Israel expands attacks to Syria, Russia proposes solutions to end conflict in Ukraine, US Secretary of State visits Israel

Czech Republic summons Russian Ambassador over attack in Kharkov, Chinese citizen killed in Israel, Russia-India prepare for summit... are some notable international news in the past 24 hours.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speak to the media after their meeting in Tel Aviv, October 12. (Source: the Global and Mail)

The World & Vietnam Newspaper highlights some of the day's international news highlights.

Russia-Ukraine

*Russia proposes solution to end conflict in Ukraine: Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov said that Washington can easily and quickly reach a solution to the armed conflict in Ukraine by stopping providing military aid to Kiev.

The Russian diplomat made the comment while referring to the next aid package worth about $200 million that the US has allocated for Ukraine's defense needs.

“The United States could easily and quickly resolve the conflict by ending military aid to Ukraine,” Ambassador Antonov wrote on his Telegram page. According to him, the United States continues to hope for a strong solution to the Ukrainian crisis, as well as plots to “weaken and exhaust Russia.” However, the Russian diplomat stressed that the new aid package for Kiev will not solve the tasks set by Washington.

Earlier, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced an additional $200 million military aid package to Ukraine, including AIM-9M missiles for the new air defense system to be supplied to Kiev, artillery shells, anti-tank weapons and anti-drone equipment. (TASS)

Middle East-Africa

*Israel expands attack to Syria: Syrian state television said Israel carried out an attack on two main airports in the capital Damascus and the city of Aleppo in northern Syria on October 12. The source confirmed: "Israel attacked the airports of Damascus and Aleppo."

Local media outlet Sham FM reported that Syria deployed air defenses in response to the attack. Meanwhile, Nournews, a news agency linked to Iran’s top security agency, reported on October 12 that the leaders of Iran and Syria urged Muslim countries to show consistency in their support for the Palestinians.

In a phone call with his Syrian counterpart Bashar Al-Assad, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said: “Muslim and Arab countries as well as free citizens around the world must take a consistent stance to stop the crimes of the Zionist regime against the oppressed Palestinian people.” (Al Jazeera)

*UAE President postpones visit to South Korea: The South Korean Presidential Office announced on October 12 that President of the United Arab Emirates (UEA) Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has postponed his visit to the Northeast Asian country, scheduled to take place this month, due to "unpredictable developments in the regional situation."

“Due to the unpredictable situation in the region, we decided to postpone the visit through bilateral discussions,” a South Korean official said, without providing further details. The decision appeared to be related to regional tensions stemming from last week’s surprise attack by the Islamist Hamas movement on Israel.

If not postponed, President Mohamed's trip would come nine months after his South Korean counterpart Yoon Suk Yeol made a state visit to the UAE and received a pledge from Abu Dhabi to invest $30 billion in South Korea's energy, arms and nuclear power sectors. (Yonhap)

*US Secretary of State arrives in Israel: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv on October 12 as part of an extended Middle East tour to demonstrate US solidarity with Israel after the surprise attack by the Hamas Islamist movement and seek to end the current conflict.

In addition, Secretary Blinken also worked to reach an agreement to release hostages being held by Hamas - some of whom are US citizens - and to establish a safe corridor for Gazan civilians to move out of the densely populated area ahead of a potential Israeli invasion.

On the same day, speaking to German lawmakers, Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that Berlin would suspend all development aid programs for the Palestinian territories pending the completion of a review process to ensure that aid policies best serve regional peace and Israel's security. (Reuters)

*Chinese citizens killed in Israel: China's Foreign Ministry confirmed on October 12 that three Chinese citizens were killed, two others were missing and several others were injured in a surprise attack by the Hamas movement on Israel last weekend.

Speaking at a regular press conference, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said: "China will coordinate efforts to treat the injured and urge authorities to search for the missing." (AFP)

Asia-Pacific

*Russia-India prepare for summit: RIA news agency quoted Indian Ambassador to Moscow - Pavan Kapoor - as saying that Russia and India are discussing plans to hold a summit between President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi this year. Mr. Kapoor affirmed: "The two sides are discussing this issue. There are high-level discussions going on". (Reuters)

*EU High Representative Visits China: On October 12, the European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell visited China to seek ways to manage the bloc's "de-risking" strategy with its largest trading partner, while laying the groundwork for a summit scheduled to be held this year.

