25.08.2025 – WEEKLY BRIEFING

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  • Dutch foreign minister resigns after failing to secure sanctions against Israel – 23.08.2025

Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp resigned after failing to secure coalition backing for sanctions against Israel over its planned offensive in Gaza, stating he could no longer pursue the policies he deemed necessary. His resignation prompted other members of his New Social Contract party to step down, deepening the political crisis in the already weakened caretaker government that has been in place since the coalition collapse in June. Veldkamp had proposed banning imports from Israeli settlements, while opposition lawmakers accused the government of inaction as famine and humanitarian concerns in Gaza continued to grow.

  • Japan’s Ishiba, South Korea’s Lee agree closer cooperation before Lee meets Trump – 23.08.2025

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung met in Tokyo to strengthen security and economic ties ahead of Lee’s upcoming summit with U.S. President Donald Trump. The two leaders agreed to resume shuttle diplomacy, expand exchanges, and cooperate on defense, artificial intelligence, and economic security, while pledging closer coordination against North Korea’s nuclear program. Although relations remain strained by historical disputes and recent tensions over visits to a controversial war shrine, both sides emphasized the importance of trilateral cooperation with the United States to address regional challenges, including China’s influence. Lee and Trump are expected to discuss security issues and Seoul’s financial contribution to U.S. forces, as well as trade matters, with Japan and South Korea having agreed to 15% tariffs on U.S. imports following earlier threats of higher duties.

  • Israeli forces kill 4 more aid seekers as northern Gaza braces for looming offensive – 24.08.2025

Israeli forces reportedly opened fire on a crowd seeking food aid in a military zone south of Gaza City, killing four Palestinians, adding to the growing number of civilians killed while trying to access humanitarian assistance amid worsening hunger and crisis. Gaza’s Health Ministry stated that more than 62,000 people have been killed since the war began, including 289 who died from malnutrition, while the United Nations and international organizations warned that famine has already begun in Gaza City and could soon spread south. Israel denies claims of widespread hunger and continues preparations for a major military operation in the north, where heavy bombardments, repeated displacement, and widespread destruction are severely impacting civilians.

  • North Korea test-fires 2 new missiles amid US-South Korea military drills, state media says – 24.08.2025

North Korea announced that leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the test-firing of two newly developed missiles designed to counter aerial threats such as drones and cruise missiles, coinciding with ongoing U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises known as “Ulchi Freedom Shield 25.” State media described the missiles as improved versions with unique technology but provided limited details, while also publishing images of the launches and Kim meeting military officials. North Korean officials criticized the joint drills as destabilizing and escalatory, warning they risk igniting war, whereas the United States and South Korea framed the exercises as a demonstration of their defense commitment.

  • Ukraine and Russia trade drone strikes on Kyiv’s independence day – 24.08.2025

Ukraine’s 34th Independence Day was marked by mutual drone strikes, with Russia launching over 70 Shahed drones that hit multiple regions and caused casualties, while Ukraine struck targets inside Russia, including the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant and a major fuel terminal in Ust-Luga. The International Atomic Energy Agency urged restraint after the nuclear facility strike, though radiation levels remained normal. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky used the occasion to emphasize the country’s resilience and sovereignty, as Ukrainian forces raised flags in occupied Kherson towns. Western allies expressed support through symbolic gestures and new military aid, including a joint German-Norwegian delivery of Patriot air defense systems worth €650 million.

  • National Guard troops in Washington, DC, begin carrying weapons – 24.08.2025

National Guard members deployed to Washington, DC, began carrying firearms following a directive from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as part of President Donald Trump’s anti-crime initiative, marking a shift in Pentagon policy. Around 1,900 troops from several Republican-led states were sent to support the DC National Guard, with some seen carrying long guns in public areas. The move comes amid Trump’s broader efforts to address crime in the capital, including a federal takeover of the city’s police department, though overall crime has declined compared to 2024. Government data showed a moderate drop in reported crime since the changes but a sharp increase in arrests of immigrants.

  • France summons US ambassador over ‘unacceptable’ letter about antisemitism – 25.08.2025

France summoned U.S. Ambassador Charles Kushner after he sent a letter to President Emmanuel Macron accusing France of not doing enough to combat antisemitism, allegations the French foreign ministry rejected as unacceptable and an interference in domestic affairs. The ministry said French authorities are fully mobilized against antisemitic acts since the October 2023 Hamas attack, while the U.S. State Department defended Kushner’s remarks. The dispute adds to existing tensions in French-U.S. relations over trade, peacekeeping in Lebanon, and differing approaches to Ukraine, though recent meetings between Trump and European leaders have sought to ease divisions.

  • South Korea tells China it wants to normalise ties, upgrade economic relations – 25.08.2025

South Korea sent a special delegation led by former parliament speaker Park Byeong-seug to Beijing, where he met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and conveyed President Lee Jae Myung’s message expressing hope to normalize relations strained in recent years. Park delivered a letter from Lee to President Xi Jinping and invited him to the upcoming APEC summit, while both sides agreed to strengthen economic and supply chain cooperation. Wang welcomed the outreach, stressing the importance of managing sensitivities and fostering stable ties, as Seoul seeks to balance its strategic partnership with China alongside its alliance with the United States.

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