Ukraine diplomacy, a Silicon Valley boardroom crisis, and a run of hybrid-warfare incidents defined the day.

Ukraine and Russia

  • Putin rejected deploying Western peacekeeping troops to Ukraine and revived his demand that NATO roll back its military presence in Eastern Europe, days after Washington floated a new security framework in Abu Dhabi talks (more).
  • US envoys including Jared Kushner met separately with Putin and Zelensky, after which Kushner said Europe would join the negotiations (more).
  • The open question: whether Washington's framework can survive Moscow's refusal to compromise on NATO's eastern footprint (more).

USA

  • Jensen Huang resigned as Nvidia CEO after reports of multiple affairs, including one with a woman alleged to be a Chinese intelligence operative (more).
  • The Senate Commerce Committee chair summoned Huang and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to testify, with lawmakers pushing new probes and tighter limits on Nvidia's China-bound chip exports (more).
  • Trump reportedly urged Huang to fight for his job rather than resign, even as a second affair, with a company staffer, surfaced; a hearing date and Lutnick's appearance remain unresolved (more).

Analysis: Hybrid warfare

  • Hybrid-warfare incidents this week hit European airline and Saudi airport computer systems, and separately ship-navigation systems on an island off Oman (more).
  • The UN Security Council condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and threats to shipping, while Italy's defence minister pushed for more Ukraine aid, warning the fire could reach Italy (more).
  • NATO and Gulf states are treating each incident as a separate national problem, leaving open whether they share a cause or whether that separation just lowers the cost for the next copycat (more).