Evening Brief: Trump Rules Out US Troops in Ukraine, US Deploys Warships Off Venezuela, Qatar Pushes Urgent Gaza Ceasefire Talks

· Guy D. McCardle

Image representation only. US Army Soldiers of 1-64 Armor, 3rd Infantry Division, salute from an M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle. (DVIDS)

Good evening, here’s what’s driving the headlines for Tuesday, August 19, 2025.

 

Trump Rules Out US Troops in Ukraine, Says NATO Membership and Crimea Return Are Off the Table

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday stated that American troops will not be sent to defend Ukraine, clarifying earlier remarks that left the possibility open.

In a Fox News interview, Trump gave his personal assurance that “US boots will not be on the ground,” a stance later reinforced by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

The announcement follows Monday’s high-level White House talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders aimed at ending Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Trump also said a peace deal is possible but insisted Ukraine must abandon hopes of reclaiming Crimea and joining NATO, positions that Russia demands for any future settlement.

Trump is working to arrange a direct meeting between Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin. He initially proposed three-way talks, including himself, but later said a one-on-one meeting between the two leaders would come first.

Leavitt confirmed Putin agreed to the meeting, though the Kremlin has not publicly confirmed it.

Trump said Putin appears “tired” of the war and predicted clearer developments within weeks. However, key issues remain unresolved, including Russia’s demand for Ukrainian withdrawal from Donetsk and Luhansk and recognition of Crimea as Russian territory.

 

US Air Force Chief Gen. David Allvin to Retire This Fall

US Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin will retire “on or about” November 1, cutting short what was expected to be a four-year term.

The Air Force recently confirmed his pending departure but did not provide a reason for the early exit.

Allvin, who took command on November 2, 2023, will remain in the position until a successor is confirmed.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve as the 23rd Air Force Chief of Staff, and I’m thankful for Secretary Meink, Secretary Hegseth, and President Trump’s faith in me to lead our service,” Allvin said in a statement. “More than anything, I’m proud to have been part of the team of Airmen who live out our core values of integrity, service, and excellence every day as we prepare to defend this great nation.”

Allvin, a 1986 Air Force Academy graduate and career mobility pilot, has served nearly 40 years, with assignments ranging from Afghanistan to the Pentagon. He previously held the service’s No. 2 role before succeeding Gen. CQ Brown as chief. Brown later became chairman of the Joint Chiefs before being dismissed by the Trump administration, which also removed other top brass, including Gen. James Slife.

During his tenure, Allvin pushed for increased airpower investment, warning of the growing threat from China. He also oversaw the launch of key modernization efforts, including the F-47 stealth fighter program awarded to Boeing.

In March, he joined President Donald Trump in the Oval Office to announce the F-47 decision.

The Air Force has not named a replacement, but Air Force Global Strike Command Chief Gen. Thomas Bussiere was recently tapped to replace Slife and is a potential contender.

Allvin’s formal retirement ceremony will take place later this fall.

 

US Deploys Warships Off Venezuela to Target Drug Cartels, Maduro Mobilizes Militias

The United States is deploying three Aegis-guided missile destroyers—USS Gravely (DDG-107), USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109), and USS Sampson (DDG-102)—to waters off Venezuela as part of President Donald Trump’s intensified campaign against Latin American drug cartels, US officials confirmed Tuesday.

The destroyers will arrive in the region over the next several months to support counter-narcotics operations.

The deployment aligns with Trump’s broader strategy to combat fentanyl and other illicit drug trafficking, which he links to increased violence in US cities. Trump has pressured Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to adopt a more aggressive stance against cartels, but she has rejected US military involvement on Mexican soil.

In February, Trump designated several Latin American groups—including Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua and MS-13—as foreign terrorist organizations. The designation, typically reserved for politically motivated militant groups, now targets transnational criminal networks engaged in drug and human trafficking.

In response, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro accused the US of escalating threats and ordered the mobilization of over 4.5 million militia members nationwide.

Earlier this month, the Trump administration doubled its reward for Maduro’s capture to $50 million.

Maduro was indicted in 2020 on federal narco-terrorism charges during Trump’s first term, accused of colluding with drug cartels to traffic cocaine laced with fentanyl into the US Venezuela has not officially responded to the US warship deployment.

 

Russia Launches Massive Drone, Missile Strike on Ukraine

Russia carried out its largest aerial assault of August overnight, striking the central Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk and other locations with 270 drones and 10 missiles, according to Ukraine’s Air Force Tuesday.

Ukrainian defenses intercepted 230 drones, but 16 sites were hit, including critical energy and transportation infrastructure.

Kremenchuk Mayor Vitalii Maletskyi condemned the attack as evidence that Russian President Vladimir Putin has no interest in peace.

A large refinery in the city may have been the intended target, though Russia’s Defense Ministry only claimed to hit an oil facility supplying Ukraine’s military. The strikes caused a major fire and left 1,500 households without electricity in Poltava region.

Authorities also warned residents about unexploded cluster munitions found in the area.

Ukraine’s Energy Ministry confirmed damage to power infrastructure, while drone strikes also hit the Chernihiv region, cutting power to over 30,000 homes.

In Russia, Ukrainian drone attacks set fire to a hospital roof and an oil facility in Volgograd.

The strikes came as US President Donald Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders in Washington to discuss a potential path toward ending the war.

