The development of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the situation surrounding the Kakhovka dam failure, the US Vice President's statement regarding the Israeli judiciary, China's reaction to the news that the US Secretary of State is about to visit Beijing... are some of the outstanding international events.
 |
| Flooding scene in Kherson, Ukraine, on June 7, after the Kakhovka dam burst. (Source: AP) |
Newspaper World & Vietnam Highlights of some outstanding international news of the day:
Russia-Ukraine
* Russia needs to launch a counterattack against Ukraine when Kiev seems to have taken similar action, according to Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev on June 7.
Posted on Telegram"The enemy has long promised a big counter-attack," Medvedev said. And it seems that Ukraine has started something. We have to stop the enemy and then launch an attack.” (Reuters)
* Russia wants to investigate, Ukraine wants to sue the Kakhovka dam failure: On June 7, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the Kakhovka dam failure should become the subject of a worldwide study and investigation.
Referring to the reaction from the West when blaming Russia for the incident and condemning, the Russian diplomat said: “Their reaction in any such situation is 100% predictable. It is an endless desire to blame Russia for everything that happens, regardless of whether it really happened or is just a fantasy.”
While, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the country plans to sue Russia to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague over the Kakhovka dam failure when the two sides accuse each other of causing the incident.
So far, Ukraine's Emergencies Service says it has rescued "more than 1.450 people" on the side of the Dnipro river controlled by the country, while Russia-appointed official Tatyana Kuzmich said 1.274 people have been evacuated on the other side.
* China is deeply concerned about the destruction of the dam in Ukraine, worried that the incident would “affect human life, economy and ecology”.
“The destruction of one of the largest water reservoirs in Ukraine was completely intentional… Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to go without drinking water,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin.
Earlier, China's Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Zhang Jun called on all sides to exercise maximum restraint in both words and actions that could further escalate the situation after the explosion that destroyed the Kakhovka dam, warning that, in the event of a nuclear disaster, no one can be immune.
The UN describes it as "another devastating humanitarian, economic and ecological consequence" of the conflict, with at least 16.000 people displaced - a safe and clean water supply that threatens to affect thousands more. (AFP)
* Ukraine may have to adjust its counter-attack plan: On June 6, Ukrainian sources said that in Kiev, a meeting was held to discuss changing the form of counter-attack due to new developments from the explosion of the Kakhovka reservoir dam.
This is mainly related to the purpose of capturing the nuclear power plant (NPP) Zaporizhzhia in the counterattack. The control of the Zaporizhzhia NPP plays a big role in the VSU counter-offensive, Ukraine will allow to make claims with Russia.
To capture the plant, VSU will conduct an amphibious and cross-Dnieper operation, both underwater using diving equipment, but the rapidly drying Kakhovka reservoir makes such an operation impossible.
However, on the same day, Ukrainian President Zelensky stressed that the explosion of the dam "does not affect the ability of Ukraine to liberate territories".
The Ukrainian leader said that he had talked with top military commanders of Ukraine and that the country's army was in the highest state of combat readiness. (AFP)
* Group B9 stated the conditions leading to peace for Ukraine: On June 6, the leaders of nine Central-Eastern European and Baltic states, Czech, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, met for the Bucharest 6 (B9) summit in Bratislava (Slovakia).
The conference issued a joint statement affirming: "Ukraine's independence and territorial integrity are the only path to peace."
The heads of state of the B9 group all stressed "firm support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity along internationally recognized borders", considering it "the only way to restore peace and rules-based order in Europe", and demanded Russia's "unconditional withdrawal". (The Budapest Times)
| RELATED NEWS | |
 |
Kakhovka Dam Break: Floodwaters in Nova Kakhovka recede, revealing the number of missing people |
Châu Âu
* Time to negotiate a grain export agreement through the Black Sea will be June 9, taking place in Geneva (Switzerland), according to the news agency RIA of Russia on June 7.
RIA The UN's top trade official, Rebeca Grynspan, is expected to participate in the talks, said the official. The original agreement was valid for 120 days, until November 11, it was extended for another 2022 days. On March 120, Russia agreed to extend the agreement by 13 days, until May 3.
After negotiations between the Russian, Turkish, Ukrainian and UN delegations in Istanbul, on May 17, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the agreement had been extended by two months, starting from May 5. (Reuters)
* The culprit of the Nord Stream pipeline explosion: March 6, The Washington Post According to leaked online information, three months before the Nord Stream gas pipeline was bombed, the US had intelligence about the detailed plan that a group of 3 people from the Ukrainian special forces intended to do this.
On June 7, the Russian Embassy in the United States said that the above information was part of a coordinated effort by the West led by Washington to "weave different theories and versions" to confuse the world about the truth.
| RELATED NEWS | |
|
Northern Stream Incident: CIA named only 6 Ukrainians, the US has known about this for a long time? |
Asia
* The US Vice President made Israel unhappy: On June 6, US Vice President Kamala Harris reiterated his call for Israel to ensure the independence of the judiciary, following massive protests against changes pushed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"Our two countries' values are built on solid institutions, checks and balances, and an independent judiciary... Today, under the leadership of President Biden, the United States has an unbreakable bond with the State of Israel," she said.
In addition, the US Vice President affirmed that Washington will continue to uphold the values that are the foundation of the US-Israel relationship, "including continuing to strengthen our democracy".
