Russian Foreign Minister visits China; Israel denies ceasefire reports.

Putin sets conditions for negotiations with Ukraine, Israel criticizes Colombia's statement… these are some of the notable international news stories of the past 24 hours.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing on October 16. (Source: Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs )

The World & Vietnam newspaper highlights some of the day's most prominent international news.

* Putin sets conditions for negotiations with Ukraine: On October 16, in an interview with China's CCTV , Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized: "The Ukrainian president has issued a decree prohibiting negotiations with us... How can you negotiate if they don't want to, and even if they have issued a document prohibiting these negotiations?"

Furthermore, President Putin stated that the mistakes in Ukraine in 2014 needed to be rectified not through military action, but through democratic procedures, yet the West deployed military action through Kyiv. The leader clarified: “The clashes in Ukraine did not begin with our military action, but much earlier – in 2014, when Western countries, acting as guarantors of agreements between President (Viktor) Yanukovich and the opposition, literally forgot their assurances just days later. They instigated the coup (in Ukraine).”

Regarding China's proposals on Ukraine, the Russian President "appreciates these proposals...they are quite realistic. In any case, they could be the basis for a peace agreement." (Sputnik/Xinhua)

* Russia: Ukrainian Army suffers heavy losses in Kupyansk : On October 16, Sergei Zybinsky, head of the press center of the Western Group of the Russian Armed Forces (VSRF), stated that in the past 24 hours, the Ukrainian Armed Forces (VSU) had lost “2 companies, 1 tank, 2 armored fighting vehicles, 2 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and 2 pickup trucks.” According to the official, the artillery of the Western Group also destroyed one 152 mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled gun during counter-fire.

In addition, he said that in Kupyansk, a squadron of Su-34 fighter-bombers from the Western Group attacked temporary troop deployments and strongholds of units belonging to the 40th, 43rd, and 115th Motorized Brigades. The airstrikes also targeted Ukraine's 95th Air Assault Brigade in the densely populated areas of Golubovka, Kulagovka, Petropavlovka, and Kupyansk-Uzlovoy. (TASS)

* US explains reasons for supporting Ukraine : On October 15, in an interview with CBS (US), President Joe Biden affirmed that one of his goals in Ukraine is to prevent his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin from controlling “an independent country bordering NATO allies and Russia.” He stated: “We want to ensure that those democracies are maintained. And Ukraine plays a crucial role in ensuring that happens.”

On the same day, Finance Minister Janet Yellen may present concrete proposals for exploiting proceeds from Russian fixed assets at meetings with EU finance ministers during her visit to Luxembourg this week. (TASS)

* Israel rejects ceasefire agreement in Gaza : On October 16, a statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated: "There is currently no ceasefire or humanitarian aid in Gaza in exchange for the removal of foreigners."

Earlier, two Egyptian security sources said the U.S., Israel, and Egypt had agreed on a five-hour ceasefire in southern Gaza starting at 6:00 GMT (1:00 PM Vietnam time), along with the reopening of the Rafah crossing to provide humanitarian aid to the area and allow foreigners to leave Gaza. (Reuters)

* Israel evacuates villagers near Lebanese border , reveals number of people held captive by Hamas: On October 16, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced it had activated a plan to evacuate residents of 28 villages within 2 km of the Lebanese border, following clashes with Hezbollah alongside escalating conflict in the Gaza Strip.

One of the villages included in the evacuation plan is Shtula, the target of a Hezbollah missile attack on October 15, which killed one civilian.

In related news, residents of the city of Metulla near the border with Lebanon have been ordered to stay indoors as a precaution against the risk of armed infiltration from across the border. Meanwhile, Israeli officials have not commented on this information.

On the same day, IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that following the October 7 attack, Hamas had returned 199 people to the Gaza Strip, including Israeli citizens and foreigners. He said that rescuing hostages was Israel's top priority. The IDF and other agencies are working to bring these people back. Earlier, Israel announced that 155 hostages were being held by Hamas.

Meanwhile, Rear Admiral Hagari accused Iran of directing Hezbollah to carry out attacks in northern Israel to distract from and reduce the IDF's offensive against the Islamist movement's facilities on the southern front. The official also rejected the ceasefire with Hamas in southern Gaza.

To date, at least 1,400 people have been killed in Hamas attacks on Israel and another 2,750 have died following IDF retaliation in Gaza.

In other developments, on October 16, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths announced he would travel to the Middle East on October 17 to support negotiations on delivering humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. He stated that discussions were underway with Israel, Egypt, and other relevant parties. This process is also receiving enthusiastic support from US Secretary of State Blinken during his visit to countries in the region. (AFP/Reuters)

* Israel protests Colombian President's statements on the Gaza Strip situation : On October 15, on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lior Haiat emphasized: “Today, on the instructions of Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, Ambassador Yonatan Peled, Deputy Director of the Latin America Department of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, summoned Ambassador Manjarez to deliver a protest note concerning the hostile statements against the State of Israel made last week by Colombian President Gustavo Petro.”

