Morning Brief: Trump-Zelenskyy Reboot Talks with European Leaders, UN Reports 383 Aid Workers Killed in 2024

· Guy D. McCardle

US President Trump hosts Zelenskyy and European allies at the White House for peace talks. (@WhiteHouse/X)

Good morning — here’s your SOFREP Morning Brief for Tuesday, August 19, 2025. World leaders are maneuvering for peace as Trump and Zelenskyy reset ties with Europe behind them, aiming for direct talks with Putin. In Washington, Trump expands his federal crackdown with National Guard deployments as protests mount. Iraq begins exhuming a massive ISIS-era grave near Mosul, while the UN reports record aid worker deaths in 2024, nearly half in Gaza. Meanwhile, a ship carrying 1,200 tons of food aid nears Israel for Gaza, New Zealand convicts its first soldier of espionage, and Kim Jong Un unveils a nuclear-capable warship as US-South Korea drills get underway.

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Trump-Zelenskyy Reboot Talks with European Leaders, Push for Direct Meeting with Putin

US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met at the White House on Monday for a second time this year, signaling a reset in US-Ukraine relations and renewed momentum for ending Russia’s three-and-a-half-year war.

Trump expressed support for European-led security guarantees for Ukraine, while Zelenskyy praised the “strong signal” of unity and arrived in formal attire, a marked contrast from February’s contentious Oval Office visit.

Trump said the US could help back European protection efforts for Ukraine but stopped short of endorsing NATO membership. He reiterated plans to arrange a direct meeting between Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin, following his own recent summit with Putin in Alaska. Trump spoke with Putin after Monday’s talks and claimed progress toward potential peace talks.

European leaders, including France’s Emmanuel Macron, Germany’s Friedrich Merz, the UK’s Keir Starmer, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, praised the meeting’s tone and unity.

Macron called the trilateral meeting concept “very important,” while Rutte described Trump’s commitment to security guarantees as “a breakthrough.”

Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff said Moscow might accept NATO-style protections for Ukraine under a peace deal. Still, Zelenskyy faces pressure to avoid conceding territory, especially in the Donbas, which he has repeatedly said is non-negotiable.

Trump distanced himself from immediate ceasefire demands, aligning with Putin’s position to prioritize long-term negotiations instead. While European leaders continue to press for a ceasefire, they supported Trump’s push for a three-way summit.

No date has been set, but Zelenskyy said the US wants it soon and confirmed that territorial issues will be discussed directly with Putin.

The new tone between Trump and Zelenskyy was evident in the Oval Office. Trump avoided past criticisms, and Zelenskyy, dressed in a blazer instead of his usual military-style attire, thanked the US and First Lady Melania Trump for their support. Vice President JD Vance, who had previously criticized Zelenskyy, remained silent throughout the meeting.

Despite talk of rapid progress, core issues — such as Ukraine’s territorial integrity and long-term security arrangements — remain unresolved.

Trump admitted the war is “more complicated” than he anticipated but suggested a breakthrough could come within weeks.

 

Mississippi Deploys National Guard to D.C. as Trump Expands Federal Crackdown

Mississippi joined a growing list of Republican-led states deploying National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., as part of President Donald Trump’s expanded federal operation targeting crime, immigration, and homelessness in the nation’s capital.

Governor Tate Reeves authorized 200 troops, citing what he called “out of control” crime.

The move aligns with similar deployments from West Virginia (300–400 troops), South Carolina (200), and Ohio (150), reinforcing Trump’s executive order that declared a “crime emergency” in D.C. and launched a federal takeover of local policing functions. The order also mandates cooperation with federal immigration enforcement—contradicting D.C.’s sanctuary city laws.

Trump has framed the mission as a federal reclaiming of the capital, vowing to “liberate” the city with military and law enforcement presence. Federal agents from multiple agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, have already made 380 arrests and seized firearms in high-traffic areas.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser pushed back on the characterization and motives behind the troop deployments, arguing the surge is politically driven and not focused on real solutions to violent crime. She also raised concerns over masked federal agents refusing to identify themselves during arrests, a tactic that has drawn criticism from rights groups and local leaders.

