09/17/2026
The sanctions fight is moving fast. Greg breaks down the legislation he says has now passed Congress, what it would require against Russia and countries buying Russian energy, the waiver authority available to President Trump, and why the bill still matters even though—at the time of recording—Trump had not yet signed it.
Russia and China are already responding. The Kremlin calls additional U.S. sanctions an unfriendly act that could complicate peace efforts, while China rejects U.S. pressure over its economic ties. Greg also examines Russian rhetoric about deeper cooperation with North Korea and Iran, alongside Ukraine’s continuing long-range strikes on Russian military and energy targets.
The update also covers Ukraine’s battlefield situation, Kirill Budanov’s blunt message that Russia can simply leave Ukrainian territory, Zelenskyy’s criticism of China’s political position, the limited Patriot interceptor announcement, and new Ukrainian accusations that Belarus is again helping facilitate Russian drone attacks.
https://www.youtube.com/@GregTerryExperience
US ready to approve transfer of Patriot missiles from Germany to Ukraine
The interceptors were previously supplied to Germany and could now be sent to Kyiv
The US is preparing to provide Ukraine with an additional batch of interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems. The shipment includes 10 MIM-104E GEM-T missiles worth $29.6 million, which Germany previously received, according to a decision by the US State Department.
“This transfer is consistent with US security assistance objectives. The United States government is prepared to authorize this transfer, having taken into account political, military, economic, human rights, and arms control considerations,” the document says.
Under the agreements in place, the transfer of US weapons by third countries requires mandatory approval from Washington.
The US administration has already expressed its readiness to grant Berlin the necessary authorization to send the interceptors to Kyiv.
“Ukraine seeks to acquire these systems to bolster its air defense capability against ongoing Russian attacks. Ukraine already possesses munitions of the same type,” the US State Department said.
Poland plans to provide Ukraine with missiles for Patriot air defense systems as part of a new military aid package. Its total value will amount to €50 million.
Germany’s Defense Ministry has had a small team called Sonderstab Ukraine operating for several years. It is responsible for allocating €11.5 billion in military aid to Kyiv annually and can conclude weapons supply agreements within just two weeks.
(From RBC Ukraine, via MSN)
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/us-ready-to-approve-transfer-of-patriot-missiles-from-germany-to-ukraine/ar-AA2cs8Bz
Trump team considers deals with Russia before Ukraine war ends – NYT
Washington is quietly weighing energy deals with Moscow before the war even ends
The White House is considering the possibility of concluding separate economic and other agreements with Russia before the end of the war in Ukraine, according to sources cited by The New York Times.
According to the publication, these are possible agreements that Washington could conclude with Moscow regardless of whether a full-fledged peace agreement on Ukraine is reached.
It is reported that this approach reflects Trump’s desire to simultaneously continue negotiations with the Kremlin and seek opportunities to restore economic relations with Russia.
The White House expects that economic cooperation could become one of the tools for advancing the negotiation process.
However, there is no complete consensus within the American administration on how quickly to proceed with such agreements with Moscow. Some officials believe that providing Russia with economic incentives before the end of the war could weaken leverage on the Kremlin.
What agreements are being discussed
As the NYT writes, among the possible areas of cooperation being considered are energy, investments, and other sectors in which American and Russian businesses could potentially return to interaction.
At the same time, any serious economic agreements will depend on the US sanctions regime. Some restrictions against Russia remain in place, and the new US Congressional sanctions initiative envisages additional pressure on the Russian energy sector and other sources of Kremlin revenue.
On September 17, the Kremlin stated that the possible adoption of a new package of American sanctions could complicate negotiations on ending the war. Russian leader Dmitry Peskov’s press secretary called such measures “unfriendly actions” and stated that they could complicate diplomatic efforts.
Trump continues to count on an agreement with Putin
The American leader himself has repeatedly stated in recent weeks that he considers Putin ready to conclude an agreement.
After a phone conversation with the Russian president on September 9, Trump said that they had had a great conversation.
He also added that the head of the Kremlin, according to him, wants to conclude an agreement.
Trump stated that he wanted to make a deal and that it would be very good if Zelenskyy wanted to make a deal as well.
Current state of affairs
At the same time, negotiations to end the war remain without significant breakthrough. Moscow continues to insist on its demands, while Kyiv seeks security guarantees and conditions that would not allow Russia to resume the war.
