🇺🇸❌🇻🇪💊 — US deploys warships near Venezuela to combat drug threats, sources say to Reuters

➡️ Three U.S. Aegis guided-missile destroyers will arrive off the coast of Venezuela in the next 36 hours as part of an effort to address threats from Latin American drug cartels, two sources briefed on the matter said on Monday.

➡️President Donald Trump has wanted to use the military to go after Latin American drug gangs that have been designated as global terrorist organizations.

📝 The sources said the ships are the USS Gravely, USS Jason Dunham and the USS Sampson.

🇺🇸❌🇻🇪💊 — A separate U.S. official told Reuters that in total, about 4,000 sailors and Marines are expected to be committed to the Trump administration's efforts in the southern Caribbean region.

🇺🇸❌🇻🇪💊 — That U.S. official, who was speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the additional commitment of military assets in the broader region would include several P-8 spy planes, warships and at least one attack submarine.

🇺🇸❌🇻🇪💊 — US official said to Reuters the process would be ongoing for several months and the plan was for them to operate in international airspace and international waters.

🇺🇸❌🇻🇪💊 ❗️ — The US naval assets can be used to not just carry out intelligence and surveillance operations, but also as a launching pad for targeted strikes if a decision is made, the official added to Reuters

🌐🇷🇺🇺🇦Weapons supplies from the USA to Ukraine will continue through NATO countries, said NATO Secretary General Rutte.

🇺🇸🇪🇺🇺🇦🇷🇺❗️The question of the possibility of sending European and American troops to Ukraine "was not discussed at all" during meetings with Trump at the White House — NATO Secretary General Rutte

🇺🇸🇺🇦🇷🇺 — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Fox News:

The only leader in the world that can talk to both [Putin and Zelensky] and bring them both to a meeting is Donald J. Trump.

We should be proud that we have a President that's made peace a priority.

@TabZLIVE

🪖🤝🇺🇸 — NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte:

"Without President Trump, this deadlock with Putin would not have been broken. He is the only one who could do this."

🔗 Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47)

🇺🇸🕊🇺🇦🇷🇺 — US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio:

"The whole thing was a big moment — unprecedented ... After three years of deadlock and no talks and no change in circumstances, this is the first time where there seems to be some movement."

🔗 Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47)

🇺🇸🕊🇺🇦🇷🇺 — US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio:

"The only leader in the world that can talk to both [Putin and Zelensky] and bring them both to a meeting is Donald J. Trump,

We should be proud that we have a President that's made peace a priority."

🔗 Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47)

🇺🇸🤝🇪🇺 — US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on securing a lasting peace in Europe:

“We will work with our European allies and non-European countries, by the way, to build such a security guarantee.

We’re working on that right now… that will be something that will have to be in place after a peace deal.”

🔗 Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47)

🇷🇺🔫🌐 NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in June: “Russia produces as much ammunition in three months as NATO produces in a full year.”

The Economist: “At current rates of procurement it will take seven years to bring America’s ammunition stocks back to where they were before military aid to Ukraine began.”

🔗 Lucas Tomlinson