Russia suddenly reduces troops in one location, riots escalate in France

Moscow criticizes the West for wanting to "freeze" the conflict, the US Vice President visits Kiev, the EU Summit, ... are some notable international news in the past 24 hours.

French police try to maintain order in Paris after violent marches on June 30. (Source: Reuters)

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

* Russia: The West wants to “ freeze ” the Ukraine conflict : On June 30, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the West wants to somehow freeze the conflict in Ukraine to buy time to “pump” more weapons into Kiev. According to him, the West is applying a “schizophrenic” approach to this conflict. This diplomat said that these countries “want to see Russia fail and put the Moscow leadership on trial and then promote peace in Ukraine”. (Reuters)

* Ukrainian intelligence : Russia gradually reduces troops at Zaporizhzhia plant : On June 30, writing on Telegram , the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Agency (GUR) stated: "According to the latest data, Russia is gradually leaving the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant area."

According to GUR, among the first to leave were three employees of the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom (Russia) - people who were "in charge of the activities of Russian employees".

Ukrainian employees contracted by Rosatom have also been advised to leave by July 5, with the destination being the Crimean peninsula, annexed from Ukraine by Russia in 2014.

In addition, GUR also said the number of military patrols is gradually decreasing in the vast area of ​​the Zaporizhzhia plant and the nearby city of Enerhodar. (Reuters)

* EU promotes commitment to ensure security for Ukraine : On June 30, the European Union (EU) Summit issued a joint statement on the situation in Ukraine.

The document states: “The EU and its Member States stand ready, together with its partners, to contribute to a future security commitment to Ukraine that will help Kiev defend itself in the long term, deter military activity and counter attempts to destabilise it.

In this regard, they will promptly consider modalities for their contributions. Such commitments will be made with full respect for the security and defence policies of individual Member States and taking into account the security and defence interests of all Member States...”

Earlier, the Financial Times (UK) reported on June 29 that a group of EU member states led by France is drafting a statement on “security commitments” to Ukraine. The statement will allow the EU to participate in building a security system for Ukraine, including cooperation with NATO. (Sputnik/TASS)

* Hungary refuses to provide additional funding to Ukraine : On June 30, speaking on Hungarian radio on the sidelines of the EU Summit, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban objected to the EC's request for Budapest to contribute more money.

He said the request was “absurd” as Hungary, along with Poland, had not received funding from the EU’s recovery fund amid legal disputes. The EU had previously announced that it would provide Ukraine with 50 billion euros ($54.3 billion) in 2024-2027, after reviewing the EU’s 2021-2027 common budget. (Reuters)

* Mr. Donald Trump: The US should mediate Russia-Ukraine peace talks : On June 29, in an interview with Reuters over the phone, the former President stated: "You can say that Mr. Putin is still there. He is still strong, but his position has weakened, at least in the minds of many people." Mr. Trump also mentioned the scenario if Mr. Putin is no longer in power: "You will not know who the replacement will be. That person could be better, but he could also be much worse."

He also emphasized: "I think the biggest thing the US should do right now is to bring Russia and Ukraine closer together and promote a peaceful solution. The US can do it... I want people to stop dying because of this senseless conflict." (Reuters)

* Former US Vice President visits Kiev: Mr. Mike Pence, former US Vice President who is currently running for president, unexpectedly visited Ukraine during the day and met with host leader Volodymyr Zelensky. Responding to NBC News (USA) in Kiev, he noted that the visit would "strengthen our determination to do our part, continue to call for strong US support for our friends and allies". Mr. Pence is the first Republican presidential candidate to meet with the Ukrainian leader. (NBC)

Southeast Asia

* Cambodian Prime Minister calls for peace and stability before general election : On June 29, speaking at a meeting with thousands of factory workers in Pursat province, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen stated: “Peace and political stability not only bring happiness to our people, but also attract foreign investors to help develop the country…“We must continue to unite to protect peace to ensure the sustainable development of the country.”

Cambodia is scheduled to hold a general election for the 125-seat National Assembly on July 23. According to the National Election Committee, 18 political parties will contest the election, with more than 9.7 million people eligible to vote. In the most recent general election in 2018, Prime Minister Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party won all 125 seats in the National Assembly. The party is expected to continue to dominate the upcoming general election. (Xinhua)

Northeast Asia

* South Korea to reshuffle cabinet in July : An unnamed official from the South Korean presidential office said on June 30 that Yoon Suk Yeol will carry out an additional cabinet reshuffle in mid-July, which could affect the industry minister and the head of the state media watchdog.

The presidential office is reportedly pushing for Lee Dong-kwan to be appointed as the new head of the Korean Communications Commission (KCC). Lee is currently a special presidential adviser and previously served as senior presidential secretary for press affairs under Lee Myung-bak. However, the main opposition Democratic Party has said that Lee is unsuitable for the post for a number of reasons, including allegations that he unfairly interfered in personnel matters at the state-run Korea Broadcasting System (KBS).

Earlier, on June 29, in the first cabinet reshuffle since taking office, Mr. Yoon Suk Yeol appointed a new Unification Minister and Vice Minister of Culture, along with a ministerial position and 11 other vice ministers. (Yonhap)

Europe

* Poland arrests Russian athlete suspected of spying: On June 30, writing on social media, Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro stated: “Russian spies are being arrested one by one!...A spy operating under the guise of an athlete has been arrested, a Russian is a player playing for a first-class club.”

