“The secretary will deliver a message at the defense ministerial focused on advancing President Trump’s call for NATO allies to commit to spend 5% of their GDP on defense and refocusing NATO on collective defense and deterrence,” Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement. Asked at a morning news conference if Hegseth’s absence signals that the U.S. has gone “completely AWOL” regarding support for Ukraine, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte pushed back with a diplomatic answer, noting that the U.S. will be represented at the meeting, just not by Hegseth, while insisting the U.S. remains “completely committed to our joint and development that comes to Ukraine.” “There’s no reason to doubt that,” Rutte said. “Let’s not forget these meetings take place most of the time in Europe, so it will not always be possible for U.S. officials to participate in every meeting.” ZELENSKY: ‘RUSSIA REMAINS FULLY COMMITTED TO WAR’: Even as it reels from Sunday’s devastating drone attack on his long-range bomber fleet, Russia is continuing to pummel Ukrainian cities, the latest Russian rocket attack killed at least four civilians and wounded at least 25 others, including children, in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy. “There have been virtually no days without killings during this whole time, while the United States, Europe, and other global actors have been urging Russia to agree to a ceasefire and negotiations to end the war,” Zelensky said in his nightly video address. “Russia remains fully committed to war — and they prove this commitment of theirs with both their strikes and their statements — all of this is the argument for new sanctions against Russia, tough sanctions.” While Hegseth meets with NATO officials, Ukraine has dispatched a delegation to Washington led by Yuliia Svyrydenko, Ukraine’s first deputy prime minister, and Andriy Yermak, head of the presidential office, for meetings with President Donald Trump’s special envoy, retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg. “Our goal is to implement as quickly as possible everything agreed upon with President Trump. The cessation of killings, real peace, and economic cooperation with America,” Zelensky said. “We are offering the United States very concrete and mutually beneficial agreements.” TRUMP WAFFLING ON SANCTIONS: Despite the growing bipartisan support in the Senate for legislation to impose crippling additional sanctions on Russia — a bill sponsored by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) has more than 80 cosponsors — President Trump has yet to commit to signing the bill, should it also pass the House by a similar bipartisan margin. “The president has spoken about his position on sanctions on Russia. He has smartly kept this as a tool in his toolbox, if necessary,” said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. “He’s willing to use sanctions if he needs them,” she said. “Understand that the president is the commander-in-chief and he’s leading United States foreign policy as he should … I think the Senate and everyone on Capitol Hill respects the president is the commander in chief for a reason.” Majority Leader Sen. John Thune (R-SD) has said the Senate could take up the bill later this month. “Eighty Senators from both sides of the aisle, including Leader Thune and myself, co-sponsor this bill,” Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said earlier this week. “We should put the sanctions on the floor for a vote as soon as possible. It’s very much needed and it’s needed now.” “Putin is a clear villain and bully, so where is Donald Trump’s backbone? Where is his conviction? Where is that toughness Donald Trump likes to project?” Schumer said in remarks on the Senate floor. “Frankly, Senators from both sides of the aisle are getting tired of Donald Trump’s wishy-washy approach to Putin. If Donald Trump won’t stand up to him, the Senate must.” Good Wednesday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Christopher Tremoglie. