Evening Brief: Trump Backs Full Ukraine Restoration, Israeli Strike Levels Gaza Aid Facility, Iran Supreme Leader Rejects US Nuclear Talks

· Guy D. McCardle

Medical facility in Gaza in ruins after an Israeli airstrike. (Image grab via X)

Evening rundown for Tuesday, September 23, 2025.

 

Trump Backs Ukraine’s Full Territorial Restoration in Shift from Earlier Concessions

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Ukraine can win back all territory lost to Russia, reversing earlier calls for Kyiv to make concessions.

The statement followed his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the United Nations General Assembly.

Trump wrote on social media that with NATO and European Union support, restoring Ukraine’s original borders is possible, though he did not announce new US sanctions or arms sales.

Zelenskyy thanked Trump for his support and urged stronger action against Russia’s energy exports.

The war continues with heavy civilian tolls in Ukraine, while Russia intensifies strikes and faces calls for deeper sanctions.

NATO allies will also consult after Russian jets entered Estonian airspace last week.

 

Man Convicted of Trump Assassination Attempt Tries to Stab Himself in Court

Ryan Routh, 59, was found guilty Tuesday of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump and multiple firearms charges after a jury deliberated for two hours.

Moments after the verdict, Routh tried to stab himself in the neck with a pen before officers subdued him.

He now faces life in prison, with sentencing set for December 18.

Prosecutors said Routh spent weeks plotting to kill Trump before being stopped by a Secret Service agent at Trump’s Florida golf club in September 2024. Trump praised the handling of the case, saying justice was served.

Routh, who represented himself at trial, argued he never fired his weapon and did not intend to kill anyone.

 

Trump Blasts UN, Warns Europe on Migration and Energy, Backs Ukraine’s Full Territorial Recovery

President Donald Trump criticized the United Nations as ineffective during his address to the General Assembly, praising his administration’s foreign policy while warning Europe against migration and green energy policies he called a “double-tailed monster.”

He said the UN had “tremendous potential” but failed to solve wars, later assuring Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of US support.

Trump also announced a major shift on Ukraine, saying Kyiv could retake all lost territory with NATO support, after meeting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He rejected international recognition of a Palestinian state, arguing it would reward Hamas, and discussed Gaza with regional leaders.

Trump also highlighted his strikes on Iran and Venezuela, mocked UN facilities for technical mishaps, and repeated calls for a Nobel Peace Prize, claiming his administration ended several global conflicts.

 

US Plans Military Storage Facility at Subic Bay by 2026 Amid Rising Tensions

The US Navy plans to lease a 25,000-square-meter storage and maintenance facility at the former Subic Bay naval base in the Philippines, with operations expected to begin by September 2026.

Documents show the site will house vehicles and equipment but not munitions, supporting up to 60 personnel.

The move marks one of Washington’s most significant returns to Subic since US bases closed in the 1990s and comes as US-Philippine defense cooperation expands with hundreds of planned activities in 2026.

Subic Bay has regained strategic importance amid heightened tensions in the South China Sea and Luzon Strait, and Manila has boosted its own modernization efforts in the area.

 

Israeli Strike Destroys Gaza Medical Charity’s Main Center as Border Crossing Closes

The Palestinian Medical Relief Society said Tuesday that an Israeli strike destroyed its six-story main center in Gaza City, which provided blood services, trauma care, cancer treatment and chronic disease care.

The World Health Organization condemned the attack, calling for an end to strikes on health facilities.

Israel did not immediately comment but has accused Hamas of using hospitals for military purposes.

The charity reported two other centers damaged or destroyed, while Gaza’s Health Ministry said more hospitals have shut down due to military operations.

Separately, Israel closed the Allenby Bridge Crossing between the West Bank and Jordan after an attack that killed two Israelis. The closure halts the only non-Israeli-controlled crossing for Palestinians and a key humanitarian aid route for Gaza.

