Ukrainian President visits NATO headquarters, Putin talks about Israel-Hamas conflict

Gaza Strip is facing the risk of power outage, countries are actively evacuating their citizens from Israel, France and Qatar sign a 'huge' energy deal... are some notable international news in the past 24 hours.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at NATO headquarters on October 11. (Source: AP)

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

* Ukrainian President visits NATO headquarters: On October 11, writing on social network X, Mr. Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the visit to the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) "will be urgent for our resilience this winter".

The Ukrainian president also called on the West to make efforts to support the Israeli people as the bloc did with Kiev after the conflict in the Eastern European country broke out. He noted: "My recommendation to the (Western) leadership is to go to Israel and support those who are being attacked." (AFP)

* Germany announces $1.1 billion defense aid package for Ukraine : On October 10, the country's Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said: "Germany will continue to support Ukraine with what it needs most, such as air defense, ammunition and tanks. With this new winter aid package, we are further strengthening the operational readiness of the Ukrainian armed forces in the coming months."

According to him, the 1 billion Euro (1.1 billion USD) aid package also includes a Patriot air defense missile system, an additional IRIS-T medium-range air defense missile system, and Gepard anti-aircraft artillery tanks. In addition, Ukrainian special forces will also be supported with vehicles, weapons, and other equipment worth more than 20 million Euros (21.20 million USD) to enhance their combat capabilities. (VNA)

* Denmark to deliver F-16 aircraft to Ukraine before April 2024 : On October 11, Danish national television station TV2 quoted Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen as saying that Copenhagen plans to deliver the first F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine in March or April 2024.

Earlier, at the annual meeting of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Copenhagen on October 9, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced that her country was working to “broaden and deepen” an alliance of countries committed to delivering F-16s to Ukraine. The leader affirmed: “As long as the Ukrainians are ready to fight in the conflict for freedom, let us decide that fatigue will not occur in our transatlantic community.” (Reuters)

* Number of Israelis killed in conflict rises sharply : On the morning of October 11, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that the number of people killed in the Hamas attacks since October 7 has exceeded 1,200, with 3,000 injured and the fate of about 150 people kidnapped and taken to the Gaza Strip is still unclear. Meanwhile, on the same day, the health agency in the Gaza Strip announced that a total of 1,055 people have been killed and 5,184 injured in this territory since October 7.

Currently, security forces and the Zaka volunteer group are trying to clean up and complete the necessary procedures to handle the bodies of victims in the war zone. At the same time, since October 10, the Israeli Ministry of Health and major hospitals have had to ask doctors in the field to directly issue death certificates to reduce pressure on hospitals.

Earlier, throughout the night, the IDF carried out airstrikes on more than 200 Hamas targets in the at-Tuffah district of Gaza City and a military facility of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). Accordingly, the IDF neutralized more than 70 Hamas and Jihad militants in the Gaza Strip while continuing to successfully prevent numerous infiltration attempts by land and sea. Israel also carried out airstrikes on Syrian territory overnight after mortar shells were fired from this side towards the Jewish state.

* Israeli Defense Minister to brief NATO partners on the situation : On October 11, during a NATO Defense Ministers' meeting in Brussels, Belgium, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant will brief NATO partners via video on the situation in the Middle Eastern country on October 12. He affirmed that NATO allies criticized Hamas' military operations against civilians over the weekend and wanted to hear from the Israeli Defense Minister about the situation. (AFP)

* Gaza's only power plant is running out of fuel: On October 11, the Chairman of the Palestinian Energy Authority, Thafer Melhem, said that the only power plant in the Gaza Strip currently has only enough fuel for 10 to 12 hours. Since Israel cut off the power supply to the Gaza Strip on October 10, this plant has become the only source of electricity for operations there. The Jewish state has also cut off fuel and clean water supplies and blockaded the Gaza Strip.

In related news, on the same day, the manager of the Islamic University in the Gaza Strip, Ahmed Orabi, said that Israeli warplanes attacked the school in the morning of the same day. The official stated: "The continuous airstrikes completely destroyed a number of buildings of the Islamic University." (VNA)

* US - Israel on military support : On October 10, the White House said that President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a phone call about Washington's military support for the Jewish State. The US leader is expected to speak again on this issue in the next few days.

In another development, on October 11, the US State Department announced that Secretary of State Antony Blinken had a phone call with Israeli Strategy Minister Ron Dermer on October 10, two days before Mr. Blinken visited Israel. According to the statement later, Mr. Blinken “reaffirmed the United States’ unequivocal support for Israel’s right to self-defense” following attacks by the Hamas Islamist movement.

