Morning Brief: US Skips Pacific Future Forum in Japan, Putin to Visit India in December, Russian Naval Drone Attack on Ukrainian Ship

· Guy D. McCardle

Russian unmanned boat hits Ukraine’s reconnaissance ship Simferopol at the Danube River mouth. (Image grab via X)

Good morning. Here are the headlines for Saturday, August 30, 2025. From Washington to Tokyo, key shifts are reshaping alliances: the US absent from a Pacific forum, Israel pressing a new Gaza offensive, and Europe pledging stronger backing for Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ernst bows out of the Senate, Indonesia erupts in protest, and India and Japan deepen ties.

—

 

US Skips Pacific Future Forum in Japan, Breaking with Past Participation

For the first time, the United States declined to send any military or government representatives to the Pacific Future Forum, a key UK-organized security conference held this year aboard the HMS Prince of Wales (R09) in Tokyo Bay.

The event, which convenes defense ministers and senior officials from Japan, the United Kingdom, and other Western nations, has always included US participation since its launch in 2018.

Vice Admiral Fred W. Kacher, commander of the US Seventh Fleet, was invited but did not respond.

The absence follows a Pentagon decision last July to withdraw from the Aspen Security Forum and suspend attendance at privately organized events, though the Pacific Future Forum is government-run.

Analysts and participants criticized the decision as a missed opportunity for Washington to publicly align with NATO and its Asian allies at a time of rising regional security challenges.

 

US Army to Rehang Robert E. Lee Confederate Portrait at West Point Library

The US Army confirmed to Military.com on Friday it will rehang a portrait of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in his Confederate uniform at West Point’s library, reversing a previous decision to remove it under a congressionally mandated commission tasked with eliminating Confederate tributes from military property.

The portrait, first hung in 1952 during the Lost Cause movement, depicts Lee with a slave guiding his horse.

Its return follows broader Trump administration efforts to restore Confederate symbols, including reinstating base names once changed and reintroducing a Confederate memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.

The 2020 Naming Commission had recommended removing the portrait while allowing depictions of Lee in his US Army service, citing his decision to fight for the Confederacy and the significant losses his forces inflicted on US troops.

Lawmakers from both parties previously criticized the administration’s use of legal loopholes to sidestep the commission’s mandates.

Lee’s historical ties to West Point (as a cadet and later superintendent) had complicated earlier deliberations, but the commission unanimously recommended removing portrayals of him in a Confederate uniform.

 

Judge Blocks Trump Administration’s Expansion of Fast-Track Deportations

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., temporarily halted the Trump administration’s plan to expand expedited deportations of undocumented migrants living in the US interior.

US District Judge Jia Cobb ruled that the government must provide due process to migrants who had not previously been subject to fast-track removal, warning that prioritizing speed risks wrongful deportations. The administration has sought to use expedited removal for migrants in the country for less than two years, a significant expansion from its prior use near the border.

The decision follows earlier rulings by Cobb blocking similar efforts to apply fast-track deportations to immigrants admitted under humanitarian parole. The case stems from lawsuits by the ACLU and immigrant rights groups.

The administration, which has pledged to carry out 1 million deportations annually, has already deployed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to pursue removals under the broadened authority, but the ruling pauses those efforts pending further review.

 

Senator Joni Ernst to Retire, Opening Key Iowa Senate Seat for 2026

Senator Joni Ernst, Iowa’s first woman elected to Congress and a two-term Republican incumbent, plans to announce in September that she will not seek reelection in 2026, according to people familiar with her decision.

Ernst, a retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel and Iraq War veteran, first won her seat in 2014 and served in Senate GOP leadership. Her departure adds to Republican challenges in holding their majority, following Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina’s decision not to run again.

Iowa Democrats, seeking a comeback in a state that has trended Republican for over a decade, see an opening in the first non-incumbent Senate race there since 2014.

Potential GOP contenders include Representative Ashley Hinson, whose entry would make her congressional district more competitive. Several Democrats, including state Senator Zach Wahls and Des Moines School Board chair Jackie Norris, are already running.

Ernst leaves after a career marked by both loyalty to and clashes with Trump, most recently over his then-defense secretary nominee, Pete Hegseth. Her exit sets the stage for a closely watched and competitive race.

 

Senator Ted Cruz Urges Mexico to Adopt El Salvador-Style Crackdown on Cartels, Accept U.S. Help

Senator Ted Cruz said Friday that Mexico should emulate El Salvador’s aggressive crackdown on organized crime and accept US assistance in fighting drug cartels.

Speaking in Mexico after visits to Panama and El Salvador, the Texas Republican stressed that joint action would be preferable but hinted the US could act unilaterally if Mexico refuses. His remarks follow earlier offers by President Donald Trump to deploy US troops, which Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has firmly rejected, citing sovereignty concerns.

Despite that, Mexico has cooperated with the US in limited ways, including requesting drone support and extraditing cartel leaders.

Cruz met with Foreign Affairs Secretary Juan Ramón de la Fuente to discuss security and migration. He argued that Mexico should consider El Salvador President Nayib Bukele’s hardline tactics, which have sharply reduced crime but drawn criticism for human rights abuses and erosion of democracy.

 

Israel Launches Gaza City Offensive, Recovers Hostage Remains

Israel declared Gaza City a “dangerous combat zone” and began the initial phase of a military offensive, suspending humanitarian pauses that had allowed aid deliveries.