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email and we’ll add you to our list. And be sure to follow me on Threads and/or on X @jamiejmcintyre. HAPPENING TODAY: As President Donald Trump is pushing Congress to pass his “big, beautiful” bill of tax breaks and spending cuts by July 4th, the Senate Armed Services Committee has released a breakdown of defense spending that would be included in the budget measure. The reconciliation measure has been agreed upon by House and Senate negotiators and would add more than $156 billion to the Pentagon’s budget for this year. Here’s the breakdown: $28 billion for shipbuilding and the maritime industrial base. $25 billion for Golden Dome for America $23 billion for munitions $16 billion to expedite innovation to the warfighter $16 billion to enhance military readiness $15 billion for nuclear deterrence and modernization of the triad $12 billion for pacific deterrence and defense of Taiwan $9 billion for air superiority $9 billion for servicemember quality of life $3.3 billion for border security $400 million for fiscal responsibility and a clean audit. $10 million for the defense secretary to conduct specific oversight “This bill is a landmark down payment toward the modernization of our military and our defense capabilities. It represents a generational upgrade for our national security with historic funding for Golden Dome, American manufacturing, innovative unmanned technology, and new shipbuilding efforts,” Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) said in a statement. “This is about building the future of American defense, and ultimately deterring war. In combination with significant legislative reforms through the NDAA process, this bill will fundamentally change the Pentagon and help us maintain peace and prosperity for Americans.” HEGSETH TO STRIP NAME OF GAY RIGHT ICON FROM NAVY SHIP: June may be Pride Month for some, but it’s not celebrated by the Pentagon or the White House. “There are no plans for a proclamation for the month of June, but I can tell you this president is very proud to be a president for all Americans, regardless of race, religion, or creed,” said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. And apparently, it’s not a coincidence that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has picked this month to direct Navy Secretary John Phelan to find a new name for the U.S. Navy replenishment oiler USNS Harvey Milk, named in 2016 for the gay rights activist who gunned down in 1978 and who had served as a sailor during the Korean War. In a statement, the Pentagon said it was not ready to make any announcement of the renaming. “Secretary Hegseth is committed to ensuring that the names attached to all DOD installations and assets are reflective of the commander-in-chief’s priorities, our nation’s history, and the warrior ethos,” said Sean Parnell, Hegseth’s spokesman. “Any potential renaming(s) will be announced after internal reviews are complete.” The USNS Harvey Milk was one of several oilers named for civil rights leaders during the administration of President Barack Obama, beginning with the late Rep. John Lewis. Other ships in the class are named for former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, former Chief Justice Earl Warren, and women’s rights activists Lucy Stone and Sojourner Truth. Future ships’ names include Thurgood Marshall, the Supreme Court’s first black justice; Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg; abolitionist Harriet Tubman; and labor activist Dolores Huerta. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) called the renaming a “spiteful move” that “does not strengthen our national security or the ‘warrior’ ethos.” “Instead, it is a surrender of a fundamental American value: to honor the legacy of those who worked to build a better country,” she said. THE RUNDOWN: Washington Examiner: Ukraine targets Kerch Bridge connecting Russia and Crimea Washington Examiner: Pete Hegseth to appear in front of Congress next week Washington Examiner: US considers shifting Greenland to command responsible for defending the homeland Washington Examiner: Army passes active duty recruiting goal ahead of schedule Washington Examiner: Hegseth mulls changing name of naval vessel named after gay veteran Harvey Milk Washington Examiner: Liberal opposition leader wins South Korean election to replace deposed president Washington Examiner: Donald Tusk gambles on confidence vote after right wing wins Polish presidency Washington Examiner: ICE arrests wife and children of Boulder attack suspect Mahomed Sabry Soliman Washington Examiner: GOP proposes bill to criminalize overstaying visas following Boulder attack Washington Examiner: ICE targets visa overstayers following Boulder terrorist attack: ‘There’s a big push’ Washington Examiner: Chinese nationals charged after bringing possible ‘agroterrorism’ fungus into US Washington Examiner: White House sends $9.4 billion in DOGE cuts to Capitol Hill Washington Examiner: NCIS launches internal review following navy secretary security failure Washington Examiner: Judge temporarily blocks Noem from ending TSA’s collective bargaining a Washington Examiner: Opinion: