Morning Brief: Trump Warns Putin if No Ukraine Ceasefire Agreed at Alaska Summit, South Africa Rejects US Human Rights Report as Flawed

· Guy D. McCardle

US President Trump confronts South African President in the Oval Office with claims of “white persecution” during the latter’s May visit. (Screenshot)

It’s Thursday, August 14, 2025. Here’s a quick rundown for today’s headlines: Trump warns Putin of “severe consequences” if no Ukraine ceasefire comes out of the Alaska summit, Gaza aid is still bottled up despite Israeli promises, South Africa blasts the latest US human rights report, and Sudan scrambles to contain a deadly cholera outbreak. Plus, Switzerland rethinks its F-35 deal, Russia clamps down on WhatsApp and Telegram calls, Kim Yo Jong slams the door on talks, Japan and China mark World War II’s end on different dates, and Singapore scraps its Guam F-15 plan.

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Trump Warns of ‘Severe Consequences’ for Putin if No Ukraine Ceasefire Agreed at Alaska Summit

US President Donald Trump warned Wednesday that there would be “very severe consequences” if Russian President Vladimir Putin refuses to agree to stop the war in Ukraine during their upcoming summit in Anchorage, Alaska.

Trump did not specify what measures the US might take.

The warning followed a virtual meeting with European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, where Trump pledged to prioritize a ceasefire in talks with Putin.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron said Trump was clear about seeking a ceasefire and indicated he would aim for a follow-up trilateral meeting involving Trump, Putin, and Zelenskyy, potentially in Europe.

Merz stressed that Ukraine must be included in any subsequent negotiations to prevent an outcome favoring Moscow.

Zelenskyy reiterated his opposition to territorial concessions, rejecting Putin’s reported demand that Ukraine withdraw from the remaining 30 percent of Donetsk under its control. He warned that such a move would be unconstitutional and would invite future Russian offensives.

Kyiv’s other demands, including security guarantees and European participation in talks, remain unmet in US-led diplomatic efforts.

European and Ukrainian leaders remain concerned that the one-on-one format of the Alaska summit could result in terms favorable to Russia, particularly with Trump signaling openness to land swaps and the removal of Ukraine’s NATO membership prospects from the table.

European Union officials suspect Trump’s broader focus is on US-Russia relations and strategic business ties, rather than a comprehensive resolution for Ukraine.

On the battlefield, Russian forces are advancing toward Pokrovsk in Donetsk, a strategic city whose loss could severely impact Ukraine’s supply lines.

Military analysts warn that Ukraine’s ability to hold the city may be critical to resisting Russian territorial gains ahead of the summit.

 

Aid Delays at Gaza Border Highlight Bureaucratic and Logistical Hurdles

Humanitarian groups and truck drivers at Egypt’s Rafah crossing are reporting significant delays in delivering aid to Gaza, despite Israel’s July 27 pledge to ease restrictions.

According to World Health Organization (WHO) staff and aid workers on site, shipments are frequently rejected for minor packing or labeling issues, subjected to lengthy inspections for potential military-use items, and stalled by limited Israeli border operating hours. Drivers say only 30-50 of the 200-300 trucks attempting daily entry via Kerem Shalom make it through.

Blocked shipments seen by Reuters included WHO-labeled medical supplies, such as wound-cleaning devices, iodine, and sutures.

Israel’s COGAT agency insists there is no limit on aid trucks and claims about 300 enter Gaza daily, but UN  data shows far fewer deliveries compared to the 600 trucks per day minimum aid agencies say are needed.

UNRWA has been barred from sending aid since March, and no shelter materials have been allowed in since early March.

The rejections have left warehouses in Egypt, including a Red Crescent facility near El Arish, stacked with unused goods ranging from oxygen tanks and wheelchairs to generators and first-aid kits.

Aid officials warn that bureaucratic hurdles, combined with Gaza’s deepening humanitarian crisis, are worsening conditions for the enclave’s population, which is reportedly suffering over 200 deaths from malnutrition or starvation, and more than 61,000 total fatalities since the war began.

 

South Africa Rejects US Human Rights Report as Flawed and Politically Motivated

The South African government has dismissed the latest US State Department human rights report as “inaccurate and deeply flawed,” accusing Washington of relying on discredited sources and misrepresenting the country’s land reform policies.