The trip comes days after a flare-up in hostilities between Israel and the Islamist Hamas movement, prompting Borrell to convene an emergency meeting with European foreign ministers. China has called for a “ceasefire” on all sides in the Hamas-Israel conflict.

Borrell's trip, which has been postponed twice this year and is scheduled to last until October 14, will include a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and will address issues including bilateral relations, global challenges and trade.

EU-China relations have been tense since Russia launched a war in Ukraine in late February 2022. (AFP)

*President of Cambodia's ruling party plans to visit Myanmar: Cambodia's ThmeyThmey news website reported that President of the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP), who is also Chairman of the Supreme Advisory Council to the King of Cambodia - Mr. Hun Sen and President of the Nippon Foundation (Japan) Yohei Sasakawa have agreed to visit Myanmar in the near future.

CPP Chairman and former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen received Yohei Sasakawa at the CPP headquarters on October 11. During the meeting, the two sides discussed the Myanmar crisis, including Hun Sen’s efforts to improve the situation in Myanmar, even though he is no longer the Cambodian Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Hun Manet also supported his father's intention to visit Myanmar.

Mr. Hun Sen, as rotating chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2022, met with the head of Myanmar's military junta, General Min Aung Hlaing, during a two-day official visit to Myanmar in January last year. The former Cambodian prime minister is the only ASEAN country leader to do so. (ThemeyThmey)

*China puts Liaoning aircraft carrier back into service: Chinese media reported that the country is refurbishing the Liaoning - the first aircraft carrier of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) - with new weapons systems and radar, and the ship is expected to return to service this year.

The former Soviet aircraft carrier, which China bought from Ukraine in 1998, is expected to rotate with its second aircraft carrier, the Shandong, in exercises and other missions, an expert told the Global Times .

China is strengthening its military and building up the PLAN’s far-seas capabilities. It is also expected to begin sea trials for its first domestically designed and built aircraft carrier, the Fujian, this year.

In April, Chinese media reported that the Liaoning had conducted air defense and anti-submarine training in the Western Pacific this year. (Reuters)

Europe

*Czech summons Russian ambassador to protest attack on Kharkov: CTK news agency reported on October 12 that the Czech Foreign Ministry will summon the Russian ambassador in Prague to protest the Russian military's attacks on the Ukrainian village of Hroza earlier this month.

An airstrike on the village of Hroza in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkov earlier this month killed more than 50 people. Following the airstrike, the Kremlin on October 6 said the Russian military did not attack civilian targets in Ukraine. (Reuters)

*Germany pledges to send 35,000 troops to NATO's new plan: Speaking on October 12 on the sidelines of a meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said his country pledged to provide 35,000 troops to serve the alliance's new defense and deterrence strategy.

Along with the above number of soldiers, Minister Pistorius also revealed that Germany will provide hundreds of aircraft, destroyers, frigates and other weapons and military equipment for NATO's joint operations. The Commander-in-Chief of NATO Forces in Europe can request Germany to deploy the above forces from 2025.

Mr Pistorius affirmed that it was Germany's commitment to support regional defense plans with concrete forces. Germany is "really doing its best" for the alliance's joint operations.

Germany's commitment is part of NATO's plan for a new strategic model, which will maintain 300,000 troops on high alert, ready to carry out NATO missions in the future. (DW)

America

*US deploys second aircraft carrier to Mediterranean: White House National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby announced that USS Dwight D. Eisenhower - the second aircraft carrier of the US Navy will be deployed to the Mediterranean.

“As you know, the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is in the Eastern Mediterranean,” Kirby said. “They arrived here yesterday. They are there for deterrence purposes to make it clear to anyone — terrorist actors, organizations, groups, networks, states — that have hostile intentions toward Israel.” “We are sending a clear message: the United States is prepared to act if any party hostile to Israel considers the option of trying to escalate or deepen this conflict,” the White House official said.

Earlier, on October 10, the Wall Street Journal quoted Pentagon officials as saying that the US was considering sending the aircraft carrier Dwight Eisenhower to the coast of Israel. (TASS)

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