The offensive in Gaza City has displaced hundreds of thousands, while United Nations agencies warn that famine conditions are worsening.

 

UN Chief Warns of ‘Age of Reckless Disruption’ as Gaza War and Global Crises Dominate Assembly

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres opened the General Assembly’s annual debate Tuesday with a stark warning that peace, law, and cooperation are under threat in an “age of reckless disruption.”

He urged leaders to choose peace and condemned Israel’s war in Gaza as collective punishment of Palestinians, calling for compliance with International Court of Justice measures.

Guterres also decried aid cuts as a “death sentence” amid the UN’s financial struggles.

US President Donald Trump criticized the UN as ineffective while reiterating his “America First” stance.

With world leaders including Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, France’s Emmanuel Macron, and South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa addressing the gathering, the war in Gaza and global calls for a Palestinian state dominated the opening day alongside wider concerns over poverty, conflict, and climate change.

 

Khamenei Rejects US Nuclear Talks as Iran Faces Imminent UN Sanctions

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday ruled out direct negotiations with the United States over Tehran’s nuclear program, calling talks a “dead end” and rejecting US demands to halt enrichment.

His remarks, aired on state TV, likely block any outreach by President Masoud Pezeshkian, who is in New York for the UN General Assembly.

European powers urged Iran to resume US talks and allow full access for UN inspectors ahead of Sunday’s deadline, when sanctions suspended under the 2015 nuclear deal are set to “snapback.”

The measures would freeze Iranian assets, halt arms deals, and penalize missile development.

Khamenei said Iran does not seek nuclear weapons but vowed its scientific knowledge could not be destroyed by attacks. U.S. President Donald Trump told the U.N. the U.S. remains committed to containing nuclear threats, starting with Iran.

 

Ukraine Targets Russian Oil Facilities in Bryansk and Samara, Hits Crimea Airfield

Ukraine struck two Russian oil distribution facilities overnight in the Bryansk and Samara regions, damaging pipeline stations linked to export routes and military supplies, Kyiv’s general staff said Tuesday.

The Samara site feeds Russia’s Urals crude exports via Novorossiisk and the Druzhba pipeline, while the Bryansk station supports army logistics. Transneft had previously warned producers of possible output cuts due to repeated Ukrainian drone attacks on energy infrastructure.

Russia’s defense ministry said its forces downed Ukrainian drones in both regions but gave no details on damage. Kyiv also reported hitting a military airfield in occupied Crimea, damaging two aircraft. The extent of disruption to Russian exports remains unclear.

 

Germany Pushes to Expand Military With Higher Spending and Recruitment Drive

Germany is seeking to expand its armed forces from about 180,000 to 260,000 personnel over the next decade, alongside doubling its reservists, as part of efforts to revitalize the Bundeswehr after years of underfunding.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said Germany must field NATO’s strongest conventional army in Europe, supported by new equipment purchases including F-35 jets and Leopard 2 tanks.

A special 100 billion-euro ($117 billion) modernization fund is being used to address shortages and poor infrastructure.

To boost recruitment, Berlin has introduced better pay, short-term service options, and youth outreach campaigns, while preparing for possible compulsory service if voluntary enlistment falls short.

The push reflects growing concern over Russia’s threat and a shift in public perception of the military’s role in national defense.

 

South Korea’s Lee Proposes Phased Approach to North Korea Tensions at UN

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung told the UN General Assembly on Tuesday that he aims to end the “vicious cycle” of military tensions with North Korea through a phased plan focused on peaceful coexistence and gradual trust-building.

Lee said denuclearization cannot be achieved quickly but pledged to reduce tensions by halting propaganda activities and expanding inter-Korean exchanges.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has rejected phased solutions, saying he will not abandon nuclear weapons in exchange for sanctions relief, though he noted he is open to talks with Washington if US demands change.

Kim also recalled positive ties with US President Donald Trump, who has expressed interest in meeting him again, but Trump did not mention North Korea in his United Nations address.

 

Sources: News Agencies