National Guard members have so far assisted with crowd control and landmark patrols, but their expanded role remains unclear. Protests erupted over the weekend in response to the federal presence, with demonstrators marching from Dupont Circle to the White House.

The White House continues to defend the operation as a success, touting nearly 400 arrests in one week and pledging to continue the crackdown.

 

Iraq Begins Excavation of Suspected Islamic State Mass Grave Near Mosul

Iraqi authorities have recently started excavating a suspected mass grave in al-Khafsa, south of Mosul, believed to contain the remains of thousands of victims killed by the Islamic State (IS) during its reign of terror a decade ago.

Officials from the judiciary, forensic teams, the Martyrs’ Foundation, and the mass graves directorate are leading the operation, which began on August 9 at the request of Nineveh Governor Abdulqadir al-Dakhil.

The excavation is currently limited to recovering surface remains and evidence.

Full exhumation will follow after building a DNA database and securing international assistance due to site hazards, including sulfur water and unexploded ordnance.

Ahmad Qusay al-Asady, head of the Martyrs Foundation’s excavation department, said Khasfa is “a very complicated site” that could hold thousands of bodies.

Khasfa is believed to be one of the largest mass graves in modern Iraqi history. Witnesses report IS militants transported victims—primarily Iraqi soldiers, police officers, Yazidis, and Shiite civilians—to the site, executing many by beheading. Families of the missing have begun providing DNA samples to aid future identifications.

At its peak, IS controlled vast territory across Iraq and Syria and carried out mass executions, sexual slavery, and ethnic cleansing. The group lost its last stronghold in Iraq in Mosul in July 2017, and the war officially ended in March 2019 when US-backed forces captured Baghouz in Syria.

 

Record 383 Aid Workers Killed in 2024, Nearly Half in Gaza: UN Reports

A record 383 aid workers were killed in conflict zones in 2024, with nearly half of the deaths occurring in Gaza, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Tuesday.

The figure marks a sharp increase from 293 deaths in 2023 and highlights a rising trend of violence against humanitarian personnel.

Most of the aid workers killed were national staff serving their own communities. The Aid Worker Security Database recorded 599 major attacks in 2024, up from 420 the previous year. These included 308 wounded, 125 kidnapped, and 45 detained aid workers.

One of the deadliest single attacks occurred in Rafah, Gaza, on March 23, when Israeli forces killed 15 medics and emergency responders in clearly marked vehicles. The troops allegedly bulldozed the bodies and vehicles into a mass grave. UN and rescue teams reached the site a week later.

UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher condemned the rising violence, calling it a “shameful indictment of international inaction.” He demanded that global powers protect civilians and aid workers and hold perpetrators accountable.

Gaza and the West Bank saw the highest number of major attacks (194), followed by Sudan (64), South Sudan (47), Nigeria (31), and the Democratic Republic of Congo (27). In terms of aid worker deaths, Gaza topped the list, followed by Sudan (60), Lebanon (20), Ethiopia and Syria (14 each), and Ukraine (13).

OCHA noted that government forces and their affiliates were the most frequent perpetrators of violence against aid workers.

The ongoing conflicts in Gaza, Sudan, and other hotspots have fueled the worst year on record for humanitarian worker casualties. The trend shows no sign of reversing in 2025.

 

Ship Carrying 1,200 Tons of Food Aid Nears Israel

A Panamanian-flagged ship carrying 1,200 tons of food aid for Gaza approached the Israeli port of Ashdod on Tuesday in a renewed effort to combat famine in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.

According to the Associated Press (AP), the shipment includes pasta, rice, baby food, and canned goods. Israeli customs officials screened the aid at Cyprus’ Limassol port before departure.