Prosecutors said the athlete had been in Poland since October 2021 and was arrested in the southern Silesia region on charges of identifying critical infrastructure in the country. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison. Poland said he was the 14th person arrested in the Russian spy ring.

In March, Poland announced that it had broken up a Russian spy network, arresting nine people accused of preparing sabotage and taking control of railway lines to Ukraine. More than a month later, Warsaw authorities imposed a 200-meter exclusion zone around the Swinoujscie liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility over concerns about Russian espionage.

The Russian Embassy has not yet made any announcement about the incident. However, on the same day, RIA (Russia) quoted the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying that Moscow has asked Warsaw to explain the arrest. (RIA/VNA)

* Hundreds arrested in France after night of riots : French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on June 30 that security forces had arrested a total of 667 people overnight, after riots broke out for a third night across the country in protest at the police shooting of a 17-year-old boy earlier this week. Videos on social media showed fires burning across France, including at a bus station in the northern suburbs of Paris and a tram in Lyon.

Earlier, on the evening of June 29, France deployed 40,000 police to quell the widespread unrest. On the morning of June 30, French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne also convened a meeting with ministers, including Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin and Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti, to discuss the situation after the riots.

At the same time, BFM TV (France) quoted a source from the Elysee Palace as saying that French President Emmanuel Macron will also hold an emergency government meeting that evening. Referring to the content of this meeting, Prime Minister Borne emphasized: "The top priority is to ensure national unity and the way to do that is to restore order."

Meanwhile, on June 30, the spokesperson of the United Nations Human Rights Office (UN) Ravina Shamdasani expressed concern about the racism in the incident. She stated: “This is the time for France to seriously address the deep-rooted issues of racism in law enforcement. We also emphasize the importance of peaceful assembly.

We call on the authorities to ensure that in the event of the use of force to deal with violent elements during demonstrations, the police always respect the principles of lawfulness, necessity, proportionality, non-discrimination, discretion and responsibility.” (AFP/Reuters)

* UK minister resigns after harsh criticism of PM : UK Environment Secretary Zac Goldsmith resigned on June 30 after criticising Chancellor Rishi Sunak for “not caring” about the environmental review. In his resignation letter, he expressed “horror” as London abandoned its environmental commitments and withdrew its leadership role on the international stage, including scrapping a flagship animal welfare bill and pledging £11.6 billion to spend on climate and the environment.

Mr Sunak has accepted the resignation letter. Mr Goldsmith, who will serve as Secretary of State for the Commonwealth, Overseas Territories, Energy, Climate and Environment from September 22, 2022 under former Prime Minister Liz Truss. (VNA)

America

* US Supreme Court bans consideration of race in college admissions : On June 29, the US Supreme Court ruled that race and ethnicity should not be considered in college admissions, ending a decades-long practice that was intended to increase educational opportunities for African Americans and other minorities.

The above decision has caused deep controversy within the United States. Even in the US Supreme Court, 3/9 judges opposed the above decision.

Justice John Roberts, who upheld the decision, said that the policy, while “well-intentioned,” discriminated against other groups. He said that colleges were still free to consider students’ circumstances when considering admissions. However, relying on factors such as skin color or ethnicity was in fact racist and therefore unconstitutional.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden expressed "great disappointment" with the judges' decision. The leader said discrimination still exists in the US and affirmed that universities in the country would be better if they were racially diverse.

The White House has urged colleges to continue to consider the circumstances of students applying for admission, and the Biden administration said it will work with higher education institutions to help them maintain policies that promote diversity while still complying with the Supreme Court ruling.

Affirmative action has long been a policy that allows factors such as an individual's skin color, race, gender, religion or national origin to be considered by businesses and the government to create opportunities for a segment of American society. In education, this policy supports people of color and ethnic minorities to overcome educational and economic disadvantages in college admissions. (TTXVN)

Middle East-Africa

* Iran repatriates 4 Iraqi prisoners: On June 29, the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) quoted Iran's Deputy Minister of Justice for International Affairs and Human Rights, Askar Jalalian, as saying that 4 Iraqi prisoners were handed over to the Iraqi government on June 27 under an extradition agreement. These subjects will continue to serve their sentences for the remaining time in their home country. According to Mr. Jalalian, the transfer of these prisoners to the country is a humanitarian issue and in accordance with human rights laws.

The extradition agreement was signed by the two countries' justice ministers in April 2011, following a raid by Iraqi forces on Camp Ashraf, a residence of members of Iran's Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO), a terrorist group. (ISNA)

* China calls for increased humanitarian aid efforts in Syria : Speaking at a UN Security Council press conference on June 29, China's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) Geng Shuang said: "Currently, the huge gap in humanitarian funding for Syria has affected relief operations and early recovery projects. We hope that relevant parties will honor their commitments and further increase financial support."

According to him, the Syrian Government has so far opened the Bab Al-Salam and Al-Ra'ee border crossings, taken active measures to facilitate access to humanitarian assistance, ended the procedure for approving each case of cross-border assistance, and facilitated the issuance of visas for humanitarian workers.

“These initiatives are welcomed by relevant parties. We appreciate these efforts,” Geng Shuang stressed. The Chinese deputy ambassador also noted that the Security Council should take into account the developments in Syria and the implementation of Resolution 2672 in planning the next phase of work in a scientific manner, so as to further strengthen humanitarian relief for Syria and alleviate the humanitarian crisis in the country. (Xinhua)

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