue it.
Water Wars: Taiwan Elects Pro-Independence President Amid Continuing Regional Tensions
In the latest installment of Water Wars, Teresa Chen and Alana Nance discussed U.S. leadership in the Indo-Pacific since the establishment of the U.S.’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, China’s reaction to the election of Lai Ching-te, the new pro-independence president of Taiwan, the Philippines’s military modernization, and more.
China asserts sovereignty over most of the South China Sea region and is likely to “frown upon” this new agreement between rival claimants. Over recent months, the Philippines has been party to an escalating series of at-sea incidents with China at the center of various territorial disputes in the South China Sea. At his Vietnam state visit, Marcos commented that China continues its “illegal activities” in the South China Sea and that the Philippines’s position is consistent with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). “We are firm in defending our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction against any provocations,” Marcos said. “But at the same time, we are also seeking to address these issues with China through peaceful dialogue and consultations as two equal sovereign states.”
Podcasts
The Lawfare Podcast: Lidsky and Koningisor on First Amendment Disequilibrium: Matt Gluck spoke with Lyrissa Lidsky and Christina Koningisor about their recent law review article on what the shifts related to the press environment and constraints on the executive branch over the past two decades mean for contemporary First Amendment jurisprudence.
Videos and Webinars
On March 7 at 4 p.m. ET, Benjamin Wittes will be joined by Anna Bower and Roger Parloff on this week’s episode of “Trump’s Trials and Tribulations.” Material supporters of Lawfare on Patreon and Substack will receive a Riverside link to ask questions during the event. The episode will be livestreamed for the public and available immediately afterwards on Lawfare’s YouTube channel or over the weekend on the Lawfare Podcast feed.
Announcements
On March 1, Lawfare released the fourth episode of season 2 of The Aftermath, a narrative podcast series on the government’s response to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Episode 4, “The Hidden Insurrection,” featuring interviews with Quinta Jurecic and New York Times reporter Katie Benner—illustrates the Jan. 3, 2021, attempted takeover of the Justice Department and its lasting impact on Jan. 6 prosecutions, department leadership, and institutional integrity. Find the new episode (and previous episodes) on your preferred podcast platform.
Lawfare is now accepting applications for our Summer 2024 internship program. Apply here.
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