Russia arrests Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Army, Colombia to open embassy in Palestine, Israel attacks across Gaza Strip

China confirms the existence of an agreement with the Philippines on the East Sea, the leaders of Japan, China and South Korea are about to meet, Russia dissolves a US bank in response to the EU, Cuba passes 4 new decrees... are some of the outstanding international events in the past 24 hours.

On May 23, the military court announced that Major General Vadim Shamarin, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Russian army, had been arrested on bribery charges. (Source: NBC News)

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

Asia-Pacific

*Japan-China-South Korea Summit: On May 23, the South Korean Presidential Office announced that for the first time in four and a half years, the leaders of South Korea, China and Japan will hold a long-interrupted trilateral summit on May 26-27 in Seoul.

South Korean Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo said President Yoon Suk Yeol will hold talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio on May 27 in Seoul.

This will be the first trilateral summit between the three Asian countries since December 2019, after a hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic and strained Seoul-Tokyo relations due to historical disputes. (Yonhap)

*China confirms existence of agreement with Philippines on East Sea: On May 22, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Uong Van Binh confirmed the existence of an agreement with Philippines on East Sea, which Manila considered a baseless rumor.

Mr. Uong Van Binh emphasized that even though they are "unbreakable agreements" on managing the situation in the East Sea, they all have clear timelines and are supported by solid evidence, and no one can deny their existence.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said over the weekend he has ordered an investigation into a recorded phone call between a senior Philippine naval officer and a Chinese diplomat in Manila about reaching an agreement to resolve issues related to the South China Sea. (Reuters/ECNS)

*South Korea, Czech discuss strengthening nuclear power cooperation: South Korea's Foreign Ministry said on May 23 that the country asked the Czech Republic to pay more attention to bilateral cooperation efforts in the field of commercial nuclear power plants.

South Korean Vice Foreign Minister for Economic Affairs Kim Hee-sang made the proposal during economic talks with Czech Deputy Industry Minister Petr Tresnak earlier in the day.

In addition to nuclear power cooperation, the two sides also discussed strengthening cooperation in global supply chains, trade and investment, as well as energy, science and technology. (Yonhap)

*Russia says ready to continue dialogue with Philippines: Russia's Foreign Ministry said Moscow is ready to continue dialogue with Manila on issues of mutual interest, despite Manila's cooperation with Washington in the military sphere.

Asked whether the joint US-Philippine military exercises and the deployment of US intermediate-range missiles in the Philippines would affect Moscow-Manila relations, the Foreign Ministry official stressed: "We are ready to continue political dialogue with the Philippines and mutually beneficial cooperation in practical areas."

Moscow believes that peaceful use of atomic energy, space research, intellectual technology, pharmaceuticals, inter-regional communication, tourism, educational and cultural exchanges are among the promising avenues of cooperation between the two countries. (Sputniknews)

Europe

*Russia arrests Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Army: On May 23, Military Court No. 235 announced that Major General Vadim Shamarin, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Army and head of the Main Information Department of the Armed Forces, was arrested on bribery charges.

The arrest of Lieutenant General Vadim Shamarin follows the arrest of Major General Ivan Popov, a former top commander in Russia's offensive in Ukraine, also on bribery charges.

In April, Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov was also arrested on bribery charges. Ivanov is a close associate of Sergei Shoigu, whom President Vladimir Putin fired as defense minister shortly after Putin took office in May.

Earlier, Lieutenant General Yury Kuznetsov, head of the Defense Ministry's personnel department, was also arrested on bribery charges two days after Defense Minister Shoigu was replaced. (NBC News)

*Russia criticizes the US for proposing Ukraine attack deep into its territory: On May 23, a member of the Russian House of Representatives Security Committee, MP Mikhail Sheremet, said that US MP Michael McCaul's presentation of a Russian map marking the area within range of the ATACMS operational-tactical missiles that the US provided to Ukraine was "crazy".

Congressman Michael also urged Secretary of State Antony Blinken to allow the Ukrainian military to strike deep into Russian territory, pointing out that the territory depicted on the map contains Russian artillery and missile systems.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Blinken noted that the decision to conduct strikes deep into Russian territory should be made only by the Ukrainian leadership. (Sputnik)

*For safety reasons, Russia suspends flights to and from Kazan airport: Russia's aviation agency said on May 23 that it had imposed temporary restrictions on flights to and from Kazan airport for safety reasons.

