Putin says Russia has avoided civil war, US invests $42 billion in this field

Ukrainian President visits Donetsk, Japan puts South Korea back on trade "white list" after more than four years... are some notable international news in the past 24 hours.

President Volodymyr Zelensky visits Ukrainian soldiers at a gas station in Bakhmut on June 26. (Source: AFP)

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

* Russia breaks through Ukraine's defenses in Lugansk: On June 25, a video released by the Russian Defense Ministry showed that an airborne unit of this country broke through the defense zone of Ukraine in Lugansk, near the city of Kremennaya with artillery support. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the attack from many sides forced Ukrainian soldiers to lay down their weapons and surrender.

However, the ministry did not specify when the raid took place. (RT)

* Russia denies possibility of peace talks with Ukraine : On June 27, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied information that Russia and Ukraine could negotiate in July. According to him, at this time, there are no signs of any preconditions for implementing such negotiations. (Reuters)

* Ukrainian President visits Donetsk region: On June 26, Mr. Volodymyr Zelensky visited the field in the city of Bakhmut, Donetsk, Eastern Ukraine, where the Russian Armed Forces (VS RF) partially control. According to the Office of the President of Ukraine, Mr. Zelensky met some soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (VSU) resting at a gas station on the highway.

In his nightly address that same day, he stated: “Today, in all areas, our soldiers have made progress. Today is a happy day. I wish the boys many more days like today.” (Reuters)

* Ukrainian Foreign Minister explains the progress of the counterattack: On June 27, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said at the European Union (EU) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Luxembourg, the head of Ukrainian diplomacy Dmytro Kuleba said that Ukraine's counterattack could not take place at the speed mentioned, because all territories had been mined by Russia. Therefore, the VSU needs to clear mines before being able to move. (AFP)

* Ukrainian intelligence official makes bold proposal: On June 26, the head of the General Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (GUR), Kirill Budanov, reportedly proposed that the VSU should attack Russia's border provinces. According to him, taking control of a large city like Belgorod would force Russia to withdraw part of its forces from Ukraine, weakening the defense and creating an opportunity for the VSU.

According to the head of Kiev's intelligence unit, Russia has concentrated all combat-capable units in Ukraine and will not put up much resistance in the rear areas. This was proven when convoys of Wagner private forces traveled up to 200 km in one day without encountering any resistance. (TTXVN)

* Ukraine lost many US armored vehicles: On June 26, the New York Times (USA) reported the damage to the equipment that this country provided to Ukraine: "At least 17 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles transferred to Kiev were damaged or destroyed, accounting for more than 15% of the total (Bradley vehicles)".

According to the author of the article, the fierce resistance of VS RF had a serious impact on VSU: From June 4 to June 21, the Ukrainian side lost 13 tanks and 59 Western armored vehicles in the counterattack. (New York Times)

* UK : Storm Shadow missiles “significantly impact” situation in Ukraine : On June 26, UK Defense Minister Ben Wallace commented that Storm Shadow missiles provided by London to Kiev “have significantly impacted” the conflict. This is currently the longest-range missile Kiev has been provided and is often used by the VSU on Su-24 attack aircraft. According to the latest information, it was from these attack aircraft that the missile model made by France and Britain attacked and seriously damaged the Chongar bridge connecting Kherson with Crimea. (AP)

* Czech Republic: There are still many weapons to provide to Ukraine : On June 27, speaking at a press conference after a meeting with Prime Minister Petr Fiala and Chief of the General Staff Karel Rehka, Czech Defense Minister Jana Cernochova said that the country still has many different options in its military inventory to provide to Ukraine. Meanwhile, Mr. Fiala announced that in the first five months of 2023, the Czech Republic transferred to Ukraine 24 tanks, 17 infantry fighting vehicles, 16 air defense systems, 645 anti-tank missiles and tens of thousands of artillery shells of various types.