Roughly 700 tons of the aid were funded by the United Arab Emirates through the Amalthea Fund, with the remainder provided by Italy, Malta’s government, a Catholic religious order, and Kuwait’s Al Salam Association. Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos told AP how the humanitarian situation in Gaza as “beyond dire.”

The aid will be offloaded at Ashdod, then transferred by UN workers to World Central Kitchen food stations inside Gaza. The charity, which helped initiate maritime aid deliveries to Gaza last year, remains a key logistical partner.

Previous shipborne efforts were halted in July 2024 due to weather and security issues.

This delivery comes amid renewed ceasefire negotiations. Hamas has accepted a new Arab-mediated proposal, but Israel has yet to approve it and recently announced plans to reoccupy Gaza City and other dense areas.

The UN warns that Gaza is on the brink of famine, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismisses reports of starvation as Hamas propaganda.

Gaza’s Health Ministry reports over 62,000 Palestinian deaths from the 22-month conflict, with women and children comprising about half.

The war began with Hamas’ October 2023 attack on Israel, which killed roughly 1,200 people and saw 251 abducted.

 

New Zealand Soldier Convicted in First-Ever Espionage Case

A New Zealand soldier has pleaded guilty to attempted espionage in the country’s first-ever spying conviction.

The military court suppressed the soldier’s name and the identity of the foreign power he believed he was communicating with. In reality, he was speaking to an undercover New Zealand police officer as part of a post-Christchurch attack operation targeting extremist groups.

Court documents revealed that in 2019, the soldier tried to share sensitive military data, including base directories, security assessments, ID credentials, and login details.

Authorities said his actions posed a threat to New Zealand’s national security and defense. He was stationed at Linton Military Camp near Palmerston North.

The investigation uncovered extremist materials on the soldier’s hard drive, including the banned livestream and manifesto of Christchurch Mosque attacker Brenton Tarrant. He admitted to illegal possession of that material, which is a criminal offense in New Zealand.

The soldier also pleaded guilty to dishonestly accessing a military computer system. These charges replaced a previous set of 17 counts and each now carries a maximum prison term of seven to ten years.

His lawyer told the court the nationalist groups he was involved with were social circles with similar views and denied that his client supported the Christchurch shooter’s ideology.

Sentencing is expected in the coming days.

The New Zealand Defence Force declined to comment to reporters until the proceedings conclude.

 

Kim Jong Un Inspects Nuclear-Capable Warship, Vows Expansion as US-South Korea Drills Begin

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un condemned Tuesday ongoing US-South Korean military exercises and pledged a rapid expansion of his nuclear forces during a visit Monday to inspect the destroyer Choe Hyon, the country’s most advanced warship.

State media the warship is designed to carry nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles and is expected to enter active service in 2025.

Kim accused the allies of escalating tensions by incorporating nuclear elements into their 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield drills, which mobilize 21,000 troops and include simulated command operations, field training, and counter-nuclear tactics. He labeled the exercises as provocative and claimed they reflect the allies’ intent to start a war, justifying what he called “proactive and overwhelming” countermeasures.

The destroyer Choe Hyon is the first of a planned class of nuclear-capable warships.

North Korea is already preparing a third vessel for completion by October and is re-testing the second destroyer Kang Kon, which was damaged in a failed launch earlier this year.

Kim’s statements signal continued defiance as tensions on the Korean Peninsula worsen. His regime has refused to return to nuclear negotiations since talks collapsed in 2019, while deepening military cooperation with Moscow.

South Korea’s new president, Lee Jae Myung, has called for restoring a 2018 inter-Korean military agreement aimed at de-escalation, but Pyongyang has dismissed his outreach.

Seoul’s Defense Ministry had no new comment on the North’s warship capabilities.

South Korean and US forces say the drills remain defensive and now include lessons from global conflicts, with additional focus on drone threats, GPS jamming, and cyber warfare.

 

Sources: News Agencies