Russia warns of cluster bombs in Ukraine, Kiev responds to British minister's statement

Russian UAV attacks Kryvyi Rih, ASEAN states its stance on Ukraine, China points out 'risks' in Germany's new Strategy... are some notable international news in the past 24 hours.

According to Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, the ARF needs to move to the next phase of preventive diplomacy to deal with current challenges. (Photo: Tuan Anh)

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

* Russian UAVs attack Ukrainian President's hometown : On July 14, Kryvyi Rih Governor Serhiy Lysak said that Russian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) attacked the city of Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in central Ukraine, damaging several buildings and injuring a civilian. Earlier, the Ukrainian Air Force said that 16 of 17 Iranian-made Shahed UAVs launched by Russia overnight were shot down. (Reuters)

* Russia warns of Ukraine's risk of using cluster bombs " indiscriminately " : On July 14, the Russian Embassy in the US stated: "Anyone following the conflict knows that Kiev has used US security assistance to attack civilian targets in the hope of intimidating us and 'killing as many Russians as possible'. The attacks have been carried out against residential areas where there are no military facilities."

Earlier, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu warned that if US cluster bombs were supplied to Ukraine, Russia would have to use similar weapons against the Ukrainian army. According to him, Russia has so far refrained from using cluster bombs and munitions in its military operations because it recognizes the level of danger they pose to civilians. Shoigu asserted that Washington's provision of such weapons would only prolong the conflict in Ukraine. (TASS)

* Ukraine criticizes British Defense Minister's statement : On July 13, in an interview with The Guardian (UK) about the previous statement of British Defense Minister Ben Wallace, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine, Mr. Oleksiy Danilov said: "I don't pay much attention to what he (Wallace) says. One can say something in an emotional state and then regret it. This is certainly not his real opinion."

The Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine appreciated the British authorities for their significant support to Kiev.

Earlier, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said that the West “wants to see gratitude” from Ukraine and Kiev needs to pay more attention to this. The Guardian said that the reason for this statement was because Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was unhappy that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries had not invited Kiev to join the alliance at the Summit in Vilnius on July 11-12. (The Guardian)

* Pentagon assessment of Wagner's activities in Ukraine : On July 13, speaking at a press conference, Pentagon press secretary, Brigadier General Pat Ryder commented: "At this stage, we do not see Wagner forces participating in any significant capacity to support Russian activities in Ukraine." Mr. Ryder said that the US assessed that "the majority" of Wagner fighters are still in areas of Ukraine currently controlled by Russia. Previously, on July 12, the Moscow government announced that the Russian army had received more than 2,000 pieces of military equipment from Wagner, including many tanks, armored vehicles, missile systems and ammunition of various types. (AFP)

* ASEAN reaffirms stance on Ukraine : On July 14, the joint statement of the 56th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM-56) in Jakarta, Indonesia stated: "With regard to Ukraine, we continue to reaffirm our respect for the sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine." ASEAN continues to call for compliance with the United Nations Charter and international law, while emphasizing the importance of immediately ending the conflict and seriously committing to substantive dialogue to resolve the conflict peacefully.

ASEAN member states support the efforts of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to find a peaceful solution to the crisis in Ukraine. In addition, ASEAN calls for facilitating rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to people in need in Ukraine and for the protection of civilians, humanitarian workers and people in vulnerable situations.

Host country Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi affirmed that Indonesia will promote enhanced cooperation on food security between ASEAN and Russia. She noted: “As a friend of Russia and Ukraine, Indonesia has always called for peace. We must realize this model (of peace) through practical actions.” (Antara)

Southeast Asia

* Indonesia : ARF needs to move to a new phase of preventive diplomacy : On July 14, in her opening speech at the 30th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in Jakarta (Indonesia), host country Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said it was time for the forum to move to the next phase of preventive diplomacy to respond to security challenges in the region.

According to her, the ARF was established in 1994 to build a regional security structure after the Cold War by promoting confidence-building measures through dialogue and consultation. However, the regional security landscape is now much different amid fierce competition that continues to divide.

“Our region also has many potential flashpoints, from unresolved territorial disputes to ethnic conflicts. The situation is further complicated by the rise of non-traditional security challenges such as terrorism, human trafficking and piracy, which require us to better manage potential conflicts,” the diplomat said.

She urged countries to use the ARF as a means to promote positive peace, and prevent any potential conflicts from arising in the region. At the same time, countries need to continue to build strategic trust by continuing to promote the rules of self-restraint and non-use of force.

On the Indonesian side, she said the country continues to promote the concrete implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) to not only bring economic impact and direct benefits to the people, but also "create habits" of strategic cooperation in the current geopolitical context. (Antara)

Northeast Asia

* China rejects NATO's accusations : On July 13, China's permanent representative to the United Nations (UN), Ma Zhaoxu, rejected NATO's accusations against Beijing.

