Russia accuses Ukraine of sabotaging peace efforts, South Korea and the US conduct river crossing exercises, Iran summons German and British diplomatic representatives

The US is ready to take over Ukraine's nuclear power plants, the Israeli army conducts ground operations in northern Gaza, Russia seizes valuable foreign assets, North Korea treats hundreds of wounded Russian soldiers... are some of the outstanding international events in the past 24 hours.

The South Korean Army announced that South Korean and US forces have begun conducting a joint river crossing exercise near the border with North Korea. (Source: Yonhap)

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

Asia-Pacific

*North Korea treats hundreds of wounded Russian soldiers: Russian media on March 20 quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko as saying that hundreds of wounded Russian soldiers were treated at medical facilities in North Korea amid the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.

Mr. Rudenko made the above statement at the North Korean Embassy in Russia on March 19, during a ceremony to celebrate the 76th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on Economic and Cultural Cooperation between the Soviet Union and North Korea.

"The rehabilitation of hundreds of Russian soldiers at leading medical centers in North Korea is a vivid demonstration of the brotherly relations between our countries today," Deputy Minister Rudenko said. (Yonhap)

*South Korea-US joint river crossing exercise: The South Korean Army announced that South Korea and the US forces have begun a joint river crossing exercise near the border with North Korea to improve joint combat capabilities.

According to the announcement, the 6-day exercise (from March 15) is taking place on the Imjin River in Yeoncheon, about 50km north of the capital Seoul.

The exercise was conducted concurrently with the annual Freedom Shield spring exercise between the two allies, which ended on March 20 after 11 days. (Yonhap)

*Pakistan - Afghanistan reopen key border gate: Pakistan and Afghanistan on March 19 reopened the key Torkham border gate after clashes between security forces on both sides led to the decision to close the gate for nearly a month.

According to Mr. Riaz Khan Mehsud - a Pakistani government official, Torkham border gate - a vital route for travel and trade between Pakistan and landlocked Afghanistan - will be opened for trade first, and people will be allowed to cross by road from March 21.

The Torkham border crossing has been closed since February 21 following clashes as Afghan forces protested against Pakistan's construction of a border post. (Al Jareeza)

*North Korea warns Japan over plan to deploy long-range missiles: North Korea's state news agency (KCNA) reported on March 20 that Pyongyang has warned Tokyo over its plan to deploy long-range missiles in the Kyushu region by March 2026, saying the move would "cause a constant escalation of tensions" in Northeast Asia.

“All military means and various forms of activities directly targeting the DPRK... are objects of destruction,” the KCNA news agency said.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un last month criticized the trilateral military cooperation between the United States, Japan and South Korea as increasing tensions in the region and vowed to take countermeasures, including continuing to develop nuclear forces. (Reuters)

Europe

*Russia accuses Ukraine of sabotaging peace efforts: Russia said the Ukrainian drone attack on a Russian oil depot was Kiev's attempt to sabotage peace initiatives.

Authorities in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region said a Ukrainian drone attack caused a fire at an oil depot near the village of Kavkazskaya that transports Russian oil by rail to a pipeline connecting Kazakhstan to the Black Sea.

"It is absolutely clear that this is another provocation prepared by the Kiev authorities specifically to sabotage peace initiatives," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. (Reuters)

*EU considers postponing US retaliatory tariffs until mid-April: On March 20, European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic said the European Union (EU) could postpone until mid-April the imposition of the first package of retaliatory measures against the US related to steel and aluminum tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.

The EU’s first set of retaliatory measures includes a 50% tariff on bourbon, while President Trump has threatened to impose a 200% tariff on all wine and other alcoholic products from the EU if the bloc goes ahead with the plan. The Trump administration is also planning to impose additional tariffs on April 2.

Previously, the European Commission (EC) proposed to re-impose tariffs on 4.5 billion euros ($4.9 billion) worth of US goods from April 1, followed by additional tariffs on 18 billion dollars worth of US goods on April 13. (Reuters)

*Ukraine attacks Russia's Engels air base with UAVs: On March 20, the Ukrainian military said it used unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to attack Russia's Engels air base in the Saratov region, southwestern Russia, overnight, causing fires and many explosions in the area.

A Ukrainian Security Service official revealed that the base houses Russian strategic bombers used to attack Ukraine, and also has a warehouse for cruise missiles and glide bombs. (AFP)

*Germany calls on Europe to continue to strongly support Ukraine: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called on Europe to continue to strongly support Ukraine in any negotiations between Washington and Moscow, to ensure Kiev has a strong position and any ceasefire agreement is maintained.

Speaking ahead of a summit of European Union (EU) leaders, the outgoing prime minister stressed: "We must continue to stand firm and make the case that a just peace must be possible for Ukraine."

"That means Ukraine can defend its independence and sovereignty, decide its own path and choose its own leaders, and of course have a strong military in peacetime," Scholz added. "Now we will be able to do what we have to do as a major country in the heart of Europe." (AFP)

*Ukrainian President visits Norway: The Norwegian government said on March 20 that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Norway earlier in the day on an official visit after a trip to Finland, amid intensifying diplomatic efforts to end the conflict with Russia.

President Zelensky and President Trump agreed on March 19 to work together to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, in an hour-long phone call that the White House described as "excellent".

