Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter{beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story  US election closely watched across the worldThe tight race between former President Trump and Vice President Harris will have a big impact on global affairs.© Greg Nash, The HillThe election is especially being closely watched in Ukraine, with U.S. policy for the war-torn nation largely hinging on who wins Tuesday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is staying away from making any public statements about the election after wading into the issue in September.  Zelensky drew the ire of Republicans when he said that Trump's running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), was "too radical," and after he visited a Pennsylvania ammunition factory with only Democrats.  Still, much is on the line for Ukraine. Trump has pledged to end the war in Ukraine before he takes office, sparking concern he will concede territory.   In a late October video address, Zelensky said he expected an increase in pressure on Russia from western allies after he unveiled a victory plan last month. "We expect more support for Ukraine," he said.  Elsewhere in Europe, members of the western security alliance NATO have expressed concern about the election.   Trump created some fear earlier this year when he said the U.S. would not defend members of NATO who don't pay enough in defense spending.  NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said he has "no doubt" the alliance will work closely with whoever wins the election.  "Whoever wins those elections, we will work with Kamala Harris, we will work with Donald Trump and make sure that the alliance stays united," he said at a Monday press conference. Israel is also anxiously awaiting the results. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has close ties to Trump and likely favors the Republican candidate returning to office. Harris and President Biden have pushed Israel to end the war against Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza and wind down operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.  In an October phone call, Trump told Netanyahu to "do what you have to do” in the Middle East, according to The Washington Post.  The Middle East war has some importance for voters in this election, as some Arab Americans, progressives and young voters have pledged to vote against Harris for her support for Israel in the deadly war that has taken more than 43,000 Palestinian lives in Gaza.  Michigan, a battleground state that has a sizeable Arab American population, will be closely watched on Tuesday night.  Taiwan, the self-governing democratic island nation under threat from China, also has stakes in the election after Trump made comments calling for Taipei to pay the U.S. for its defense. He also accused Taiwan of stealing the U.S. ability to make semiconductors and has called Chinese leader Xi Jinping "brilliant."  “If Trump [were to] abandon Taiwan, I wonder how he can make America Great Again, because he would lose the support, the credibility of the U.S. in the Asian Pacific,” Taiwanese Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister François Chihchung Wu told The Hill last week. “My feeling is that we are just worried for the uncertainty.”  Read more election coverage at TheHill.com.  Welcome to The Hill’s Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Brad Dress — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond.   Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.   Essential Reads  How policy will affect defense and national security now and inthe future:  Netanyahu sacks defense ministerIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has fired his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, an Israeli official confirmed to The Hill. Netanyahu and Gallant have clashed publicly over the course of the more than yearlong war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip and escalating conflict on multiple fronts against Iranian-backed proxies in the Middle East.  Netanyahu, who announced his decision late Tuesday local time, said he was firing …  Full Story  Russia, Iran are ramping up US voter influence campaigns, federal authorities sayThe intelligence community warned late Monday that U.S. adversaries are intensifying disinformation efforts around Election Day by promoting false claims surrounding voting.  Russia, in particular, has been pushing false conspiracies that election officials are coordinating fraud, intelligence officials said. “Russia is the most active threat. Influence actors linked to Russia in particular are manufacturing videos and …  Full Story  North Korean troops in Russia shelled by Ukrainians: OfficialNorth Korean troops have been fired upon for the first time since sending thousands of soldiers to fight alongside Russians against Ukraine, according to a Ukrainian official. Andrii Kovalenko, Ukraine’s head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council, said in a Monday post on Telegram that the first North Koreans have come under fire in Russia’s Kursk region but did …  Full Story  Man convicted in 9/11-style plot to kill Americans A man accused of being a Somalian terror group operative has been convicted of a 9/11-style plot to kill Americans, the Justice Department said Monday. The Justice Department said in a press release a 34-year-old Kenyan named Cholo Abdi Abdullah received a verdict of guilty Monday on six counts. Justice said Abdullah was convicted of conspiring to provide, and providing, material support to a foreign terrorist organization; …  Full Story   On Our Radar  Upcoming things we're watching on our beat:  The National Guard has activated more than 250 personnel from 15 states to support the election.  On Tap Tomorrow  Events in and around the defense world:  The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies chats with Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess, commander of U.S. Space Forces – Space, for a 1:30 p.m. ET online event. Booz Allen, Defense One and other partners talk with U.S. Army officials for a 2 p.m. online event. The Wilson Center unpacks the impact of Russia's war in Ukraine on minority groups for a 3:30 p.m. online event.   What We're Reading  News we've flagged from other outlets: U.S. and Saudi Arabia discuss security agreement separate from Israel mega-deal (Axios) Chinese warships could use Peru’s big new port, US general warns (Financial Times) China is building new villages on its remote Himalayan border. Some appear to have crossed the line (CNN)  Trending Today  Two key stories on The Hill right now: Trump rips Fox News’s election morning coverage Former President Trump railed against Fox News on Tuesday morning for playing clips of a speech Oprah Winfrey gave in support of Vice President Harris. … Read more Mike Johnson on certifying election results: ‘Everybody needs to calm down’ House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said “everybody needs to calm down” when asked about election certification, adding there’s been … Read more  You're all caught up. 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