Qatar keeps purchasing political influence AP: Ukraine’s drone attack on Russian warplanes was a serious blow to the Kremlin’s strategic arsenal The War Zone: Latest on Russian Aircraft Loss Assessments from Ukrainian Drone Strikes New York Times: Ukraine Hid Attack Drones in Russia. These Videos Show What Happened Next. Washington Post: Ukraine’s ‘Operation Spiderweb’ hit at least 13 planes, visual analysis shows New York Times: Troop Casualties in Ukraine War Near 1.4 Million, Study Finds AP: Iran’s supreme leader criticizes US proposal in nuclear talks but doesn’t reject the idea of a deal New York Times: U.S. Proposes Interim Step in Iran Nuclear Talks Allowing Some Enrichment Bloomberg: Pentagon Wants to Delay Navy’s Next-Gen Fighter to Focus on F-47 Air & Space Forces Magazine: Golden Dome to Counter Ukraine-Inspired Attacks, USAF Boss Says Air & Space Forces Magazine: Allvin: Ukrainian Drone Attack Highlights Need for Diverse Arsenal Air & Space Forces Magazine: Experts Weigh in on Lessons Learned From Ukraine’s Drone Attack Breaking Defense: Confusion, Concern About Air Guard Plans Follow Trump’s Selfridge Shift Air & Space Forces Magazine: Transgender Troops Face Tough Decision As Deadline to Self-ID Looms Military.com: Cats and Dogs Will No Longer Be Used in Navy Research, Secretary Says THE CALENDAR: WEDNESDAY | JUNE 4 9 a.m Warsaw, Poland — Atlantic Council Europe Center virtual discussion: “Future Directions for Transatlantic Economic Relations,” with Michal Baranowski, undersecretary of state, Polish Ministry of Development and Technology https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/warsaw-week 10 a.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Committee hearing: “Department of the Army FY2026 Posture,” with testimony from Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll, and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George http://www.armedservices.house.gov 10 a.m. 2200 Rayburn — House Foreign Affairs Europe Subcommittee hearing: “Assessing the Challenges Facing NATO,” with testimony from retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery, CCTI senior director and senior fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies; Nile Gardiner, director, Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom and Bernard and fellow in the Heritage Foundation; and Julianne Smith, former U.S. permanent representative to NATO http://foreignaffairs.house.gov 10 a.m. 419 Dirksen — Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing: “Dismantling Transnational Criminal Organizations in the Americas,” with testimony from Celina Realuyo, adjunct professor, George Washington University https://www.foreign.senate.gov/hearings/ 10 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: “America’s ‘Golden Dome’ Explained,” with Tom Karako, director, CSIS Missile Defense Project; Heather Williams, director, CSIS Project on Nuclear Issues; and Kari Bingen, director, CSIS Aerospace Security Project https://www.csis.org/events/americas-golden-dome-explained 10 a.m. 1201 South Joyce St., Arlington, Va. — Air & Space Forces Association discussion “Insights from recent expedition to the ISS, “with Space Force Col. Nick Hague https://www.afa.org/events/warfighters-in-action-col-nick-hague/ 10 a.m. 1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW — Brookings Institution discussion: “The End of the Imperial Republic and the Future of the Trans-Atlantic Alliance,” with Camille Grand, policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations; Mara Karlin, visiting fellow at the Brookings Foreign Policy Program and Brookings Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology; Peter Rough, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and director, Hudson Institute’s Center on Europe and Eurasia; and Constanza Steizenmuller, director, Brookings Center on the U.S. and Europe, senior fellow in the Brookings Foreign Policy Program and Brookings Center on the U.S. and Europe and Brookings chair on Germany and Trans-Atlantic relations https://www.brookings.edu/events/the-end-of-the-imperial-republic 1 p.