TOP NEWS US Air Force nuclear, space programs take hit in border wall reprogramming Defense News Nuclear Arms, Iran and Venezuela: Pompeo’s Likely Agenda with Putin in Russia New York Times China ‘Has No Interest’ in Joining US-Russia Nuclear Deal U.S. News & World Report U.S. Nuclear News US Air Force nuclear, space programs take hit in border wall reprogramming Defense News5/13/2019 Congressional Democrats and some Republicans have objected to the administration’s use of this mechanism for funding the president’s border wall, arguing it bypasses Congress’ constitutional power of the purse. For the second time in recent weeks, the Pentagon ignored decades of precedent and carried out the transfer of funds without first consulting with the Senate Appropriations Committee. Report to Congress on Iran’s Nuclear Program USNI News5/14/2019 The Congressional Research Service has updated the report on “Iran’s Nuclear Program: Status” as of May 10, 2019. Nuclear Arms, Iran and Venezuela: Pompeo’s Likely Agenda with Putin in Russia New York Times5/14/2019 Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made his first diplomatic trip to Russia on Tuesday to meet with his counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and President Vladimir V. Putin. As the meeting with Mr. Lavrov began, Mr. Pompeo said the discussions were intended to improve ties between the two nations, to “stabilize the relationship,” and to find issues where the two powers had “overlapping interests.” East Asia China ‘Has No Interest’ in Joining US-Russia Nuclear Deal U.S. News & World Report5/13/2019 CHINESE Foreign Minister Wang Yi says his country isn’t interested in negotiating a nuclear arms control treaty with the United States and Russia. Wang was in Russia’s Sochi for talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday, a day before U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is set to do the same. Middle East US war against Iran is impossible, claims Iranian general The Guardian5/12/2019 The deployment of a US aircraft carrier to Iran’s regional waters is nothing but psychological warfare and part of a plan to intimidate Tehran, the head of the Revolutionary Guards Corps, Gen Hossein Salami, has told parliamentarians in a closed-door session. Although EU leaders blame the US for forcing Tehran to retaliate, it is urging Iran not to take the steps now threatened since they might be seen as legally breaching the deal’s terms. EU Leaders Are Worried The U.S. And Iran Could Start Conflict By ‘Accident’ And May Snub Mike Pompeo Newsweek5/13/2019 For nearly a year after the U.S. canceled its participation in the deal, known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, international inspectors reported that Iran was in compliance with its terms. Under the deal, Iran has given up some of its ability to produce nuclear energy in exchange for sanctions relief. But Iran recently announced it would begin to produce more enriched uranium, which could be used to make nuclear weapons, unless Russia, China and European Union allies step in to save Iran’s economy from the sanctions imposed by the U.S. Russia/FSU/Europe Washington requested Trump-Putin meeting – report RT5/13/2019 Washington has reportedly requested a meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, according to Russian newspaper Kommersant. If confirmed, a meeting could take place on the sidelines of the upcoming G20 summit. Presidents of Russia and the United States are on a collision course Kommersant5/13/2019 According to Sergey Ryabkov, the Russian side would like to “clarify whether the US administration is ready to develop the positive impetus that the presidents’ telephone conversation on May 3 gave to the bilateral dialogue. ” “We proceed from the assumption that all relevant topics – from arms control and to Venezuela – will have the opportunity to talk in depth, – said on. Russia Warns U.S. is Preparing to Use Nuclear Weapons in Europe The Moscow Times5/14/2019 The United States is laying the groundwork to use nuclear weapons in Europe, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s arms control and nonproliferation chief has warned. “[The U.S. is] preparing to use nuclear weapons in Europe with the involvement of non-nuclear states,” Vladimir Yermakov, the head of the Foreign Ministry’s department of arms control and nonproliferation, was quoted as saying on Tuesday. Opinion/Analysis/Commentary Why China Will Steer Clear of a New START on Arms Control Stratfor5/14/2019 The possibilities of China’s entry notwithstanding, the odds are that it will remain on the outside. To entice Beijing to sign, the United States would, for one, need to avoid limiting China’s short and intermediate land-based missiles and agree to parity for all signatories, but Washington is unlikely to make such technical and strategic concessions.