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THE TOPLINE: President Obama said Monday no decision has been made on providing Ukraine with lethal weapons to defend itself against pro-Russian separatists backed by Moscow, but would not rule it out.
Amid mounting pressure from Congress to provide weapons to Kiev, Obama said he had asked his team to "look at all the options" that could change Vladimir Putin's calculus in Ukraine.
His comments came after a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House. Merkel is counseling against such aid, arguing it could lead Russia to escalate violence in Eastern Ukraine, where separatists are fighting Kiev.
Obama said there was no "specific point" that would trigger giving Ukraine weapons. Instead, he said the decision would be based on "our ongoing analysis of what we can do to isolate Russia."
The west says Moscow has sent troops and weapons to the area, something Putin's government has repeatedly denied.
UKRAINE CAUCUS: But pressure on Obama to provide more military assistance to Ukraine is growing.
Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) announced Monday they are launching the Senate Ukraine Caucus to boost ties between Washington and Kiev.
The "key focus" of the brand new Senate Ukraine Caucus "will be to play a prominent role in advocating for and coordinating more robust American efforts to support Ukraine," Portman said in a statement.
"In the face of continued Russian aggression in the region and repeated assaults on the sovereignty of its borders, Ukraine needs a steadfast ally in the United States," Durbin, the Senate's No. 2 Democrat, added.
"This bipartisan group sends a clear message that Ukraine has the unflinching support of the Ukrainian community in Illinois and in the United States Senate."
ISIS POWERS REQUEST COMING THIS WEEK: The White House is expected to send Congress a proposal for the use of military force against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) by Wednesday, according to two congressional aides.
The request for authorization for use of military force (AUMF) would allow members of Congress to formally approve the Obama administration's campaign against ISIS, six months after a U.S.-led air campaign against the group began.
An aide to Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) was less definitive on the timeline for the resolution, saying only that the request would come "as soon as this week."
"At that point, the committee will hold rigorous hearings in which the administration can provide greater clarity on the U.S. strategy regarding ISIS, particularly in Syria," the aide said.
While the White House supports a new force resolution against ISIS, officials insist Obama already has the authority HE needs to pursue the terrorist group under the 2001 resolution against al Qaeda and "associated forces."
The new resolution is expected to spark fierce debate among lawmakers over whether the administration's strategy against ISIS is working, whether U.S. ground troops should be explicitly ruled out, and for how long the authority should last.
SUICIDE PREVENTION BILL SIGNING THIS WEEK. On Thursday, President Obama will sign a bill aimed at preventing suicides among military veterans.
The president will sign the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act into law in a public ceremony from the East Room of the White House, according to a spokeswoman for the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA).
The Senate voted 99-0 to pass the $24 million legislation last week; it breezed through the House in a 403-0 vote last month.
The measure, named after a Marine Corps veteran who took his life after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, calls for third-party audits of suicide-prevention efforts in the Veterans Affairs and Defense departments to determine which are successful and which should be cut.
The bill would also create a website detailing mental health services and create financial incentives for college students who study psychiatric medicine and commit to working at the VA.
More than 8,000 veterans are estimated to commit suicide every year, according to the VA.
WEEK AHEAD: On Tuesday, the Senate Armed Services Committee keeps up its marathon pace by bringing former Pentagon officials to weigh in on global security challenges. The panel will gavel in at 9:30 a.m.
At the same time, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will receive a closed-door briefing on the Iran nuclear negotiations. Officials from the State Department and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence will update lawmakers.
The Senate Armed Services panel meets again at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday to hear from topic experts on the security situation in Afghanistan.
The House Armed Services Committee will convene at 10:00 a.m. that day to receive testimony from five experts about President Obama's fiscal 2016 Defense Department budget request.
The House Veterans' Affairs Committee will come together at 10:30 a.m. to hear from Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald about the VA's fiscal 2016 budget request.
At 1:00 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, the House Armed Services Committee Military Personnel subpanel will meet to go over the recommendations from the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission.
The commissioners trek across Capitol Hill to appear before the Senate Armed Services' equivalent subcommittee at 3:00 p.m.
On Thursday, the entire Senate Armed Services panel meets at 9:30 a.m. for the third time to receive a public and classified briefing from Army Gen. John Campbell, the top commander in Afghanistan, about the U.S. mission there.
At 3:00 p.m., the House Armed Services Oversight and Investigations subpanel will receive an update on detainee transfers from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
The full House Armed Services Committee wraps up the week at 9:00 a.m. Friday with a hearing on the state of Islamic extremism.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
-Watchdog: Air Force 'doctored the data' to make A-10 look bad
-Armed Services lawmakers: Sequester hurting Army readiness
-Pentagon announces service stars for ISIS campaign
-Drone strike kills ISIS recruiter in Afghanistan
-Spying tensions take backseat in Obama-Merkel meeting
Please send tips and comments to Kristina Wong, kwong@thehill.com, and Martin Matishak, mmatishak@thehill.com. Follow us on Twitter: @thehill,@kristina_wong, @martinmatishak
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