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: “Combating State Hostage Taking and Wrongful Detention,” with Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Response Adam Boehler, founder and managing partner of Rubicon Founders; former State Department Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens; Danielle Gilbert, assistant professor at Northwestern University; Sarah (Levinson) Moriarty, principal at R.A. Levinson & Associates; Diane Foley, president and founder, James W. Foley Legacy Foundation; and former White House National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien, co-chair, CSIS Commission on Hostage Taking and Wrongful Detention https://www.csis.org/events/combatting-state-hostage-taking-and-wrongful-detention 2 p.m. House Triangle, U.S. Capitol — House Committee on Strategic Competition Between the U.S. and the Chinese Communist Party news conference to commemorate the legacy of Tiananmen Square and “highlight the courage of dissidents and pro-democracy advocates in China today.” [email protected] 2:30 p.m. 419 Dirksen — Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee hearing: “China’s Malign Influence in Africa,” with testimony from Troy Fitrell, senior officials, State Department Bureau of African Affairs https://www.foreign.senate.gov/hearings/chinas-malign-influence-in-africa 4 p.m. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW — Hudson Institute discussion: “The Future of U.S. Foreign Policy in the Middle East,” with Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Jim Risch (R-ID) https://www.hudson.org/events/future-us-foreign-policy-middle-east-senator-james-risch THURSDAY | JUNE 5 9 a.m. Warsaw, Poland — Atlantic Council Europe Center virtual discussion: “Poland’s Strategic Partnerships in a Changing World – New Roads and Old Ties,” as part of Warsaw Week 2025: Retooling the Transatlantic Alliance for an Era of Uncertainty,” with Marta Prochwicz-Jazowska, deputy head of office and policy fellow for Warsaw at the European Council on Foreign Relations; and Aleksander Olech, head of international cooperation at Defence24 https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/warsaw-week-2025/ 9:30 a.m. 2200 Rayburn — Senate Armed Services Committee hearing: “The Posture of the Department of the Army in review of the Defense Authorization Request for FY2026 and the Future Years Defense Program,” with testimony from Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll, and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George http://www.armed-services.senate.gov 10 a.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Committee hearing: “Department of the Air Force FY2026 Posture,” with testimony from Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin; Air Force Secretary Troy Meink; and Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman http://www.armedservices.house.gov 2 p.m. 310 Cannon — House Homeland Security Counterterrorism and Intelligence Subcommittee hearing: “Among Us: Evaluating Sleeper Cell Activity and Other Subversion and Sabotage Threats” http://homeland.house.gov 2 p.m. 1333 H St. NW — Center for American Progress discussion: “America’s Role in the World,” with Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT); and Neera Tanden, president and CEO, Center for American Progress https://rsvp2.americanprogress.org/americasroleintheworld 2 p.m. — New America virtual book discussion: “The Future of Deception in War: Lessons from Ukraine,” with co-author Peter Singer, New America strategist and senior fellow; and co-author Mick Ryan, author of War Transformed https://www.newamerica.org/future-security/events/the-future-of-deception-in-war-lessons-from-ukraine/ 2 p.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW — Center for Strategic and International Studies discussion: “Strategic Landpower Dialogue,” with Andrew Poppas, commanding general, U.S. Army Forces Command; Robert Brown, president, Association of the U.S. Army and former commanding general, U.S. Army Pacific; and Tom Karako, director, CSIS Missile Defense Project and senior fellow in the CSIS Defense and Security Department https://www.csis.org/events/strategic-landpower-dialogue 2:30 p.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW — Center for Strategic and International Studies discussion: “Emerging Technologies and Strategic Competition,” with Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) and Chris Miller, AEI nonresident senior fellow https://www.aei.org/events/emerging-technologies-and-strategic-competition 3 p.m. — Atlantic Council virtual discussion: “Global Strike Command’s Role in Strategic Deterrence,” with Gen. Thomas Bussiere, commander, Air Force Global Strike Command https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/general-thomas-bussiere FRIDAY | JUNE 6 9 a.m. — National Institute for Deterrence Studies virtual seminar: “Deterring the New Pacing Threats of Opportunistic and Coordinated Aggression,” with Matt Costlow, senior analyst, National Institute for Public Policy https://thinkdeterrence.com/events/deterring-the-new-pacing-threats