Germany "turns around" following France, Russia issues warning of "playing with fire"; Trump faces historic verdict

The possibility of Ukraine being allowed to use Western weapons to attack military targets in Russia, Trump and the 2024 US presidential election, the situation on the Korean Peninsula and the Gaza Strip... are some of the prominent international events of the past 24 hours.

French President Emmanuel Macron (right) and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz meet on May 28 in Meseberg, eastern Germany. (Source: DPA)

Europe

* France and Germany have agreed to allow Ukraine to use Western weapons to attack military targets in Russia, but only in locations that Moscow uses to fire missiles towards the Eastern European country.

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz made the announcement at a joint press conference, emphasizing that Ukraine must not attack other locations.

Macron said the decision would not escalate the current conflict in Ukraine.

Chancellor Scholz's move marks a shift in stance, as just days earlier, the leader had asserted there were no plans to allow Kyiv to attack military targets on Russian territory with weapons supplied by Germany.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has also been repeatedly calling in recent days for the lifting of restrictions on Ukraine's use of Western weapons to attack military targets on Russian territory.

However, the White House ruled out such a possibility for US-supplied weapons, stating: “There has been no change in our policy at this time. We do not encourage or authorize the use of US-supplied weapons to attack inside Russia.” (AFP)

* Russia warns NATO is "playing with fire": Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that NATO member states are "playing with fire" if they allow Ukraine to use weapons supplied by the West to attack deep into Russian territory, potentially causing "serious consequences".

Noting that Europe "should be aware of what game they are playing," Putin added that even if Ukraine carried out attacks, Moscow would hold Western arms suppliers responsible.

Regarding the West sending military trainers to Ukraine, the Russian President stressed that any move to send official troops would be another "escalation" and "another step toward a serious conflict in Europe and a global conflict." (The Sun)

Belarus has officially suspended the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) after President Alexander Lukashenko signed it into law.

The law, passed by the Belarusian lower house on April 17 and the upper house on May 6, states that the suspension is intended to safeguard Belarus's national interests and is in response to similar decisions by NATO members. (TASS)

* The EU and Norway signed a new Security and Defence Partnership agreement, encompassing existing areas of cooperation such as continued joint support for Ukraine; Oslo's participation in missions and activities within the framework of the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), as well as its involvement in EU defence initiatives.

Furthermore, the agreement promotes practical cooperation in areas such as maritime security, cybersecurity, combating foreign manipulation and interference, including disinformation, and provides new consultations on peaceful reconciliation.

The partnership also identifies new opportunities for joint action, for example, regarding the resilience of critical infrastructure and the protection of underwater infrastructure, as well as promoting cooperation on the ground between EU Delegations and the Norwegian Embassy. (EEAS)

Poland will re-establish a 200-meter buffer zone on its border with Belarus early next week, according to Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

This border area has become a hotspot since migrants began flocking there in 2021. In recent weeks, the number of migrants attempting to cross illegally has increased, and Polish border guards have recorded several incidents of violence.

Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said that Poland is ready to increase its troop presence on the border with Belarus, currently at 5,500 soldiers. In addition, Poland plans to spend 10 billion Zlotys (US$2.55 billion) to strengthen border security with Belarus. (TASS)

Asia-Pacific

* South Korea and the UAE sign the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEAP) : On May 29, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol held a summit meeting with his UAE counterpart Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who was visiting Seoul.

The leaders of the two countries discussed cooperation options in four areas: conventional and clean energy; nuclear energy; economy and investment; and defense and defense technology.

During this summit, the two sides signed the CEAP Agreement to establish a foundation for strengthening economic partnership between the two countries across all sectors, including trade liberalization and investment expansion. The UAE is the first Arab country with which South Korea has signed this agreement.

Following the summit, the presidents of the two countries attended the signing ceremony for a total of 19 agreements, memoranda of understanding, and letters of intent for cooperation. (KBS)

* US and South Korean air forces conduct live-fire exercises in the Yellow Sea. From May 27-30, this exercise was led by the Air Combat Command of the South Korean Air Force, involving approximately 90 aircraft.

The exercise was pre-planned, focusing on establishing readiness to respond to enemy provocations, and enhancing the pilots' weapon operation and target engagement capabilities.

Air-to-air missiles such as the AIM-9X and AIM-120B, and air-to-ground bombs and missiles such as the GBU-31 and AGM-65G, successfully hit the simulated target. (Yonhap)

* Tensions between North and South Korea escalate over leaflet distribution: On May 29, military sources revealed that the South Korean military had detected more than 150 balloons believed to have been released by North Korea across the border between the two countries.

The move comes after North Korea warned of "tit-for-tat" action over the dropping of leaflets by South Korean activists aimed at spreading anti-Pyongyang propaganda.