At midnight that same day, the first US flight carrying ammunition landed at Nabatim military airport in southern Israel. The ammunition will be immediately distributed to units in preparation for upcoming situations.

In related news, a US State Department spokesman confirmed that 14 of its citizens were killed by Hamas militants. Another 20 remain missing, although they are believed to be alive. (Reuters)

* Russia, Ukraine express their views on the Israel-Hamas conflict: On October 11, speaking at a press conference, Russian President's press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that the country will maintain contact with both sides and will continue to participate in resolving the issue. This official also affirmed that Moscow's top priority at present is the safety of its citizens present in the territories controlled by both sides.

For his part, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke for the first time about the situation in Israel on October 10. He affirmed that the establishment of a Palestinian state is “necessary” and expressed concern about the “catastrophic increase” in the number of civilian victims.

Also on October 10, in a phone call with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President Putin “stressed the worsening situation in the area of ​​the Israel-Hamas conflict.” Both leaders reiterated the need for an immediate ceasefire and the resumption of the negotiation process. The two sides also discussed urgent measures to avoid escalating the conflict in the region.

In another development, in an interview with France 2 TV channel (France) on the same day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized Moscow: "We are sure that in one way or another Russia is supporting Hamas' activities... The current crisis proves the fact that Moscow is trying to carry out destabilizing actions around the world." He also worried that the international community was too attracted to the situation in Israel and "ignored" the conflict in Ukraine, warning that this would "have consequences." (TASS)

* South Korean President orders response to Israel-Hamas conflict: On October 11, the government held a meeting at the Presidential Palace on measures to respond to the impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

In the presence of key economic and national security officials, including Foreign Minister Park Jin, Defense Minister Shin Won-sik, Industry Minister Bang Moon-kyu and National Intelligence Service Director Kim Kyou-hyun, President Yoon Suk-yeol said that “the Israel-Hamas conflict is escalating” rapidly. “The number of casualties has reached thousands. We cannot rule out the possibility that this conflict will continue to escalate because the positions and interests of many countries are intertwined,” he said.

He noted that along with the conflict in Ukraine, developments in Israel could make the international community even more vulnerable in dealing with multidimensional crises, including energy security and supply chains. “We must remember that if we miss the golden time to proactively manage risks, the people will be the ones who will suffer,” he said. “I ask all relevant ministries to make thorough preparations so that the people will not be hurt or put in even the slightest danger from the economic and security standpoint.” (Yonhap)

* Many countries urgently evacuate their citizens from Israel: On October 11, ABC (USA) reported that Washington is coordinating with other countries to plan to evacuate Palestinians and Americans from the Gaza Strip through a humanitarian corridor to Egypt. At the same time, US President Joe Biden asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to minimize damage to civilians in the Gaza Strip.

On the same day, Fiji's Ministry of Defense said that a Fiji Airways flight had just left Tel Aviv carrying 200 religious pilgrims from the island nation along with citizens of Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States. The plane is expected to land at Fiji's Nadi airport on October 12. Earlier, a large group of Christian pilgrims flew to Israel as the Pacific island nation seeks to move closer to the Jewish state. Fiji also plans to open an embassy in Israel in 2024.

For his part, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that the country is preparing to send two special flights to repatriate citizens from Israel. The first flight is expected to depart on October 13, bringing citizens back to the country via London, England.

On the same day, Lufthansa ( Germany ) airline said it would send four more special flights to Israel on October 12-13 to bring Berlin citizens back home.

Meanwhile, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said that the country's military planes are preparing to evacuate citizens from Israel in the coming days. She stated: "We are planning to begin evacuating Canadians from Israel in the coming days. We will also find solutions to support those who cannot travel to Israel."

Denmark has also ordered preparations to evacuate its citizens. There are currently about 1,200 Danish nationals believed to be in Israel and another 90 in Palestine. Copenhagen is expected to send planes to the region in the next few days.

Finally, on October 11, the Thai Foreign Ministry announced that it had received reports of three more Thais being held hostage by Hamas since the outbreak of hostilities in southern Israel. The total number of Thais held by Hamas has now reached 14. Meanwhile, 20 Thais have been killed and 13 injured.

Southeast Asia

* Cambodia, Brazil agree to strengthen bilateral cooperation : On October 11, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet received Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira at the Peace Palace, Phnom Penh.

