Ukraine Aid: Paused

Hi Global Recap readers,

I hope you all had a fantastic weekend!

Guys, I totally spaced on the poll last week about the Oval Office feud between Presidents Trump, Zelenskyy, and Vice President Vance.

Got a little caught up in the writing...

But don’t worry, we’re back with the poll today as some of you have suggested!

+ Here’s the latest update on the situation: 👇️ 

🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
Trump Pauses Aid to Ukraine

If you spent your weekend endlessly scrolling the internet like I do, you probably saw "NATO" and "Zelenskyy" popping up all over the place.

In case you missed it, here’s the context.👇

Heated Meeting

The decision came after a “heated” meeting at the White House between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Trump.

• For the first 40 minutes of the 50-minute discussion, things remained civil.

• But as the meeting went on, Zelenskyy kept pressing Trump for a security guarantee while also arguing with Vice President Vance.

• Instead of calming things down, Vance poured fuel on the fire, blasting Zelenskyy for not showing enough gratitude while doubling down on calls for war over peace.

Minerals Deal

The event was meant to be a display of US support for Ukraine, complete with the signing of a minerals deal, a lunch, and a press conference. But, unsurprisingly, things didn’t go as planned.

• The minerals deal would have established an economic partnership between the US and Ukraine.

• It also would have put US personnel on the ground in Ukraine to help implement the agreement.

• This is why the US viewed the deal as a sort of “backdoor security pact,” because if Russia attacks Ukraine and a US personnel gets killed, that would call for the US military to step in possibly.

• If this was indeed the Trump administration’s plan, it makes sense that they wouldn’t want to openly commit to a security pact on camera—especially with Putin watching. After all, they’re trying to bring him to the negotiating table, not push him further away.

Aid Pause

So, at last, the Aid pause. The Trump administration emphasized that the pause is not a permanent termination of aid.

• Military aid will remain on hold until Ukrainian leaders show a commitment to good faith peace negotiations.

• Trump stated, “We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well.”

Future Implications

The pause in aid has significant implications for US-Ukraine relations and the ongoing conflict with Russia.

• Trump plans to address the status of the rare-earth minerals deal in a speech to Congress tomorrow.

• Trump’s decision came after Zelenskyy stated in an interview that the war’s end is “still very, very far away.” To which trump reacted to on Truth.

📊 Poll

🇮🇱 ISRAEL
Knife Attack in Haifa

Another knife attack has taken place in Israel—this time in Haifa.

Here are the details:

Attack Overview

In the busy city of Haifa, a 65-year-old man was killed, and four others were injured in a knife attack at HaMifratz Central Station.

• The attack happened on Monday morning, March 3, 2025.

• A man and a woman in their 30s, and a 15-year-old boy, are in critical condition.

• A 70-year-old woman suffered moderate injuries.

Suspect Details

The attacker, an Arab citizen of Israel, was neutralized by a security guard and a civilian.

• The suspect had recently returned to Israel after spending time abroad.

• Police are treating the incident as a militant attack.

Emergency Response

Emergency services responded swiftly to the scene, providing life-saving medical treatment.

• Magen David Adom (MDA) dispatched ambulances, mobile intensive care units, and first responders.

• Despite their efforts, the 65-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Political Context

The attack comes shortly after the end of the first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement.

• Hamas rejected an Israeli request to extend the ceasefire.

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a halt to all goods entering Gaza in response.

🇩🇪 GERMANY
Car Ramming Attack

If you think other countries are immune to repeated tragedies, think again.

We’ve covered past knife attacks and car-ramming incidents in Germany, and unfortunately, today brought yet another one.

Attack Overview

At 12:15 PM local time on March 3, 2025, in Mannheim, Germany, a 40-year-old suspect drove a car into a crowd during a carnival celebration in the Planken area.

• Two people were killed: an 83-year-old woman and a 54-year-old man.

• 25 others were injured, with five in life-threatening condition.

• The suspect, Alexander Scheuermann, was arrested shortly after the incident.