The Czech Republic, a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU), has been one of the most supportive countries of Ukraine since the conflict in Russia's neighbor broke out on February 24, 2022.

On the same day, Denmark announced that an international program to train Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 fighter jets is still being drafted by Western countries. Accordingly, the duration of a course may vary depending on the pilot's previous training and language proficiency. (Reuters/TTXVN)

* US Senators call on Israel to allow Iron Dome to be transferred to Ukraine : On June 26, the Jerusalem Post (Israel) reported that Democratic US Senator from Maryland, Chris Van Hollen and Republican US Senator from South Carolina, Lindsey Graham, asked Israel to allow the US to transfer two Iron Dome missile defense batteries to Ukraine. They did not ask Israel to transfer the Iron Dome systems, but only wanted the Jewish State to allow Washington to transfer the Iron Dome batteries of the United States to Ukraine.

The Iron Dome missile defense system is produced by Rafael Defense Group (Israel) in cooperation with Raytheon (USA). Therefore, Israel has the right to block the sale or transfer of this system. Last week, speaking in the US Senate, Mr. Daniel Karbler, Commander of the US Army's Space and Missile Defense Command, said that the country currently owns two Iron Dome batteries. (Jerusalem Post)

South Pacific

* New Zealand and China promote economic and trade cooperation : On June 27, Chinese President Xi Jinping and New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins held talks in Beijing.

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) said the visit to China would benefit export businesses. In a statement, NZTE said: “The business delegation accompanying Prime Minister Chris Hipkins to China will have a dual focus on delivering benefits to the New Zealand economy and our relationship with China.” Andrew White, head of NZTE in China, said all parties would benefit from the visit, contributing to promoting New Zealand’s position in China.

In addition, the official said a series of meetings have been arranged for delegates to enhance their understanding of China and the dynamics affecting its economy. NZTE is the government agency responsible for promoting New Zealand businesses to grow internationally. (Xinhua)

* Russia-China relations make important contributions to ensuring global peace : On June 27, speaking via video to delegates attending the 8th International Conference “Russia and China: Cooperation in a New Era” in Beijing, organized by the Russian Council for International Affairs and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the Chinese Foreign Minister stated: “China and Russia are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and important stabilizing forces ensuring global peace and development.”

Therefore, he affirmed that Beijing wants to cooperate with Moscow to firmly oppose the policy of using force and hegemony that some countries are pursuing, ensuring world order based on international law.

For his part, Russian Ambassador Igor Morgulov stated: “NATO is trying to expand its global sphere of activity. It seeks to penetrate the Asia-Pacific region and is trying to divide the Eurasian space into a network of exclusive military groups and blocs.” Russia and China need to jointly counter this effort. (TASS)

Northeast Asia

* Japan puts South Korea back on trade “white list”: On June 27, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy of South Korea said that the Japanese Ministry of Trade decided to amend a rule, thereby putting Seoul back on “Group A”. This means that South Korea will enjoy export incentives again. According to the procedure, this measure is expected to take effect in mid-July.

In 2019, in retaliation for a South Korean Supreme Court ruling on wartime forced labor, Tokyo downgraded Seoul to “Group B” after imposing export restrictions on three key industrial materials used in semiconductor production.

Bilateral relations have improved under South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio. In March, the two sides pledged to restore trade ties after South Korea proposed a plan to compensate victims of forced labor without asking Japan to contribute.

At the same time, Tokyo lifted export restrictions on Seoul. In response, South Korea put Japan back on its “white list” in April. (Yonhap)

Europe

* Russian President: The army has prevented a civil war : On June 27, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that he had actually prevented a civil war in Russia, acting clearly and harmoniously. He affirmed that the people and the army did not side with the rebels.

Speaking to soldiers, the Russian President asserted that the redeployment of troops from Ukraine to counter the armed rebellion plotted by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner group, was unnecessary. Mr. Putin said that the pilots who died in the recent incident “fulfilled their orders and their military duty with honor.”