Ukrainian officials criticized Russia’s timing, calling the bombardment a direct contradiction to peace efforts.

 

Qatar Pushes Urgent Ceasefire Talks as Israel Plans Offensive, Civilian Deaths Mount in Gaza

Qatar and Egypt are ramping up efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza after Hamas showed a “positive response” to a proposal nearly identical to a previous US plan. However, Israel has not responded, and its military is preparing a major assault on densely populated areas.

Mediator Majed al-Ansari warned that if the proposal fails, the humanitarian crisis will deepen.

Hamas has agreed to the terms under discussion, while US envoy Steve Witkoff, who recently withdrew from talks, has been invited to rejoin.

The original US plan called for a 60-day ceasefire, phased hostage releases, and negotiations toward a permanent end to hostilities. Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has been lobbying international support to pressure Israel, saying, “The ball is now in Israel’s court.”

A senior Israeli official reiterated that the country’s position remains unchanged: no end to the war without the release of all 50 remaining hostages. Only 20 are believed to be alive.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists a final offensive is necessary to “complete the defeat of Hamas.”

 

Gunmen Kill 13 in Mosque Attack in Northwestern Nigeria

At least 13 people were killed Tuesday morning when gunmen opened fire during prayers at a mosque in Unguwan Mantau, Katsina State, in northwestern Nigeria.

Authorities have not identified the attackers, but such assaults are common in the region, where violence between herders and farmers continues to escalate.

Officials believe the attack may have been retaliation for a weekend ambush by local residents who killed several armed men believed to be part of a roaming band.

Katsina State Commissioner Nasir Mu’azu said security forces have deployed to the area to prevent further violence. He noted that attackers often hide in farmlands during the rainy season to launch assaults.

The long-running conflict between herders, mainly of Fulani origin, and farmers over land access and grazing rights has grown deadlier in recent years. Armed groups exploit the region’s limited security presence to attack villages and travelers, especially in mineral-rich areas.

 

Iraq-Lebanon Intelligence Cooperation Leads to Major Captagon Factory Bust

Lebanese and Iraqi intelligence agencies coordinated to dismantle one of Lebanon’s largest Captagon production facilities, Iraq’s Interior Ministry confirmed Monday.

The drug lab, located in Yammoune village in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley, was raided and destroyed in mid-July following intelligence provided by Iraqi authorities.

The Lebanese Army had previously announced the discovery of the lab last month but had not disclosed Iraq’s involvement.

A senior Lebanese security official acknowledged ongoing cooperation with Arab and international agencies but expressed surprise over the timing of Iraq’s public statement.

Captagon, a highly addictive amphetamine, remains a major illicit export from Syria and parts of Lebanon.

Western governments estimate billions in profits from the drug trade have flowed to former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s inner circle. The Damascus regime denied the claims, but regional efforts to curb production and smuggling have increased since Assad’s ouster in December.

In February, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Iraq agreed to form a joint intelligence cell to counter the drug trade.

Smugglers frequently route Captagon through Jordan en route to Gulf states, where demand remains high.

 

Iwo Jima ARG Returns to Norfolk to Evade Hurricane Erin, Caribbean Mission Delayed

The Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) returned to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, this week to avoid Hurricane Erin, temporarily halting its deployment just five days after departing.

The ARG, composed of USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7), USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD-28), and USS San Antonio (LPD-17), had begun the first US amphibious ready group deployment in eight months.

The group turned back to Norfolk to avoid the Category 2 storm, which surged to Category 5 strength over the weekend.

As of Tuesday morning, Erin was located off the coast of the Bahamas, with tropical storm conditions expected to impact North Carolina’s Outer Banks by late Wednesday and the Virginia-Maryland area by Thursday.

After leaving Norfolk, the ARG had sailed off the coast of North Carolina to begin onloading the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), based at Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Base New River. It is unclear whether the full onload was completed before the ships returned.

The 22nd MEU includes Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced), Combat Logistics Battalion 26, and Battalion Landing Team 3/6.

While the ARG/MEU was initially expected to deploy to Europe, reports now indicate the group will operate under US Southern Command in the Caribbean.

 

Japan Permanently Stations V-22 Osprey Squadron at Camp Saga, Strengthens Island Defense Posture

Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) has officially relocated its V-22B Osprey squadron to Camp Saga on Kyushu, marking the fleet’s permanent home after five years of temporary basing at Camp Kisarazu near Tokyo.

The move enhances Japan’s rapid response capability near the contested Senkaku Islands and aligns with efforts to strengthen defense in the southwest amid growing tensions with China.

The 17-aircraft Air Transport Squadron will now operate in close proximity to the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade (ARDB) stationed at nearby Camp Ainoura in Nagasaki Prefecture.

Japan’s Ministry of Defense highlighted the move as a strategic step to boost deterrence and response capabilities and improve disaster relief and emergency transport operations.

Training at Camp Saga began July 28, with flights expanding to additional bases throughout August. However, public opposition persists due to safety concerns, especially after a US Air Force CV-22B crash in November 2023 and a past JGSDF Osprey mishap that grounded the fleet.

It’s unclear if JGSDF Ospreys will participate in the upcoming US-Japan Resolute Dragon 25 exercise scheduled for September 11–25.

 

Sources: News Agencies