Norway is a NATO member, but not part of the European Union (EU), and shares a border with Russia in the Arctic. (Reuters)

*Russia seizes large foreign assets: Russia's Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov said on March 19 that through legal proceedings, the agency had recovered and transferred assets worth 2.4 trillion rubles ($28.7 billion) to the state. Krasnov did not specify a time frame, but Moscow began seizing the assets shortly after the conflict in Ukraine broke out.

During a meeting with President Vladimir Putin, Mr. Krasnov said that five strategic enterprises, including four "under foreign control", had been brought into state ownership.

The company owners have been withdrawing profits from Russia, not investing in infrastructure and not paying taxes properly, Mr. Krasnov said, without naming specific companies. (TASS)

*Ukraine receives new batch of F-16 jets: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on March 20 that Kiev has received another batch of F-16 jet fighters.

The announcement comes amid conflicting reports circulating on Russian Telegram channels, initially claiming that an F-16 had been shot down over Ukraine's Sumy region. Ukraine's anti-disinformation center has denied this, saying the reports were part of a coordinated disinformation campaign.

Ukraine has long supported the supply of Western fighter jets, arguing that they are vital to maintaining air superiority. (AFP)

*Russia - Ukraine exchange hundreds of prisoners: The Russian Defense Ministry announced on March 19 that Russia and Ukraine have each exchanged 175 prisoners captured during the conflict. In addition, Moscow also handed over to Kiev 22 seriously wounded prisoners, to show goodwill.

According to the announcement, all returned Russian soldiers are currently receiving medical and psychological care in Belarus, where they can also contact their relatives.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had helped bring the Russian soldiers home through intermediary efforts. (RIA Novosti)

Middle East-Africa

*Israeli army conducts ground operations in northern Gaza: On March 20, the Israeli army said it had begun ground operations in the northern Gaza Strip, along the coastal route in the Beit Lahia area.

The Israeli military resumed air strikes against targets in Gaza on March 18 and launched ground operations on March 19, effectively ending a ceasefire with the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas that had been in place since January. (Reuters)

*Germany reopens embassy in Syria: A source from the German Foreign Ministry said the country officially reopened its embassy in Syria on March 20, with a small group of diplomats working in Damascus.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has ordered the reopening of the diplomatic mission, which was closed in 2012 amid the civil war in Syria, about three months after President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown. (AFP)

*Iran summons German and British diplomatic representatives to protest anti-Tehran measures: Iran's Foreign Ministry has summoned the German Ambassador and the British Charge d'Affaires in Tehran to protest recent anti-Iran measures by London and Berlin.

Director of the Women and Human Rights Department of the Iranian Foreign Ministry Forouzandeh Vadiati expressed strong opposition to the "irresponsible and provocative" actions of Germany and Britain in drafting a resolution against the Islamic Republic of Iran at the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Ms. Vadiati also stressed Germany and Britain's support for Israel's war crimes and genocide against Palestinians, as well as their support for unilateral US sanctions against Iran. (IRNA)

*Israel claims to have intercepted a missile from Yemen: The Israeli military said it had intercepted a missile launched from Yemen early on March 20 (local time), amid escalating conflict with the Iran-backed Houthi militia.

The Houthis have not yet claimed responsibility for the missile attack and appear unfazed by the US airstrikes. They have vowed to escalate their attacks, including those targeting Israel, in response to the US campaign.

President Trump also threatened to hold Iran responsible for any future Houthi attacks, warning of severe consequences. Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has insisted that the Houthis are an independent force and make their own strategic and operational decisions. (Reuters)

*US demands Iran stop supplying weapons to Houthi: US President Donald Trump on March 19 announced that Iran must immediately stop supplying weapons to the Houthi forces and let this Yemeni armed group "fight on its own".

On the social network Truth Social, President Trump affirmed that US attacks on Houthi forces "will become more and more fierce" and that the group "will be completely wiped out" . (Reuters)

America - Latin America

*US delays $2.6 billion climate change funding package for South Africa: Bloomberg news agency reported on March 20 that the US is delaying the disbursement of $2.6 billion in climate change funding to South Africa, raising concerns that the entire amount could be withheld.

Previously, the Climate Investment Fund (CIF) - a World Bank-linked initiative backed by 15 of the world's richest countries - was considering an initial disbursement of $500 million to South Africa.

The US and the UK have so far been the biggest contributors to the CIF, pledging $3.52 billion and $3.61 billion respectively. Their approval is key to disbursing the funds. (AFP)

*Argentine President cancels foreign trip to deal with social unrest: On March 19, Argentine President Javier Milei announced the postponement of his visit to Israel amid continuous anti-government protests and opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives' objections to the vote to approve a decree to borrow more debt from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The March 19 pensioners' protest in Buenos Aires came just a week after a similar march ended in a brutal crackdown by federal security forces, leaving two people seriously injured and more than 100 arrested. The entire area around Congress and the Presidential Palace has been cordoned off and closed to all traffic. (AFP)

*The US is ready to take over Ukraine's nuclear power plants: US Energy Secretary Chris Wright affirmed that the US is ready to take over Ukraine's nuclear power plants if that action contributes to ensuring a ceasefire and ending the conflict in the Eastern European country.

In an interview with Fox News, when asked about the possibility of US participation in the operation of Ukraine's nuclear power plants if this would help bring peace to Kiev, Secretary Wright asserted: "No problem, we can take that action."

Earlier, the White House announced after a phone call between US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky that Washington could assist Kiev in operating nuclear power plants. (TASS)

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