Analyst, Analytical Development and Training Department
Andrew Loftesnes is a Middle East contract analyst with New Lines Institute. He previously worked for the U.S. Department of Defense in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy – Office of Special Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict, Irregular Warfare and Counterterrorism Policy, where he focused on counterterrorism in Iraq and Syria. He also worked in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security, Office of Operational Support and International Partnerships, where he focused on issues related to Russia and Ukraine.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in history, a master’s degree in international relations and was a Boren Language Fellow in Jerusalem and Amman. Loftesnes has served in Ukraine as a humanitarian volunteer. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2014-2018.
These past two weeks, the U.S. ramped up diplomatic efforts with Russia and Ukraine to bring an end to the conflict, while Russian shadow fleet vessels were allegedly struck by Ukrainian drones. In the Middle East, Hamas transferred the remains of a hostage to Israel, while Lebanon confirmed it would conduct deconfliction talks with Israel following pressure from the United States. In the Indo-Pacific, U.S. President Donald Trump halted planned sanctions against China’s Ministry of State Security, and China ramped up its military presence near Japan amid increased tensions over Taiwan.
This week, U.S. President Donald Trump met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, approving the sale of F-35 fighter jets and designating Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally. The U.N. Security Council passed a resolution to implement Trump’s 20-point peace plan in Gaza, while clashes between Israel and Hamas continued. In the Indo-Pacific, the U.S. removed reciprocal tariffs from several imports from the Philippines and confirmed the sale of a missile system to Taiwan. In the Russia/Ukraine conflict, Poland blamed Russian operatives for sabotaging its railways, while U.S. officials met with their Ukrainian counterparts in Kyiv to discuss a new peace plan.
