U.S. President Joe Biden’s political fortunes have changed dramatically since his first Group of Seven summit last summer, or even his last visit to Europe in March. It couldn’t come at a worse time for his international allies as Russia settles into a long war with Ukraine. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who will welcome G7
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Thursday that Britain was willing to assist with de-mining operations off Ukraine’s southern coast and was considering offering insurance to ships to move millions of metric tons of grain stuck in the country. Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine and blockade of its Black Sea ports has prevented the
“Ukraine today may be East Asia tomorrow,” Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida recently told an international security gathering in Singapore, a catchphrase that speaks to the harsh lessons learnt over the past few months. Better deterrence and response capabilities, he told a room packed with defense officials and diplomats, will be “absolutely essential if Japan
Vienna – The mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki called for ridding the world of nuclear weapons amid Russia’s threats to use them in its war against Ukraine, as the first meeting of parties to a U.N. treaty prohibiting the ultimate weapons of war started Tuesday in Vienna. The three-day meeting aims to build momentum toward
The European Union gave its blessing on Friday to Ukraine to become an official candidate to join the bloc, along with its neighbor Moldova, marking a historic eastward shift in Europe’s outlook brought about by Russia’s invasion. Ukraine applied to join the EU just four days after Russian troops poured across its border in February.
Singapore – Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi has conveyed Tokyo’s concern to China about a number of regional security issues, including repeated Sino-Russian military flights near Japanese airspace and Beijing’s activities in the East and South China seas. Following his first in-person meeting with Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe — held on the sidelines of the
Iran’s state-run shipping company said it started its first transfer of Russian goods to India, using a new trade corridor that transits the Islamic Republic, an Iranian port official said. The Russian cargo consists of two 40-foot (12.192 meters) containers of wood laminate sheets, weighing 41 tons, that departed St. Petersburg for the Caspian Sea
Singapore – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on the international community to make a concerted effort to support countries that see their sovereignty and territorial integrity threatened by larger powers. In a virtual speech addressing defense ministers and senior officials from 42 countries attending this year’s Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore, the Ukrainian
Singapore – U.S. Indo-Pacific Command head Adm. John Aquilino has expressed concern that the deteriorating security environment in Asia and beyond is escalating tensions and increasing the potential for miscalculation that could erupt into full-blown conflict. “As I look at what is going on, I see potentially the most dangerous period, certainly in my 30
Japan’s current account surplus shrank 55.6% in April from a year earlier to ¥501.1 billion ($3.8 billion), government data showed Wednesday, as imports grew to their highest level in more than 20 years on soaring energy costs due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The current account balance, one of the widest gauges of international trade,