Suspect's Background

The suspect had a history of run-ins with the law and was known to authorities.

• He had served a short prison sentence for bodily harm 10 years ago.

• He was also involved in a drunk driving case and was last noticed in 2018 for hate speech on Facebook.

• Investigators are looking into the possibility of a mental health disorder.

Immediate Response

Emergency services and police quickly responded to the scene.

• Police blocked off all bridges and main roads, asking the public to stay away from the city center.

• The area was reopened several hours later after an all-clear was issued.

Related Incidents

This incident is part of a string of car-ramming attacks in Germany.

• On February 13, a suspect drove a car into a crowd in Munich, killing a mother and her daughter and injuring 37 people.

• On December 20, a car-ramming attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg left five people dead and around 200 injured.

🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
Trump's Tariff Tactics

Now, President Donald Trump’s hefty tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada, and China, are fully in effect, sparking new trade wars with the US's top trading partners.

If you're active in the stock market, you’ve probably noticed a significant dip in your portfolio lately. They say tariffs are to blame, but who can say if that’s the real reason or just a convenient excuse.

Tariff Turmoil

Trump's new 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, along with a doubling of duties on Chinese goods to 20%, took effect at 12:01 a.m. EST.

• The tariffs target nearly $2.2 trillion in annual US trade.

• Trump cited the failure of these countries to curb the flow of fentanyl into the US as the reason for the tariffs.

• China responded with additional tariffs of 10%-15% on certain US imports starting March 10.

Canadian Retaliation

Canada didn't take this lying down. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced immediate 25% tariffs on C$30 billion ($20.7 billion) worth of US imports.

• Trudeau warned of further tariffs if Trump's measures remain in place for 21 days.

• Ontario Premier Doug Ford threatened to cut off nickel shipments and electricity transmission to the US.

Mexican Response

Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum is expected to announce her country's response during a Tuesday morning news conference in Mexico City.

• Mexico's economy ministry hinted at significant retaliatory measures.

Economic Impact

The tariffs could have severe repercussions for the North American economy.

• Canadian Chamber of Commerce CEO Candace Laing cautioned that Canada could face potential recessions and job losses, given the country’s heavy reliance on the US for exports.

• The American Automotive Policy Council called for exemptions for vehicles meeting regional content requirements.

🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
Russia, China Target
US Employees

According to “four people familiar with recent US intelligence,” Foreign adversaries, including Russia and China, are ramping up efforts to recruit disgruntled US federal employees, especially those recently fired or at risk of being terminated.

Uh oh… Are they targeting those fired by DOGE recently?

Recruitment Tactics

Russia and China are focusing on recently fired employees with security clearances and probationary employees at risk of being terminated.

• They’re targeting these employees on LinkedIn, TikTok, RedNote, and Reddit.

• At least two countries have set up recruitment websites.

• Foreign intelligence officers are being directed to look for potential sources on LinkedIn.

Exploiting Vulnerability

The adversaries think the employees “are at their most vulnerable right now,” according to sources.

• The Trump administration’s mass layoffs have created a rich recruitment opportunity.

• Disgruntled employees with a wealth of institutional knowledge are attractive targets.

• The Justice Department has charged multiple former military and intelligence officials for providing US intelligence to China in recent years.

Political Reactions

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard suggested that discussions about the risk represented a “threat” made by disloyal government employees.

• Gabbard criticized those involved, saying their loyalty is not to America.

• Multiple current officials expressed frustration at the administration’s response.

Mitigation Efforts

Career officials at the CIA have been discussing how to mitigate the risk.

• The CIA and Defense Department are weighing significant staff cuts.

• The CIA has already fired more than 20 officers for their work on diversity issues.

• The CIA also aggressively seeks to recruit disaffected government employees in adversarial countries.

Consequences

The CIA may have inadvertently put some American secrets within the grasp of foreign spies and hackers.

• The CIA sent the White House an email listing all new hires that have been with the agency for two years or less over an unclassified email server.

• Some of those officers may now be terminated as part of the layoffs.