Sources say some balloons fell to the ground, but they weren't carrying leaflets; instead, they were filled with trash and other waste. South Korean military and police are currently collecting these balloons. (Yonhap)

* Indonesia plans to hold the 5th Komodo Multilateral Exercise (MNEK), scheduled to take place in Bali next February. The Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) has invited navies from 56 countries to participate in the exercise, which aims to practice humanitarian assistance for disaster relief.

Affirming that all countries, including those with ongoing conflicts, are eligible to be invited, Navy Colonel Lukman Kharish said: “We hope this exercise can bring countries together and we want to show them that this exercise is feasible and highly valuable for the navy.”

Thirty countries have now confirmed their participation in the exercise. (Antara News)

China and Japan have agreed to resume talks between their ruling parties for the first time in six years, according to a source from Japan's coalition government on May 29.

Accordingly, Motegi Toshimitsu, Secretary-General of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), reached an agreement with Liu Jianchao, Head of the International Liaison Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, on the matter during the Chinese official's visit to Tokyo.

However, details on how and when the negotiations will begin are not yet finalized. (Reuters)

Middle East-Africa

* Fighting in Gaza will last at least another seven months , according to Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi on May 29.

Mr. Hanegbi also stated that the Israeli army controls 75% of the Philadelphia Corridor, which runs along the Gaza Strip and Egypt border. (12TV)

Israel has not yet crossed the "red line" following the Rafah airstrike that killed 45 people, prompting the US to change its policy on aid to this Middle Eastern ally, according to a White House statement.

However, Washington is "actively engaging" with officials in Israel to determine exactly what happened in Rafah, while also requesting its close ally to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the incident.

US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the Israeli Defense Forces have promised to conduct a swift investigation into the airstrike. (The Guardian)

* Aid shipments via the US dock have been temporarily suspended after a section of the dock broke off, possibly due to bad weather.

According to Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh, the pier broke on May 28 and will be towed to the port of Ashdod in Israel for repairs. The repairs are expected to take more than a week, after which the pier will be returned to its original location off the coast of Gaza.

Earlier that day, several unnamed U.S. officials said the pier collapse may have been caused by bad weather.

According to a spokesperson for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), since the pier became operational, it has served 137 truckloads of aid, equivalent to 900 tons, for Gaza.

Meanwhile, the transport of humanitarian aid into Gaza by land is also facing difficulties. Palestinian Health Minister Majed Abu Ramadan said there were no signs from Israel that the Rafah crossing would be reopened anytime soon. (Daily Sabah)

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has formed a new government, ending months of political deadlock. The new cabinet comprises 54 ministers, fewer than the 57 in the previous government. (Reuters)

* The US and Sudan discussed ending the conflict in the East African nation during a phone call between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

The two sides also discussed measures aimed at “allowing unimpeded humanitarian access to alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people,” resuming peace talks and protecting civilians, as well as de-escalating hostilities in al-Fashir, the capital of North Darfur state. (Reuters)

America

Donald Trump faces a crucial moment in the 2024 US presidential election race, as on May 29 (local time), the 12 jury members in the New York criminal trial – which is hearing him on 34 charges – will deliver their final verdict.

If Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, is found guilty of any of the 34 charges, it risks upsetting a presidential election that has so far largely favored him.

In a Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll earlier this year, 53% of voters in key battleground states said they would not vote for Trump if the former president were convicted.

If convicted, the judge could place Trump on probation or sentence him to up to four years in state prison for each count, with a maximum of 20 years. (AP)

* Argentina and Chile discussed strengthening strategic relations during talks between the foreign ministers Diana Mondino (Argentina) and Alberto van Klaveren (Chile).

The foreign ministers agreed to implement concrete measures to address outstanding issues in improving operations at border crossings between the two countries.

Furthermore, both sides emphasized the importance of completing infrastructure projects to advance the "Pacific-Atlantic Corridor" project within the planned timeframe, enabling enhanced integration and connectivity between economic centers in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay.

Venezuela has withdrawn its invitation to the EU to monitor the presidential election scheduled for July in the South American country. Venezuela accuses the EU of "interference."

The move comes after the EU eased sanctions against the head of Venezuela's electoral council, while Caracas demanded the complete lifting of sanctions against him. (AFP)

* The Haitian Transitional Council appointed the interim prime minister . Garry Conille previously held the position of head of government in Haiti for a brief period of just over a decade.

Notably, Haiti's new interim Prime Minister has more than two decades of experience working in the development sector, primarily with international non-governmental organizations and the United Nations. Since January 2023, Mr. Conille has served as the Regional Director of UNICEF for Latin America and the Caribbean. (Reuters)

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