At the meeting, Prime Minister Hun Manet welcomed the Brazilian Foreign Minister to Cambodia and highly appreciated the results of cooperation between the two countries in recent times. He hoped that the good bilateral relationship would be further strengthened and expanded. Accordingly, although Cambodia has a new government, its foreign policy, especially in relations with Brazil, will remain stable.

For his part, Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira welcomed the Cambodian government's decision to establish an embassy in Brazil, while Brazil also plans to open an embassy in Phnom Penh in 2024, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the establishment of Cambodia-Brazil diplomatic relations. The top Brazilian diplomat also thanked Cambodia for supporting Brazil to become a sectoral dialogue partner of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during Cambodia's chairmanship of ASEAN in 2022.

At the meeting, Prime Minister Hun Manet also accepted the invitation to visit Brazil at an appropriate time. At the same time, he expressed his wish to invite the Brazilian President to visit Cambodia, especially in 2024, when the two countries celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, and Brazil opens an embassy in Cambodia. (AKP)

South Pacific

* China-Australia relations are at a “ critical juncture ” : Speaking at an event in Melbourne, Australia on October 11, Chinese Ambassador Xiao Tian stressed: “China-Australia relations are at a critical juncture to start over and develop again.” He also noted that Beijing considers Canberra a friend and Australia has no reason to consider China a threat.

On the same day, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that Australian journalist Cheng Lei had returned home after more than three years of detention in China. According to a joint statement by Prime Minister Albanese and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, the journalist's release came after completing legal procedures in China. The joint statement stressed: "Her return will be warmly welcomed, not only by her family and friends, but by all Australians."

Meanwhile, China's Foreign Ministry said the journalist's rights were fully guaranteed in accordance with the law. Beijing respected Australia's consular rights, including visits while the journalist was in detention. A Chinese spokesman confirmed that Ms. Cheng had returned to China after more than three years. (Reuters)

Europe

* Russia concerned about damage to Baltic pipeline , what does NATO say? On October 11, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described information about damage to the Balticconnector gas pipeline carrying gas from Estonia to Finland as worrying, saying that Russia is waiting for more information about the incident. He also noted that Nord Stream was also damaged by "an attack in the Baltic Sea".

For his part, speaking at the NATO defense ministers' meeting in Brussels, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stressed that if the leaking pipeline hypothesis was a deliberate attack on the bloc's critical infrastructure, this is a serious matter and "will receive a united and decisive response from NATO".

Earlier, on October 10, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto announced that the Balticonnector pipeline leak could have been caused by “external influence”. The Finnish President’s Office stated: “The damage to the infrastructure has been taken seriously and an investigation into the cause has been underway since October 8.

Authorities are aware of the situation. Damage to both the gas pipeline and the telecommunications cable may have been the result of external impact. The cause is still unclear. Finland and Estonia are continuing to cooperate in the investigation.” (Reuters)

* Poland to build a port to export Ukrainian grain : On October 10, during a meeting with voters, Polish Agriculture Minister Robert Telus announced that the country's first grain port will be built in Gdansk, mainly to export Ukrainian grain.

According to him, the Polish Food and Feed Investment Company (RSSI) has signed an agreement with the port of Gdansk to implement the project. Minister Telus stressed that the project will help improve grain transportation, especially from Ukraine. He also explained that it is important to create more “solidarity corridors” that allow the transportation of Ukrainian grain by sea, stressing that the lack of supplies to African countries will benefit Russia. (TTXVN)

Middle East-Africa

* Qatar to supply gas to France for 27 years : QatarEnergy, the state-owned energy company of Qatar, announced on October 1 that Doha has agreed to supply natural gas to French energy group TotalEnergies for 27 years. Under the agreement, Qatar will supply 3.5 million tons of gas per year, following two agreements with Total last year to participate in the project to increase the exploitation of the Gulf country's giant North Field gas field.

Qatari Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi stated: “The two new agreements we have signed with our partner TotalEnergies demonstrate our continued commitment to the European market in general and the French market in particular, thereby contributing to ensuring France's energy security.”

Previously, in September last year, Total signed a $1.5 billion deal with QatarEnergy, giving the company a 9.3% stake in Qatar's North Field South project, the second phase of the expansion project.

Earlier, in June 2022, the French energy giant became the first partner in the first ramp-up phase of the North Field East project, investing more than $2 billion to take a 25% stake. Gas deliveries to southern France are expected to begin in 2026. (Reuters)

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tin-the-gioi-1110-tong-thong-ukraine-tham-tru-so-nato-ong-putin-noi-ve-xung-dot-israel-hamas-245741.html