The Trump administration’s 2024 report claimed human rights conditions in South Africa had “significantly worsened,” citing alleged discrimination against white Afrikaners under the Land Expropriation Act.

Pretoria’s Foreign Ministry expressed “profound disappointment,” noting that the United Nations has praised the law as a legitimate step toward resolving historic land inequality.

Officials also criticized the report as ironic given US withdrawal from the UN Human Rights Council and what they described as Washington’s own serious human rights issues, including treatment of refugees and due process violations by agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Tensions between the two governments have escalated since Trump’s return to office. In May, he confronted President Cyril Ramaphosa with unfounded claims of illegal farm seizures targeting Afrikaners, expedited US refugee visas for them, imposed 30 percent tariffs on South African exports, and suspended financial aid.

Washington has also criticized South Africa’s stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict and expelled its ambassador, Ebrahim Rasool.

Domestically, the Afrikaans trade union Solidarieit, criticized by Ramaphosa for courting US support, plans to send a delegation to Washington in September to lobby for abolishing racial-redress laws, repairing diplomatic ties, and securing a new trade agreement.

The dispute comes as Pretoria faces mounting international scrutiny, but officials insist its land reform and human rights policies remain constitutionally sound and internationally endorsed.

 

Sudan Launches Cholera Vaccination Drive Amid Rapidly Spreading Outbreak

Sudanese health officials have begun a 10-day cholera vaccination campaign in Khartoum targeting over 150,000 people as the country battles a fast-growing outbreak driven by civil war, mass displacement, and seasonal flooding.

The effort, which started Sunday, comes as the UN reports more than 83,000 cases and 2,100 deaths since July 2024, with cases also rising in Darfur, where 74 deaths and 1,440 suspected cases have been recorded.

The campaign follows a severe spike earlier this year when 172 people died and more than 2,500 were infected in one week in late May, prompting an emergency vaccination drive that reached 2.2 million residents.

Health experts warn that collapsed medical infrastructure, overcrowded shelters, poor sanitation, and limited access to clean water are fueling the disease’s spread, especially in conflict zones like Darfur, North Kordofan, White Nile, and River Nile provinces.

Cholera, a waterborne illness caused by Vibrio cholerae, is easily treatable but can kill within hours if untreated.

Aid agencies say humanitarian access remains critical as heavy rains worsen conditions in displacement camps.

The outbreak is unfolding against the backdrop of Sudan’s ongoing civil war between the Rapid Support Forces and the army, which has killed over 40,000 people and displaced up to 12 million since April 2023.

 

Swiss-US F-35 Price Dispute Puts Fighter Jet Order Under Review

Switzerland’s government confirmed that negotiations with the US failed to secure a fixed price for its planned purchase of 36 Lockheed Martin F-35A fighter jets, raising the prospect that Bern could cut the order.

Bern had sought to lock the 2021 deal, signed in 2022, at 6 billion Swiss francs ($7.4 billion). Instead, Washington insisted prices be set per production batch, in line with US government agreements with Lockheed Martin.

Swiss officials warned that inflation and tariffs could add 650 million to 1.3 billion francs to the program cost.

Defense Minister Martin Pfister said Switzerland remains committed to acquiring the F-35A for its technological edge but directed the defense department to reassess whether current air defense needs still support the original plan.

A proposal is due by the end of November, with fewer jets now a possibility.

The pricing clash comes as the Trump administration imposed a 39 percent tariff on Swiss goods in July, the steepest in Europe. The move has fueled calls from some Swiss lawmakers to cancel the deal.

Switzerland’s first F-35 was due in 2027, with deliveries running through 2030.

The dispute adds to a mixed outlook for the F-35 in Europe: Spain has ruled out buying it, Canada has reconsidered, while Denmark and other operators are eyeing fleet expansions.

 

Russia Restricts WhatsApp and Telegram Calls Over Security Concerns

Russia’s communications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, announced Wednesday that it is partially blocking voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, citing efforts to combat fraud, extortion, and activities it labels as subversive or terrorist.

State media RIA and TASS reported the move, which the watchdog said targets platforms it claims are increasingly used for criminal activity and recruitment by Ukraine for sabotage operations inside Russia.

Moscow is demanding that foreign messaging apps grant law enforcement access to call data for investigations, not only into fraud but also cases classified as terrorism.

