Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter{beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story  Biden's 11th hour Ukraine aid surgeThe U.S. in the past week has been implementing ways to boost Ukraine’s prospects on the battlefield with more capabilities and lethal aid, especially as President-elect Trump is set to return to office on Jan. 20. © AP The latest such help came Wednesday when the Biden administration announced it will allow Ukraine to use anti-personnel land mines to mitigate Russia’s battlefield progress, undoing a policy the president had previously set at the beginning of his term. A U.S. official confirmed the U.S. will “soon supply Ukraine with non-persistent anti-personnel land mines (APLs).” “These mines are designed to rapidly blunt advances by ground forces, significantly enhancing Ukraine’s defensive capabilities, particularly in the east, when combined with other U.S.-supplied munitions,” the official said.  The U.S. has already supplied Ukraine with anti-tank mines for use against Russia. But in 2022, President Biden reversed a Trump administration policy that had allowed for the use of APLs, returning to an Obama-era policy that had banned their use except in South Korea.   Russia has already been using land mines in Ukraine. Anti-personnel land mines have faced pushback from activists, human rights and arms control groups because they can linger for years after a conflict has ended and pose a threat to civilians.  There was similar pushback in 2023, when Biden approved cluster munitions for Ukraine. Those munitions can also remain on fields and across towns long after the war.  The U.S. official said that Washington has “secured commitments from Ukraine regarding the responsible use of these mines to minimize risks to civilians.”  The move comes as Ukraine is looking to push back against a larger Russian military, which is encroaching on Ukrainian positions across the 600-mile front and with particular force in the Donetsk region.  It also comes after Trump has vowed to end the war, spurring concerns he may cede territory in eastern Ukraine seized by Russia.  Biden also is rushing the last of some $9 billion in security aid to Ukraine before inauguration day on Jan. 20. The latest package of some $275 million on Wednesday did not include APLs.  Read the full report at TheHill.com.  Welcome to The Hill’s Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Ellen Mitchell — 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:  US vetoes UN resolution demanding Gaza cease-fireThe U.S. on Wednesday voted against a United Nations Security Council resolution that demanded an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, citing the lack of a path for releasing hostages held by Hamas as the reason. The U.S. was the only nation in the 15-member Security Council to vote against the resolution but was able to veto it because of permanent member status. Robert Wood, the U.S. alternate representative for special political …  Full Story  Austin: Women in military ‘make us better’Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin praised women for their military service in an interview with NBC News, calling them “some of the finest in the world.” “I have spent 41 years in uniform, three long tours in Iraq, one in Afghanistan, and everywhere I went on a battlefield, there were women in our formation. I would tell you that, you know, our women are the finest troops in the world. Quite frankly, some of the finest …  Full Story  Trump names ambassador to NATO President-elect Trump has named his former acting attorney general, Matthew Whitaker, as the next ambassador to NATO, selecting him to fill the role at a crucial time amid Russia’s war in Ukraine and tensions over defense spending across the Western security alliance. In a statement, Trump said Whitaker is a “strong warrior and loyal Patriot, who will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended.” …  Full Story   On Our Radar  Upcoming things we're watching on our beat:  DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, FBI Director Christopher Wray and Brett Holmgren, acting director of the National Counterterrorism Center, will testify on worldwide threats before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee tomorrow at 10 a.m. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was in Laos today for the ADMM-Plus and to attend the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting before traveling on to Fiji.  In Other News  Branch out with a different read from The Hill:Trump’s immigration grand strategy casts wide net President-elect Trump is returning to the White House looking to dwarf his first term’s significant impact on immigration policy. Eight years after he first won the presidency, Trump has remolded the GOP’s mainstream views on immigration, all but guaranteeing he will face less resistance … Full Story   On Tap Tomorrow  Events in and around the defense world:  PunchBowl News will host a discussion on the future of defense and industrial policy with Rep. Steve Womack (R-Mo.) at 9 a.m.  The Hudson Institute will have a talk on “Strategic Challenges Facing the U.S.-South Korea Alliance” at 10 a.m. The Atlantic Council will hold a conversation on “Russia and the Authoritarian Challenge" with Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) at 11 a.m. The Hudson Institute also will discuss “Big Ideas for America’s New National Security Team” at 2 p.m.  What We're Reading  News we've flagged from other outlets: North Korea sent more conventional weapons to Russia, South Korea says (The Associated Press) VA acknowledges significant errors in budget shortfall predictions (Military Times)  Trending Today  Two key stories on The Hill right now: Musk, Ramaswamy lay out plans for ‘mass’ federal layoffs, rule rollbacks under Trump Tech entrepreneurs Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy said Wednesday that their brand-new government efficiency panel will identify “thousands” of regulations … Read more Nate Silver says Biden should resign Pollster Nate Silver said President Biden should resign in a post on the social platform X on Wednesday. “Is there any particular reason to assume … Read more  Opinions in The Hill Op-ed related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill: Supporting Ukraine against Russia is not a distraction from China   You're all caught up. 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