On the same day, RIA (Russia) said that the country's National Guard will be equipped with more heavy weapons and tanks. The newspaper quoted the head of the Russian National Guard Viktor Zolotov as saying that Wagner group fighters would not be able to take Moscow even if they entered the capital. (AFP/RIA/Sputnik)

* Russia claims it does not know where Wagner leader is : On June 27, speaking at a press conference, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the agreement to end the rebellion between Moscow and Wagner is in effect, affirming that President Vladimir Putin always keeps his word. He said he did not know how many Wagner fighters signed contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense after the agreement.

Under the terms of the deal to end the rebellion, Mr Prigozhin was allowed to travel to Belarus, while his fighters were given the opportunity to join Russia's regular armed forces or move to Belarus with him. (Reuters)

* Belarus states the cause of tension between Russia and Wagner : On June 27, Belarusian media quoted Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko as saying that the cause of the incident between Moscow and the private military force was due to management: “We missed the situation, and then we thought we would resolve it ourselves, but it was not resolved... There are no heroes in this.”

He had earlier ordered the military to be on full combat readiness, noting that the top priority was to prevent the situation from escalating. (AFP)

* Russia-Saudi Arabia leaders hold phone call: On June 27, RIA reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin had a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman the same day to discuss bilateral cooperation. The Kremlin stated: "The two sides discussed further development of mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia and Saudi Arabia. They also agreed to continue exchanging information."

For his part, the Saudi Crown Prince expressed support for the Russian President's measures to end the Wagner uprising that broke out on June 24. (Reuters/TASS)

America

* The US invests heavily in high-speed Internet infrastructure : On June 26 (local time), the administration of President Joe Biden announced spending more than 42 billion USD to expand access to high-speed Internet nationwide by 2030. This is part of President Biden's "Invest in America" ​​agenda with the goal of "leaving no one behind".

The White House notes that more than 8.5 million households and small businesses still live and operate in areas that lack high-speed internet. Millions more households and businesses face limited or no reliable internet options.

So this effort is to “ensure that all Americans have access to affordable, reliable high-speed Internet,” the White House said, calling it the “largest” investment in the country’s history. Back in the 1930s, Americans benefited from a public electricity program known as the Rural Electrification Act under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, which brought electricity to nearly every home and farm in America.

The statement was made as the Biden administration strives to promote its achievements in infrastructure investment, the economy and climate change, creating a foundation of support for its 2024 re-election campaign. (VNA)

Middle East-Africa

* Israeli Prime Minister Plans to Visit China : On June 27, the Times of Israel quoted sources as saying that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is planning an official visit to China in July, to hold talks with host President Xi Jinping and meet with other top Chinese officials. At the same time, the source added that the offices of the Israeli and Chinese leaders have held extensive contacts to arrange the visit.

The source said the visit reflects “growing impatience with Washington” and Beijing’s growing influence in the region. At the same time, the Times of Israel noted that, with China’s help, the Jewish state will try to improve relations with Saudi Arabia, as Beijing has recently mediated a rapprochement between Tehran and Riyadh. (Times of Israel)

* Israel-Palestine discuss violence in the West Bank : On June 27, the Israeli Defense Ministry Office announced that Minister Yoav Gallant and Palestinian Interior Minister Hussein Al-Sheikh had a phone call to discuss the violence in the occupied West Bank. During the phone call, Mr. Gallant emphasized: "Israel is concerned about the violence caused by extremists against Palestinian civilians in the past few days...". He affirmed that the Jewish State "will severely punish rioters according to the law".

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant affirmed that Israeli forces will continue to be deployed to locations as requested and that reducing tensions in the West Bank is in the mutual interest of both sides. The office of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Commissioner Al-Sheikh has not yet commented on the phone call. (VNA)

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tin-the-gioi-276-ong-putin-noi-nga-da-tranh-duoc-noi-chien-my-dau-tu-42-ty-usd-vao-linh-vuc-nay-232548.html