The operation, aimed at dismantling Hamas and recovering hostages, has drawn international condemnation.

Israel said it recovered the body of Ilan Weiss, killed in the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, and the remains of another hostage.

Gaza’s Health Ministry reported the war’s death toll has surpassed 63,000, with five more deaths from starvation in the past day and hundreds killed or wounded in recent strikes.

Hamas said it is prepared for combat in Gaza City and vowed to keep hostages alive.

Thousands of residents fled the city amid famine and repeated displacement, while others took shelter in Gaza’s only Catholic church.

The United Nations warned that the planned escalation would have a “horrific impact” on civilians already exhausted and deprived of basic needs. Meanwhile, the US revoked visas for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and other officials ahead of the UN General Assembly, further straining diplomatic tensions.

 

Lebanese Army Prepares ‘Sensitive Missions’ as Government Pushes Hezbollah Disarmament Plan

Lebanon’s Army Chief Gen. Rodolphe Haykal said Friday the military will soon carry out “sensitive missions” to support the government’s US-backed plan to disarm Hezbollah and Palestinian factions in refugee camps by year’s end.

The Cabinet is set to discuss the disarmament plan on September 5.

Hezbollah has vowed not to give up its weapons, accusing the government of serving Israeli interests, and warned of possible internal conflict.

The statement comes amid heightened tensions following Israel’s killing of a Hezbollah Radwan Forces official in southern Lebanon.

Haykal emphasized that its army will act to preserve civil peace and internal stability while coordinating with Syrian authorities to control the border.

Hezbollah maintains it will not disarm until Israel withdraws from disputed territory and halts ongoing airstrikes.

 

Putin to Visit India in December, Will Meet Modi at SCO Summit in China

Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to visit India in December, his aide Yuri Ushakov said Friday.

Putin will discuss the trip with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their meeting Monday on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in China.

The two leaders last met in person in 2023, though they have stayed in contact by phone.

Putin’s China visit runs from August 31 to September 3 and includes talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and attendance at a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. He is also scheduled to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and potentially North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

India remains a key partner for Russia, especially as a major buyer of Russian oil, though Moscow’s closer alignment with China has added complexity to the relationship.

Modi has avoided condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine while calling for a peaceful settlement.

 

Russian Naval Drone Attack on Ukrainian Ship Kills Two, Others Missing

Ukraine’s Navy confirmed Friday that a Russian strike on the reconnaissance ship Simferopol killed two servicemen, wounded others, and left several missing.

Russia said it sank the vessel in the Danube delta using a naval drone, releasing footage of the explosion.

Ukraine rarely acknowledges ship losses, making the admission unusual.

Naval drones have been central to Ukraine’s strategy since Russia’s 2022 invasion, forcing Moscow to move much of its fleet from the western Black Sea. Russia’s use of the technology is more recent, marking one of its first reported successful attacks.

The strike comes as Kyiv continues to secure an export corridor along its southern coast for agricultural shipments.

 

France and Germany Pledge More Air Defense for Ukraine After Deadly Russian Strikes

France and Germany announced Friday they will supply additional air-defense systems to Ukraine following recent Russian missile and drone attacks, including a strike on Kyiv that killed 23 people and wounded about 50.

The pledge came during German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s visit with French President Emmanuel Macron in southern France.

In a joint statement, the two countries said Russia shows no sign of ending its war despite diplomatic efforts.

They also agreed to launch a “strategic dialogue” on nuclear deterrence to strengthen coordination on security and defense policy, underscoring that nuclear deterrence remains a cornerstone of NATO security.

 

Indonesian Parliament Buildings Torched as Protests Over Lawmakers’ Allowances Turn Deadly

At least three people were killed and five injured after protesters set fire to the provincial parliament building in Makassar, South Sulawesi, late Friday.

Similar unrest spread across Indonesia, with another parliament set ablaze in Bandung and protesters storming a police headquarters in Surabaya.

The demonstrations, which began in Jakarta on Monday, were triggered by outrage over lawmakers receiving monthly housing allowances of 50 million rupiah ($3,075), nearly 10 times the capital’s minimum wage.

Anger escalated after the death of 21-year-old ride-hailing driver Affan Kurniawan, who was struck and killed by a police armored vehicle during a rally in Jakarta.

The incident fueled nationwide protests, with clashes reported in multiple cities.

Authorities said nearly 1,000 protesters were arrested in Jakarta, while 25 police officers were hospitalized. Amnesty International condemned the government for suppressing free speech and urged the release of those detained.

Seven police officers linked to Kurniawan’s death have been detained and questioned.

 

India and Japan Pledge Stronger Economic, Defense, and Technology Cooperation

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba agreed Friday in Tokyo to deepen bilateral ties across economic, defense, energy, and technology sectors.

Japan committed to boosting private investment in India to $6.8 billion annually over the next decade, up from about $2.7 billion in the 2010s.

The leaders also set a goal of facilitating half a million worker and student exchanges in five years, linking Japan’s advanced technology with India’s young workforce. They signed 11 agreements and released a 10-year joint vision covering security, clean energy, space, and innovation, reaffirming cooperation under the Quad framework with the US and Australia to counter China’s influence.

Without naming China, they expressed concern over tensions in the East and South China Seas and opposition to unilateral changes to the status quo.

Modi will also tour Japan’s semiconductor industry before continuing his Asia trip, while Ishiba seeks to strengthen his political standing after election setbacks.

 

Sources: News Agencies