World News 8/28: Ukraine makes harsh statement

The Russia-Ukraine conflict and the Middle East, Donald Trump reaching an agreement to debate directly with Kamala Harris, the Pacific Islands Forum making important decisions, the British Prime Minister visiting Germany and France... are some of the outstanding international events of the day.

Donald Trump announced that he has reached an agreement with Kamala Harris on the rules for the live debate on September 10 on ABC. (Source: AFP)

Europe

* Ukraine will not extend the gas transit agreement with Russia , which expires at the end of 2024. At a press conference with Ukrainian television channels, President Volodymyr Zelensky affirmed: "There will be no extension. This issue has been decided."

In response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on August 28: "Such decisions by the Ukrainian side will seriously harm the interests of European consumers, who still want to buy Russian gas with more guarantees and at more economically affordable prices."

According to Mr. Peskov, Russia has alternative routes to supply gas to Europe. (Sputnik)

* Poland is no longer able to supply weapons to Ukraine , as Warsaw has provided Kiev with everything it can, including weapons worth billions of dollars, according to Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz.

According to him, currently, "the security of the Polish state is always the paramount goal" and Kiev must understand that Warsaw "must maintain its capabilities". (PAP)

* Moldova could join the European Union (EU) within the next 4-5 years, according to Moldovan Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu, who also affirmed that Chisinau has support from the EU and the US.

According to Grosu, the current Moldovan government will adhere to European standards for developing domestic policy. (Sputnik)

* Turkey will attend the EU meeting in Brussels (Belgium) after 5 years on August 29, represented by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

According to a Turkish diplomatic source, Ankara sees the EU’s invitation to the meeting as a move to seek dialogue on the intercontinental country’s call to restore ties. Türkiye also hopes that the August 29 meeting will help open channels of dialogue between the two sides.

Foreign Minister Fidan is expected to meet with senior EU officials in Brussels, including EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell and EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi. (Hurriyet Daily News)

* British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Berlin and Paris from August 27 and held talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron. This is Mr. Starmer's first bilateral visit since taking office last month.

The trip is aimed at rebuilding trust with European allies that has been damaged by Brexit. During the visit, Mr Starmer is expected to stress that strengthening relations with Germany and France is "very important". (The Guardian)

* The European Commission (EC) faces two climate lawsuits from environmental activists, demanding that the agency raise emissions standards for 2030 and scrap regulations classifying green investments in the aviation industry.

In a case before the Court of Justice of the European Union (EU), NGOs argue that national limits on greenhouse gas emissions for sectors such as transport and agriculture are unlawful and demand more drastic action from large developed regions such as the EU. The court has given the case priority and could issue a ruling in 2025.

In another lawsuit filed the same day, five other NGOs asked the EC to amend its rules for classifying green investments in the aviation industry, arguing that the EU's current policy amounts to "whitewashing".

The EC has not yet commented on the two lawsuits. (AFP)

Asia-Pacific

* Pacific island nations have approved a $400 million (US$271 million) Australian-funded initiative to boost police training and establish a mobile police unit in the region.

At the Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga on August 28, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the Pacific Policing Initiative will establish four police training centers across the region as well as a separate center in Brisbane.

The initiative would also create a multinational police force that could be deployed to countries in the region for major events or emergencies, ensuring the security of the entire region without the need for foreign intervention. (Reuters)

* China wants to strengthen cooperation with Japan: A cross-party delegation from the Japan-China Friendship Parliamentary Alliance led by Alliance Chairman Toshihiro Nikai met with Chairman of the National People's Congress Zhao Leji and veteran Chinese diplomat Liu Jianchao.

Mr. Zhao Leji declared that peace, friendship and cooperation are the only correct choice for the two countries, and affirmed that Beijing is willing to work with Tokyo to continuously enhance mutual trust, deepen cooperation, properly handle disagreements and promote bilateral relations in the right direction of healthy and stable development.

Meanwhile, Mr. Liu Jianchao emphasized that the relationship between the two countries is at a critical juncture, expressing hope that the two sides will approach the China-Japan relationship "from a broader and long-term perspective, strengthen strategic communication and cooperation in various fields, and constructively manage disagreements."

For his part, noting that people-to-people friendship promotes relations between the two countries, Nikai said the Japan-China Parliamentary Friendship Association is willing to contribute to the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations. (THX)

* Australia has released its Defence Digital Strategy and Roadmap 2024 , which outlines the Department of Defence's approach to delivering information and communications technology (ICT) to support national interests, outlining the department's strategic direction and priorities for improving the digital sector.

The strategy focuses on the Department of Defence’s digital agenda through three core priorities: expanding and upgrading the Australian Defence Force and the Australian Public Service to become the best workforce and reduce reliance on contractors; leveraging the power of leading global platforms; ensuring supply chain resilience, through a focus on strong partnerships to deliver sovereign technologies and capabilities. (Australian Defence Force)

* India-Brazil promote strategic partnership: At the 9th meeting of the India-Brazil Joint Commission (JCM) in Delhi, Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar assessed that the strategic partnership between the two countries has become deeper and more diverse in recent years, covering many areas such as defense, space, security, technology and people-to-people exchanges.