According to him, Israel criticized Colombian leaders for supporting Hamas's actions, "inciting anti-Semitism, harming representatives of the State of Israel, and threatening the safety of the Jewish community in Colombia." (Sputnik)

* Fuel at Gaza hospitals is running low : On October 16, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) announced that fuel reserves at all hospitals in the Gaza Strip had only 24 hours left. OCHA wrote: "Shutting down backup generators would put the lives of thousands of patients at risk."

Earlier, on October 15, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) announced that Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip had led to an “unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe” in Palestine. UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini emphasized: “Not a drop of water, not a grain of wheat, not a liter of fuel has been allowed into the Gaza Strip for the past eight days.”

Earlier on October 15, Israeli authorities announced the reopening of water supplies to southern Gaza. (AFP/Reuters)

* Arab League speaks out, marches in Switzerland protest IDF attack on Gaza : On October 16, speaking at a meeting of Arab Justice Ministers in Baghdad (Iraq), Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit called for an immediate end to military operations in the Gaza Strip and the opening of a safe corridor for the delivery of humanitarian aid to the people there.

In a related development, on the same day, the Swiss news agency Keystone-SDA reported that hundreds of people took to the streets in Bern, Switzerland, over the weekend to show solidarity with Palestine. Many participants carried Palestinian flags and banners, chanting slogans expressing support for the Palestinian state.

This event was called for by the Palestinian group Bern. The march was permitted by the authorities in Bern. The march was peaceful, with the presence of security forces to control the situation. (AFP/VNA)

* Egypt and France call for aid to Gaza via Rafah crossing : On October 16, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his French counterpart Catherine Colonna called for humanitarian aid to be provided to the Gaza Strip and for the evacuation of foreign nationals from the territory on the 10th day of the war between Israel and the Hamas Islamic movement. Emphasizing that "those who wish to leave Gaza have that right," Colonna also urged the opening of the crossings.

Egypt controls the Rafah crossing, the only passage into and out of the Gaza Strip not controlled by Israel. A US official told AFP over the weekend that Egypt and Israel had reached an agreement allowing US citizens to leave Gaza via Rafah.

However, speaking to reporters on October 16, Foreign Minister Shoukry said Egypt had “reiterated its request to Israel for permission to transport humanitarian aid through.” He emphasized: “There is nothing new; it is a dangerous issue given the new needs that Palestinians in Gaza are facing.”

By that afternoon, the border crossing remained closed, preventing aid convoys from crossing on one side, while on the other side were Palestinians and some foreigners.

Hamas official Izzat El Reshiq said there was no confirmed information about the reopening of the Rafah border crossing or a temporary ceasefire. (AFP)

* US Senators visit Israel, Secretary of State Blinken makes a surprise return: On October 15, US Senate Majority Leader, Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, led a bipartisan delegation of senators to Israel. The visit aimed to demonstrate strong US support for Israel.

Mr. Schumer met with President Isaac Herzog in Tel Aviv earlier that morning. He is also expected to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Benny Gantz, the two politicians who recently formed a unity government.

A spokesperson for the senator said he would discuss with Israel how Washington could support Israel on all fronts. Senator Schumer, 72, is the highest-ranking Jewish person in the U.S. government ever and the first Jewish person to hold the Senate majority leader position.

Earlier, Schumer cut short his trip to Asia to return to the US to help respond to the crisis in the Middle East. During his trip, he maintained contact with Israeli officials and leaders from the US Embassy in Beijing. The US Congress is currently awaiting a request from the White House for additional funding to support Israel.

In related news, an AFP reporter accompanying Foreign Minister Antony Blinken confirmed that after a visit to six Arab countries, he returned to Israel on October 16 to discuss the conflict with Hamas. Accordingly, the plane carrying Foreign Minister Antony Blinken, who arrived in Israel on October 12 for a visit demonstrating US solidarity with the Jewish state, landed in Tel Aviv. He is expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. (AFP/Reuters)

* German Chancellor to visit Israel : On October 16th, NTV (Germany) reported, citing government sources, that Chancellor Olaf Scholz will visit Israel on October 17th to show solidarity with Israel following the surprise Hamas attack last weekend.

A spokesperson for the German government has not commented on this trip.

Last week, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock visited Israel. Following her visit to the Jewish state, she traveled to Egypt, amidst efforts by Western nations to prevent escalating conflict in the Middle East. (NTV)

* Russian and Turkish Foreign Ministers Discuss Israel-Hamas Conflict : On October 16, a source from the Turkish Foreign Ministry said that Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed the situation in Israel and the Gaza Strip with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. However, the source did not provide further details.

Earlier, Turkey declared its readiness to play a mediating role in the conflict and had contacted Hamas about the release of civilians held hostage by the group. Ankara sent humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, but the shipment is currently held in Egypt due to border closures. (Reuters)

Russia-China

* Russian and Chinese Foreign Ministers Discuss Bilateral Relations : On October 16, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Beijing. The talks took place ahead of the 3rd Belt and Road International Cooperation Forum, held from October 17-18 in Beijing.