According to the official, the accusations made at the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, were filled with Cold War mentality and ideological prejudice. He assessed that NATO, a product of the Cold War, was mired in this mentality and could not extricate itself. Mr. Ma asserted that Beijing is a factor in building world peace, contributing to global development and protecting the international order. The Chinese representative also emphasized: "As has been proven by countless facts. The real troublemaker is none other than NATO." (Xinhua)

* Beijing points out “risks” in Germany’s new China Strategy : On July 14, speaking at a regular press conference, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin stated: “We believe that competition and protectionism in the name of ‘risk reduction’ and reducing dependence are completely politicizing normal cooperation.” According to him, this move will “only produce the opposite result as expected, causing man-made risks.” The diplomat emphasized: “Opposing so-called competition in terms of systems, interests and values ​​goes against the trend of the times and only makes the division in the world more serious.”

On July 13, the German government approved a new China Strategy, which describes Berlin's response to a "more assertive" Beijing. (AFP)

* Japan and China agreed to maintain close communication : On July 14, on the sidelines of the 56th AMM in Jakarta (Indonesia), Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa met with Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China Wang Yi.

The two sides reiterated their positions on the remaining issues between the two countries. However, the Japanese and Chinese representatives agreed to maintain close communication at all levels. Hayashi Yoshimasa and Wang Yi also shared the importance of cooperation in the areas of economy and people-to-people exchanges. (Kyodo)

* South Korea asks North Korea to give advance notice of dam release : On July 14, South Korean Unification Ministry spokesperson Lee Hyo Jung said: "The government asked North Korea on June 30 to give advance notice in case it releases water from the dam. However, we have not received any response so far." The official said the South Korean Unification Ministry will use other channels, such as the press or the hotline between the United Nations Command and the North Korean military, to deal with unexpected situations if they occur.

Under the October 2009 agreement, Pyongyang agreed to notify Seoul in advance of plans to release water from the dam, following an incident that killed six South Koreans when North Korea released water from the Hwanggang Dam without prior notice. (Yonhap)

Europe

* Russia : Legal status of Wagner group needs to be reviewed : On July 14, the Kremlin announced that the status of the Wagner private mercenary force needs to be "reviewed", one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that the existence of this force has no legal basis.

Earlier, in an interview with the Kommersant newspaper (Russia), the leader affirmed that he had given Wagner a way out: “These gunmen can gather in one place and continue to serve. Nothing will change for them. They will be led by the same person, who has been their real commander all this time.”

According to Kommersant , the Wagner fighters would be under the command of a commander nicknamed “Sedoy.” According to Putin, “many people nodded.” However, the head of the Wagner group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, ultimately rejected the offer.

In response to this character, Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized: "The Wagner group is here, but legally, this force does not exist. There is a separate issue related to the actual legalization of Wagner. This issue must be discussed in the State Duma and in the Russian Government." (AFP/Reuters)

* 64% of Germans are dissatisfied with Mr. Olaf Scholz : According to a survey by the Forsa Research Institute (Germany) published on July 14, only 34% of Germans surveyed were satisfied with the work of Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Meanwhile, up to 64% of people said they were less satisfied or completely dissatisfied with the German leader.

Compared to the spring of 2022, the current satisfaction level with Chancellor Scholz is much lower. The results of a survey last March showed that up to 60% of respondents expressed satisfaction or very satisfaction with the head of the German government, while only 33% were slightly satisfied or completely dissatisfied.

Regarding the current coalition government, after months of persistent disagreement within the coalition, only 19% of Germans surveyed believe that things will get better in the future. On the contrary, 78% believe that the current government's ability to act will continue to be reduced due to disagreements between parties. (VNA)

* Hungary warns of consequences of inviting Ukraine to join NATO : On July 14, speaking on Kossuth radio (Hungary), Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated: "If we add Ukraine to NATO, it will cause immediate conflict. However, the attitude of supporting the continuation of the Ukrainian conflict still prevails in the West."

The leader also said that the conflict in the neighboring country will be prolonged. However, the Hungarian government will be prepared for that scenario. (TASS)

Middle East-Africa

* Italy urges resumption of peace process between Israel and Palestine : Speaking after meeting with his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen in Rome on July 13, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani called for resumption of the peace process. Tajani called the recent events "terrorist attacks" and expressed Italy's solidarity with Israel over the loss of life. The diplomat also expressed concern about the increasing number of victims related to violence between the two countries this year.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Italy reaffirmed his country's support for the normalization agreement between Israel and Arab countries, believing it will contribute to long-term peace and stability in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, according to a statement from the Italian Foreign Ministry, the country's relations with Israel are based on friendship and solidarity. The document also stated that in addition to strong political ties, the Jewish state is also Rome's strategic partner in areas such as agriculture, food, biotechnology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, space and energy. (Anadolu)

* China calls on parties in Sudan to end hostilities : Speaking at a meeting of the Security Council on July 13, Chinese Deputy Ambassador to the UN Dai Bing called on parties in Sudan to end hostilities. He said that the armed conflict in Sudan has been going on for three months, but fighting continues despite the two sides reaching many temporary ceasefire agreements.

China hopes that all parties in Sudan will prioritize peace and people's well-being, seek dialogue and end hostilities to avoid a larger humanitarian crisis. At the same time, Beijing also supports efforts by regional organizations and countries toward peace negotiations. (Xinhua)

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