India has expressed its strong support for Brazil's presidency of the Group of 20 (G20).

For his part, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira said that the strategic partnership with India has “promoted rapid development in many areas of cooperation” and “the bilateral agenda has expanded” in recent years. (The Hindu)

Middle East-Africa

* Israel airstrikes hit Hezbollah's missile truck on the night of August 27. The incident occurred about 10 km from the Lebanese city of Baalbek, considered a stronghold of the Hezbollah movement.

A source close to Hezbollah confirmed the attack and said “the ammunition inside the truck caught fire”.

Lebanon's health ministry said one person was injured in the airstrike. (AFP)

* Russia accuses US of monopolizing the Middle East crisis: Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova affirmed on August 28 that the current situation in the Middle East is the result of US ambitions to "monopolize the role of mediator", maintain the status quo and promote "economic peace".

According to her, the US has ignored a lasting solution based on existing decisions of the UN General Assembly and Security Council and thus contributed to the accumulation of the risk of conflict in the Middle East.

The Russian diplomat also said that the US' increased military presence in the region could lead to further escalation and Moscow advocated avoiding actions that could aggravate the situation in the Middle East. (TASS)

* Arab countries criticize plans to change the status quo of Al-Aqsa complex: On August 27, Saudi Arabia criticized statements by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir about the construction of a synagogue inside the Al-Aqsa mosque complex, which Israel calls the Temple Mount.

Saudi Arabia also called on the international community to continue to fulfill its responsibility in ending the humanitarian disaster suffered by the Palestinian people.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) also issued a statement criticizing Minister Ben-Gvir's statements and protesting the encroachment by extremist settler groups and Israeli government ministers at the Al-Aqsa mosque complex.

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi accused Israel of escalating tensions and said the region would be plunged into instability. (Al Monitor)

* The US calls on parties in Libya to engage in constructive dialogue: Commander of the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) Michael Langley and Charge d'Affaires of the US Embassy in Libya Jeremy Berndt met with Libyan National Army (LNA) Commander Khalifa Haftar in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi on August 27.

In a statement posted on social network X , the US Embassy in Libya said that Washington calls on all relevant parties in Libya to engage constructively in the dialogue process, with support from the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMI) and the international community.

America

* Cuba and Russia held inter-ministerial consultations and reaffirmed the two countries' commitment to practicing multilateralism.

According to the Cuban Foreign Ministry, during the Cuban-Russian Foreign Ministry consultations held in Havana, the two sides pledged to absolutely respect the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and international law. (Prensa Latina)

* Many countries support Venezuela's sovereignty: On August 27, the 11th Special Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America - Peoples' Commerce Pact (ALBA-TCP) took place.

ALBA-TCP brings together 10 official members: Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Dominica, Antigua & Barbuda, Saint Vincent & Grenadines, Granada, Saint Kitts & Nevis, and Santa Lucía.

At the end of the conference, the heads of state and government of the ALBA-TCP alliance issued a statement condemning the destabilizing plans and actions from outside that threaten democracy, peace and life in Venezuela.

The ALBA-TCP leaders demanded compliance with the obligation not to directly or indirectly interfere in the internal affairs of any other state and to fully respect the inalienable right of every state to choose its political, economic, social and cultural system.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel also affirmed his support for Venezuela and President Nicolás Maduro, while emphasizing the importance of Latin American solidarity in the current context. (Radiohc)

* Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has made major changes to his Cabinet, including the leaders of the ministries of Oil, Finance and state-owned oil company PDVSA.

According to him, the above changes are a “profound renewal of the government”. He pledged that the members of the Cabinet will help the country “open new paths” and “accelerate the changes that the (Venezuelan) people need”. (Reuters)

* The US sentenced the first person to storm Capitol Hill in the 2021 riot, named Michael Sparks, according to which Judge Timothy Kelly of the appeals court in Washington, DC, sentenced this person to 53 months in prison and a fine of 2,000 USD.

Nearly 1,500 people have been charged for their role in the riots and attacks on the US Capitol building. (Reuters)

* Mr. Trump reached an agreement with Ms. Harris for a televised debate hosted by ABC on September 10.

In a social media post, Republican candidate Donald Trump said the two sides had agreed that the rules for the September 10 debate would be the same as the rules for the CNN debate last June between him and President Joe Biden, before Biden dropped out of the race.

According to Mr Trump, ABC has assured him that the upcoming debate will be "fair and equal", in which neither side will be provided with questions in advance and candidates will not be allowed to bring notes.

However, Kamala Harris' campaign team has not confirmed the rules for the debate on ABC . (Reuters)

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tin-the-gioi-288-ukraine-tuyen-bo-gat-nga-noi-ben-thiet-la-chau-au-thoa-thuan-trump-harris-cac-quoc-dao-thai-binh-duong-quyet-tu-chu-an-ninh-284189.html