In response to the above statement, on June 7, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said that Harris had not even read the Israeli Judicial Reform Bill, and said: "If you ask her what she disapproves of in the reform, she won't be able to name a single provision." (AFP, Times of Israel)
* Israel threatens Hezbollah, warns to cut ties with UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: On June 6, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant threatened to bomb to bring Hezbollah back to the "stone age" if the armed movement "makes mistakes" and "starts a war against the Jewish State".
Referring to the many new weapons of Hezbollah, the Israeli official said: "For such developments, we have an even stronger response from the air, at sea and on land, as well as through other offensive and defensive means."
The head of Israel's defense ministry also affirmed: "Our military is excellent... We will know how to protect the people of Israel by delivering a decisive blow to our enemies."
On the same day, Israel's Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan said that Israel could cut ties with the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) if the Jewish state was blacklisted for its treatment of Palestinian children. (Times of Israel)
* US Secretary of State is about to visit, China declined to comment: March 6, Bloomberg US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Beijing to meet top Chinese officials and possibly even meet President Xi Jinping, sources said.
On June 7, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin neither confirmed nor denied the news, stating: "I don't have any information to share with you on this matter."
Secretary of State Blinken was originally scheduled to visit Beijing in February, but the trip was canceled after the Pentagon detected a Chinese hot air balloon flying over US airspace.
* Korea announces National Security Strategy on June 7, consisting of 6 pages in Korean and 107 pages in English, presenting the current administration's policies on foreign and national defense issues, outlining goals to realize the "global important country" vision.
The policies are made in the context of a rapidly changing security environment, characterized by North Korea's growing nuclear capacity, increasingly fierce US-China strategic competition, and the emergence of new security issues, such as supply chain instability and global climate change.
The key to ensuring the country's future lies in drafting a national security strategy capable of forecasting changing trends and optimizing the interests of the nation and its people, the president said. (Yonhap)
* Iran officially reopens its embassy in Saudi Arabia on June 6, after 6 years, the two neighboring countries cut ties and faced tension.
At a ceremony in the embassy compound attended by dozens of Iranian officials, the country's Deputy Foreign Minister in charge of Consular Affairs Alireza Bikdeli said: "Today is a great day in the relationship between the two countries...Diplomacy is the best means for countries to communicate and dialogue in order to reach a common understanding." (Reuters)
| RELATED NEWS | |
|
The US-China dialogue freezes, the risk does not exclude anyone |
Americas
* The US tries to mend relations with Saudi Arabia: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Saudi Arabia on June 6 to strengthen ties with a traditional ally in the Gulf, amid Riyadh's tendency to forge ties with Washington's rivals in the region.
Earlier this morning, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had an "open, frank" discussion on a range of bilateral issues, from the possibility of normalizing Saudi Arabia's relations with Israel to issues of Yemen, Sudan and human rights, a US official said.
At the meeting, which lasted nearly two hours, the two sides "agreed on potential initiatives related to common interests and acknowledged areas of disagreement," the US official said.
The two sides also discussed economic cooperation, especially in the fields of technology and clean energy. (Reuters)
| RELATED NEWS | |
|
US-Saudi Arabia: Allies disagree |
Africa
* Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi visits 3 African countries are Angola, Zambia and Mozambique starting June 6 to strengthen relations with these countries as well as promote economic integration at the continental level.
During his visits, President El-Sisi will meet with the leaders of the three countries to discuss the promotion of common African working frameworks as well as to resolve various regional issues and issues of mutual concern.
As expected, in Zambia, Mr. El-Sisi will join the heads of the remaining 20 member countries to attend the 22nd Summit of the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) on June 8. (African Business)
* The opposing sides resume negotiations, the Sudanese army believes in the results: June 6, TV channel Al Arabiya TV The warring factions in Sudan have begun to resume ceasefire talks sponsored by Saudi Arabia and the United States, as clashes continue in the capital Khartoum.
The Saudi-owned TV channel confirmed that the two warring parties in Sudan had agreed to indirect talks, but did not provide details.
The same day, Sudanese Armed Forces Commander Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan reaffirmed his belief that negotiations in Saudi Arabia, under the auspices of the United States, will help achieve lasting peace for the African country.
General Al-Burhan stressed that, for the negotiations to succeed, the opponents need to commit to withdrawing from hospitals, service centers and civilian buildings, as well as evacuating the wounded and opening passages to transport humanitarian aid.
| RELATED NEWS | |
|
African Union outlines roadmap for conflict resolution in Sudan |
Oceania
Prime Minister of Fiji visits New Zealand after 25 years: On June 6, Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka paid an official visit to New Zealand from June 6, after more than a quarter of a century.
At his Fiji counterpart in Wellington on June 7, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins affirmed: "The two countries are bound by a close relationship forged in culture, identity and interests in the Pacific, based on our long history, friendship and mutual respect."
The two leaders exchanged views on many issues important to the two countries and the region, including strengthening regional institutions that have long served the interests of the Pacific region, as well as economic and security issues affecting the region.
Mr. Hipkins also announced an additional NZ$11,1 million ($6,74 million) to help Fiji respond to the impacts of climate change. This additional funding will support Fiji in implementing community-based climate adaptation and mitigation projects.
For his part, the Prime Minister of Fiji said that the visit marked an important milestone in the Wellington-Suva relationship, demonstrating clearly their commitment to enhancing the way the two sides cooperate.
Also according to Rabuka, Fiji and New Zealand are finalizing a defense agreement to strengthen the commitment between the two militaries to make each other stronger. focus on regionalism for peace and Pacific priorities.