Against this backdrop, Washington is simultaneously discussing increasing sanction pressure on Russia and the possibility of future economic interaction with Moscow.
The US House of Representatives approved a large-scale sanctions package against Russia on September 16. The document envisages additional restrictions against Russian officials, the financial and energy sectors, as well as the possibility of imposing increased tariffs against countries that continue to purchase Russian energy resources.
Thus, the Trump administration’s approach envisages a combination of pressure on Russia with attempts to preserve space for negotiations and possible economic cooperation. In this regard, specific agreements with Moscow remain a subject of discussion rather than approved policy.
Recently, US presidential envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner traveled to Moscow in an attempt to achieve progress on ending the war in Ukraine.
Large-scale projects between the countries were already discussed during this meeting.
(From RBC Ukraine, via MSN)
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/general/trump-team-considers-deals-with-russia-before-ukraine-war-ends-nyt/ar-AA2cte8I
Here’s the NY Times article referenced as the source:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/17/us/trump-putin-russia-sanctions.html
Lockheed Martin reveals new secret missile, fast tracks production
WASHINGTON, Sept 17 (Reuters) – Lockheed Martin unveiled on Thursday details of a next-generation air-to-air missile developed to counter threats from China and a new agreement with the Defense Department to boost production as the Pentagon rebuilds munitions stockpiles.
The war on Iran depleted U.S. and allied missile stocks, spurring a push to rapidly acquire less expensive long-range precision-strike weapons.
The missile, known as the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM), has been developed in secrecy for years as the U.S. military’s answer to increasingly capable long-range air threats from China. Lockheed said the weapon offers greater range and effectiveness than existing air-to-air missiles — an advantage against Chinese fighter jets like the J-20.
The AIM-260 will be used on stealth fighters like the F-22 Raptor and F-35.
“JATM is one of our nation’s most important air dominance capabilities, but because of the classified nature of the program, it’s also a story we haven’t been able to tell,” Tim Cahill, president of Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, said in a statement. “We’re proud to finally talk about the extraordinary work behind this missile and how we’re working with the U.S. government to rapidly scale production.”
The first images of the weapon emerged in May and Australia has announced it will buy roughly $521 million worth of JATM missiles. The quantity and unit price were not disclosed.
The framework agreement lays the groundwork for a multiyear procurement contract aimed at strengthening the defense industrial base for the program. Lockheed said it would fund investments needed to boost output under the deal.
(From Reuters, via MSN)
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/lockheed-martin-reveals-new-secret-missile-fast-tracks-production/ar-AA2cqCd4
Lockheed Martin gets first batch of Patriot interceptor parts from General Motors
Lockheed Martin said on Thursday it received its first shipment of critical components from General Motors for Patriot interceptors, less than a month after the two companies inked a manufacturing agreement, as the Pentagon pushes for faster weapons production.
The Patriot missile defense system remains one of the world’s most sought-after weapons for the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran and Russia’s prolonged war with Ukraine.
Since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Kyiv credits Patriot batteries with helping defend cities against Russian ballistic missile attacks, while Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has repeatedly appealed for more launchers and interceptors as Moscow intensifies air strikes.
GM Defense delivered the initial batch of housing components for the Patriot interceptors called the PAC-3 MSE – on Aug. 28, just 22 days after the Aug. 6 contract signing, Lockheed said, for parts that traditionally take months or years to produce.
The deal builds on a broader collaboration the two companies announced in June, when they said they were partnering to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base amid surging demand for munitions, tapping GM Defense’s manufacturing plants and laboratories to boost production capacity and supply chain resilience.
“This extraordinary 22-day turnaround underscores Lockheed Martin’s relentless focus on execution – delivering for our troops faster, with greater capacity,” said Tim Cahill, president of Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.
GM Defense President and CEO Stephen duMont said the automaker’s precision-fabrication expertise would support “production of this country’s critical defense capabilities.”
Lockheed is investing $8 billion to $9 billion to scale munitions output, including PAC-3 MSE, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) and the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM), adding new buildings and jobs at more than 20 U.S. sites. The company said production and warehousing space would grow nearly 50% following planned expansions.
(From Defense News, via MSN)
https://www.msn.com/en-us/technology/aviation/lockheed-martin-gets-first-batch-of-patriot-interceptor-parts-from-general-motors/ar-AA2crKX5