In a statement posted on its Telegram page, the Russian Aviation Authority announced that flights to and from Kazan airport have been suspended since 11:30 a.m. Moscow time (3:30 p.m. Vietnam time) on May 23.

Russia has previously imposed similar restrictions at Russian airports due to the activities of Ukrainian drones. (TASS)

*US proposes G7 use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine: On May 23, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced that a plan by the Group of Seven leading industrialized countries (G7) to bring back the value of income from frozen Russian assets could be a significant source of support for Ukraine after 2025.

Speaking at a press conference before the G7 Finance Ministers' Meeting, held in Stresa, Italy, Ms. Yellen said: "It is important that Russia realizes that we will not falter in supporting Ukraine because of lack of resources."

G7 negotiators have been discussing for weeks how to best tap some $300 billion of Russian financial assets, such as major currencies and government bonds, that were frozen shortly after Moscow launched its special operation in February 2022. (Reuters)

*Dissolving American bank, Russia responds to a related move by the EU: President Vladimir Putin on May 22 signed a decree allowing the voluntary dissolution of American Express Bank in Russia. The move is in response to the European Union's agreement to use the proceeds from the frozen assets of the Russian Central Bank to support Ukraine.

US American Express is the founder of the credit institution in the Russian Federation. The bank has been operating in Russia since 2008. According to the decree of August 5, 2022, President Putin banned a number of transactions involving the participation of foreigners from unfriendly countries in Russian companies.

Earlier, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the State Duma (Lower House of Representatives) of Russia, Leonid Slutsky, affirmed on May 21 that Moscow will respond to the European Union (EU) using the proceeds from the frozen assets of the Russian Central Bank to support Ukraine. (TASS)

*Russia supports ban on deploying weapons in space: On May 23, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow continues to support a ban on deploying all types of weapons in space.

Zakharova's statement came after a draft resolution submitted by Russia to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) calling on all countries to "permanently" refrain from deploying nuclear weapons in outer space was defeated. The draft received only seven votes in favor, seven against and one abstention.

Earlier this week, Russia's top arms control diplomat dismissed US claims that Russia had put into space a nuclear weapon that could monitor and attack other countries' satellites. (TASS)

Middle East – Africa

*US urges Israel not to cut off Palestinian banks: On May 23, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen expressed concern over Israel's threat to cut off Palestinian banks from Israeli correspondent banks. The move, which the US fears could lead to the closure of an important artery of the Palestinian economy.

In a speech at the G7 Finance Ministers' Meeting in Italy, Ms. Yellen said that the US and its partners "must do everything possible to increase humanitarian aid to the Palestinians in Gaza, to reduce violence in the West Bank and to stabilize the West Bank economy." Financial tensions between Israel and the US have increased because of US sanctions imposed on Israeli settlers in the West Bank. (Al Jazeera)

*Israel launches massive attacks across Gaza Strip: Hamas media agency said on May 23 the Israeli army (IDF) killed 35 Palestinians in air and ground bombardments across the Gaza Strip as well as in close combat with Hamas in the city of Rafah in the southernmost Gaza.

At the same time, Israeli forces have intensified ground attacks on the town of Jabalia in northern Gaza, areas where Israel has declared major operations in recent months.

Israel says it must return to these areas to prevent Hamas from regrouping. According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), as of May 20, an estimated 800,000 people have fled Rafah since Israel began its offensive on the city in early May. (Arab News)

America - Latin America

*The Cuban Council of State passed four new decrees: The Cuban Council of State has just passed four new decrees, focusing on the fields of labor, social security, justice and economy.

The decrees were adopted during the May 20 session of the Cuban National Assembly of People's Power, chaired by Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and National Assembly President Esteban Lazo.

Justice Minister Oscar Silvera said the new adjustments are in line with the country's socio-economic conditions and aim to improve the criminal justice system and constitutional provisions. (AFP)

*Colombia to open embassy in Palestine: On May 22, the Colombian government confirmed that it will open an embassy in the Palestinian city of Ramallah, in the West Bank, nearly a month after cutting diplomatic relations with Israel in protest at the war in the Gaza Strip. Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo announced that President Gustavo Petro personally gave the above directive.

Earlier, on May 1, Mr. Petro announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Israel and called the government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “genocidal.” The leftist president of Colombia also decided to stop buying weapons from Israel and offered to join the lawsuit initiated by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Colombia is not the first Latin American country to cut ties with Israel. Bolivia severed ties with Israel in late October 2023, while other Latin American countries such as Chile and Honduras have withdrawn their ambassadors. (AFP)

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