Morning Briefing: Sept. 25, 2025

By Serdar Dincel

ISTANBUL (AA)—Here is a rundown of all the news you need to start your Thursday, including Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirming resolve for Ukraine peace, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arriving in Washington for a meeting with Trump, and a magnitude 6.1 earthquake rattling Venezuela.

TOP STORIES

• Russia’s Lavrov, US Secretary of State Rubio reaffirm resolve for Ukraine peace

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday reaffirmed their resolve to find a peaceful solution to the Ukraine war during talks in New York on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly.

The meeting, held behind closed doors, lasted more than 50 minutes and concluded without opening remarks for the press, according to the Tass news agency.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said the two diplomats “exchanged views on resolving the Ukrainian crisis, building on the understandings reached during the Russian-American summit in Anchorage,” and confirmed their interest in a peaceful settlement.

• Turkish President Erdogan arrives in Washington for meeting with Trump

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday arrived in Washington, DC, for talks with Donald Trump, his US counterpart.

Trump will welcome Erdogan on Thursday at the White House, where they will discuss bilateral relations and regional issues.

Issues such as trade, investment, and the defense industry are expected to be discussed.

• Magnitude 6.1 earthquake rattles Venezuela

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake shook parts of Venezuela late Wednesday and was felt across several Colombian cities, according to the Colombian Geological Service (SGC).

The tremor was centered in the town of Mene Grande, Venezuela, and occurred at 6.21 pm local time (2221GMT).

The earthquake generated alarm among residents in both countries, but so far, no victims or material damage have been reported in the affected areas of Venezuela.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Australia’s prime minister says UN's real worth 'measured in deeds'

• US President Donald Trump will welcome Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House on Thursday.

• Russia warned that artificial intelligence (AI) poses "serious risks" that could impact global stability and exacerbate inequalities between nations.

• The Trump administration announced indictments against more than two dozen high-ranking members of Mexico's Sinaloa drug cartel.

• Malawi’s former President Arthur Peter Mutharika was declared the winner on Wednesday of last week’s presidential elections, easily beating incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera.

• Syria and Ukraine restored diplomatic relations on Wednesday, as Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa held talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly session in New York.

• French President Emmanuel Macron underscored his country’s commitment to meeting its climate goals while speaking at the UN Climate Change Summit in New York, while also calling for accelerated global action to phase out fossil fuels, protect biodiversity, and reform international climate financing.

• Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Vietnamese counterpart Luong Cuong discussed bilateral relations and regional issues at the Turkish House (Turkevi) in New York, the Communications Directorate said.

• The world can count on the European Union’s continued climate leadership, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

ECONOMY & TRADE

• Canada unveils first-ever bilateral trade deal with ASEAN nation

Canada on Wednesday announced a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with Indonesia, marking Ottawa's first bilateral trade agreement with an ASEAN nation.

In this new era, the partners will look not only to the strength of Canada's values but also to the power of its capabilities, said the Canadian Prime Minister's Office in a statement, adding that Ottawa is strengthening its foundations at home, diversifying partnerships abroad, and forging new connections to advance its interests.

"To that end, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, welcomed the President of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, to Ottawa today to announce the new Canada-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA)," it said.