The digital ministry said call access will be restored once the platforms comply with Russian laws.

Telegram told AFP it actively removes harmful content daily, including calls for violence and fraud. WhatsApp, owned by Meta, stressed that its calls are end-to-end encrypted and accused Russia of attempting to push over 100 million users onto more easily monitored platforms.

The restrictions follow a broader clampdown on press freedom and online speech since the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Both platforms remain widely used in Russia for private and public communications.

 

Kim Yo Jong Denies Removing Border Loudspeakers, Rejects Talks with US and South Korea

Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, dismissed South Korean claims that Pyongyang had removed some of its border loudspeakers, accusing Seoul of misleading the public and mocking its hopes for renewed diplomacy. She reiterated that the North has no interest in reviving talks with either Washington or Seoul, citing upcoming US-South Korea military exercises as proof of ongoing hostility.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff maintain they confirmed some loudspeakers had been removed. President Lee Jae Myung had described the alleged move as a “reciprocal measure” after Seoul dismantled its own speakers in an effort to ease tensions.

Kim also rejected speculation that North Korea might use the upcoming Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska to send a message to Washington, stating there was no reason to engage the US. She emphasized Pyongyang’s alignment with Moscow, which has included sending thousands of troops and large quantities of artillery and missiles to support Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The loudspeaker dispute follows years of tit-for-tat psychological warfare along the border, with North Korean broadcasts countering South Korean propaganda and K-pop music. Experts say Pyongyang has no urgency to resume diplomacy and remains focused on deepening ties with Russia.

Tensions are expected to rise with large-scale US-South Korean military drills beginning August 18, which North Korea views as invasion rehearsals and often answers with military demonstrations and weapons tests.

 

Japan and China Mark World War II’s End on Separate Dates with Contrasting Events

Japan and China are commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II on different dates and with different approaches, reflecting their distinct historical narratives and ongoing tensions.

Japan will hold a solemn remembrance ceremony in Tokyo on August 15, the date Emperor Hirohito announced Japan’s surrender in 1945, while China will stage a large-scale military parade on September 3, the day after the formal surrender ceremony aboard the USS Missouri (BB-63) in Tokyo Bay.

Japan’s observance focuses on mourning and reflection, with Emperor Naruhito and the prime minister expected to deliver remarks.

Last year, Naruhito expressed deep remorse for Japan’s wartime actions, though cabinet visits to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine drew criticism from China and South Korea.

In contrast, China’s commemoration, officially designated “Victory Day,” emphasizes military strength. The upcoming parade will feature missiles, tanks, and fighter jets, with Russian President Vladimir Putin expected to attend.

The war’s legacy continues to strain bilateral relations. China frequently cites Japan’s militaristic past to counter Tokyo’s efforts to bolster defense against Beijing’s growing regional assertiveness.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has urged Japan to “reflect on historical culpability” and accused it of using regional tensions as a pretext for military expansion.

Historical grievances are central to both narratives. Japan’s surrender followed the Soviet offensive in Manchuria and US atomic bombings, events that hastened the end of a conflict that claimed an estimated 20 million Chinese lives.

Disputes over wartime history and territorial claims in the East China Sea remain unresolved, making these anniversaries as much about present-day geopolitics as about the past.

 

Singapore, US Cancel Guam F-15 Training Detachment Plan

Singapore’s Ministry of Defense confirmed it has dropped plans to base up to 12 Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) F-15SG fighter jets at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam.

The decision was made jointly with the US, with Washington citing environmental impact assessment results and Singapore pointing to a review of its training needs.

The cancelled project, based on a 2019 defense memorandum, aimed to establish the detachment by 2029. Despite the cancellation, Singapore will continue to hold short-term training in Guam, including one scheduled for October-November 2024.

The US Department of the Air Force’s July record of decision confirmed the end of the F-15 beddown plan but approved new infrastructure at Andersen Air Force Base, including 20 acres of airfield pavements, fuel lines, and roadways for aircraft operations.

Singapore, which trains many of its air assets abroad due to limited local space, maintains F-16 and F-15 detachments in the US, along with AH-64 helicopters in Arizona.

It is also working with Washington to set up an F-35 training unit in Arkansas, and operates overseas detachments in Australia and France.

 

Sources: News Agencies