Mr. Wang said that China appreciates Russian President Vladimir Putin's regard and support for the initiative, and welcomes Moscow's continued active participation to contribute further to promoting common development and prosperity.

For his part, Sergei Lavrov stated that the two countries have maintained good momentum in developing bilateral relations. Russia hopes to maintain close strategic contact with China and strengthen practical cooperation in all areas. Lavrov noted that President Putin is very much looking forward to meeting President Xi Jinping in China and participating in the forum, expressing confidence in the success of the event.

In addition, the two sides have conducted strategic coordination related to efforts to enhance cooperation within the framework of the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the BRICS group, and other multilateral frameworks. (Reuters/Xinhua)

South Asia

* India and China agree to refrain from provocative actions in Ladakh : On October 16, Indian Defense News reported that in the 20th round of talks, India and China agreed to refrain from any provocative actions along the Ladakh region during the winter and to reduce the number of troops from both sides to a minimum.

Sources confirm: "Due to the harsh winter climate, the number of troops stationed in the area has been reduced to a minimum. Some troops have been withdrawn further inland, while others will be deployed entirely. In the summer, they will return to their assigned areas."

Additionally, sources indicate that another round of talks will be held between India and China in the winter to discuss the summer deployment plan.

Currently, India and China each deploy approximately 50,000 troops along with equipment. During the winter months, the number of troops deployed in the area is significantly reduced.

Previously, the Indian Air Force transported more than 68,000 additional troops, as well as nearly 90 tanks and over 300 infantry fighting vehicles, to the top of Ladakh following the clash with China in the Galwan Valley on June 15, 2020. Since then, despite withdrawing from the Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso, Gogra, and Hot Springs, both sides have maintained thousands of troops and equipment along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). (Sputnik)

Northeast Asia

* Japan and Australia postpone 2+2 talks due to Middle East situation : On October 16, Japanese government sources said that Japan and Australia had decided to postpone their bilateral 2+2 talks, which were scheduled to involve the foreign and defense ministers of both countries later this week.

Previously, the two governments had arranged a 2+2 meeting in Tokyo on October 20th to strengthen security relations. However, sources later indicated that Canberra had informed Tokyo that it now needed to prioritize protecting Australian citizens and consider measures to respond to the situation in the Middle East.

The last time Japan and Australia held a 2+2 meeting was in December in Tokyo. In a joint statement, both sides committed to expanding joint exercises with the US military to enhance trilateral defense cooperation. (Kyodo)

Europe

* Earthquake in Kamchatka ( Russia ) : On the afternoon of October 16th (Vietnam time), a 5.5 magnitude earthquake occurred off the eastern coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula (Russia). According to the German Geological Survey Center GFZ, the earthquake occurred at 6:48 GMT on October 16th (13:48 same day Vietnam time). The epicenter was at a depth of 54 km, initially determined to be at 53.43 degrees North latitude and 160.32 degrees East longitude.

Kamchatka is located in the Far East of Russia. Famous for its large volcanic clusters, it is a popular tourist destination and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (TASS)

* Russia restricts imports of fish and seafood from Japan : On October 16, the Russian Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance Service (Rosselkhoznadzor) announced: “As a precautionary measure, from October 16, Rosselkhoznadzor joins China’s temporary restrictions on imports of fish and seafood from Japan.” Previously, the restrictions were imposed before sufficient information was available to confirm the safety of the seafood products and compliance with the requirements of the Eurasian Economic Union, as well as analysis by Rosselkhoznadzor experts.

Meanwhile, Japanese electronics manufacturer and infrastructure solutions provider Fujitsu has begun the process of dissolving its Russian entity, Fujitsu Technology Solutions LLC. According to Russian media, following Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, Fujitsu suspended direct sales of products and services, but has not yet announced a complete withdrawal from the Russian market. (RT)

* Opposition in Poland could win the election : Polling stations in Poland closed on the evening of October 15th. Post-election polls suggest the ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS) is likely to come first. However, the party does not have a majority to form a government and must seek allies to remain in power.

Meanwhile, polls conducted by Ipsos for TVN24 (Poland) suggest that the opposition Civic Alliance (KO), the centrist Third Way (TC), and the New Left (NL) are likely to win a combined total of 248 seats in the 460-member Lower House, securing a coalition victory. PiS, on the other hand, is projected to win around 200 seats. The far-right Konfederacja is predicted to win 12 seats. Opposition KO leader Donald Tusk declared: “The reign of PiS is over.”

To form a government, a party or coalition must win a majority, at least 231 out of 460 seats in the House of Representatives. (VNA)

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tin-the-gioi-1610-ngoai-truong-nga-toi-trung-quoc-israel-bac-thong-tin-ngung-ban-246352.html