South Asia
United States (US) Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) blamed former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and his outright anti-US stance for the strained ties between the two countries. In contrast, he said Khan’s successor, Shehbaz Sharif, would “help foster bilateral ties.” [The News International]
India resumed free trade agreement discussions with the European Union, its second-largest trading partner, after nine years. Talks have been stalled due to India’s resistance to lowering trade barriers such as tariffs and patent protections. [NDTV]
Central Asia and the Caucasus
While hosting his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan in Athens on Monday, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias reaffirmed Greece’s “firm” support for Armenia on the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute. Dendias offered his backing to ongoing peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve the issue and warned Baku against taking “unilateral actions that could once again threaten peace and security” in the region. [Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs]
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu stressed the importance of connecting the exclave of Nakhchivan with the Azerbaijani mainland during a meeting with his Azerbaijani and Kazakh counterparts in Baku on Wednesday. In this respect, Çavuşoğlu called for fast-tracking the establishment of the Zangezur corridor that would not only connect Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan but also give Turkey direct access to Azerbaijan. [Hurriyet Daily News]
East and Southeast Asia
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee may set up a Chinese-style surveillance system in the autonomous region, a report commissioned by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) revealed. The report argues that the city’s new leader may dilute the powers of administrative officers and restructure the civil service system. [Taipei Times]
After a resounding victory in last month’s general elections, the Philippines’ new president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., is set to take office on Thursday. Also known as “Bongbong,” the new leader will succeed Rodrigo Duterte in the top job. [Khmer Times]
Europe
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced that the alliance will expand its rapid reaction forces almost eight times from 40,000 to 300,000 troops, which will be set aside for any emergency deployment. He said that the decision was the “biggest overhaul of collective defence” since the Cold War and was done to prepare for an “era of strategic competition.” [Al Jazeera]
The European Commission said the bloc is preparing to send stockpiles of equipment and essential medicines to help Ukraine prepare for a prospective chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear attack. In total, the equipment will be worth $11.2 million. [Politico]
India and the United Kingdom concluded a fourth round of talks on a free trade agreement in a hybrid format to discuss a details draft of the treaty on 20 policy issues. The fifth round is scheduled for July 2022 in New Delhi. [UK Government]
On Monday, the Russian Foreign Ministry declared eight Greek diplomats, including the Consul General, persona non grata in retaliation to Greece’s “unfriendly actions” and for pursuing an “anti-Russian policy.” The Ministry told the Greek Ambassador Ekaterini Nassika that the diplomats “must leave the country within eight days.” In response, the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed “deep regret,” claiming that there was “no basis” for the decision. [TASS, Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs]
Latin America and the Caribbean
As the Ukraine war continues to fuel inflationary pressures in the United States (US), senior State Department officials—Roger Carstens, the special presidential envoy on hostage affairs, and Ambassador James Story, the head of the Venezuelan Affairs Unit—arrived in Caracas on Monday to “give continuity to the bilateral agenda.” A State Department spokesperson described the trip as a “welfare visit,” aiming to not only secure the release of US citizens detained in the country but also for deepening oil cooperation through the possible extension of sanctions relief to the oil-rich nation. Ambassador Story also met with opposition leader Juan Guaidó, whom the US continues to view as the legitimate leader of Venezuela. [Associated Press]
On Monday, during a telephonic conversation, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Brazilian counterpart Jair Bolsonaro discussed global food security, energy security, and a path towards strengthening bilateral partnerships. The phone call also included the two sides’ agriculture and energy ministers, wherein Putin guaranteed uninterrupted fertiliser supplies to Brazil despite war-induced shortages. [Reuters]
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
Egypt on Monday agreed to import 180,000 tonnes of wheat from India as Cairo looks to diversify its wheat imports. Egypt depended on Ukraine and Russia for more than 80% of its wheat imports but following the war, supplies have been disrupted and Egypt’s wheat stocks have been dwindling. [Reuters]
Iran has submitted an application to join the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) alliance, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Monday. Khatibzadeh said that consultation was ongoing and Iran’s membership would bring “added results” for BRICS. [Tasnim News Agency]
A toxic gas leak in Jordan’s port of Aqaba on Monday killed at least 13 people and injured almost 250. The incident occurred when a crane crashed while loading chlorine tanks onto a ship. [Associated Press]
North America
46 people were found dead in a tractor-trailer and 16 have been hospitalised, including four children, in a suspected case of smuggling migrants into the country in San Antonio, Texas. “They were suffering from heat stroke and exhaustion… It was a refrigerated tractor-trailer, but there was no visible working AC unit on that rig,” Fire chief Charles Hood said. Police Chief William McManus revealed that three people have been arrested but it is unclear if they are connected with human trafficking. [Associated Press]
Canadian Prime Minister (PM) Justin Trudeau announced additional sanctions against Russia and Belarus on Monday, targeting their defence sectors. Canada will also take immediate measures to ban the export of certain advanced technologies that could improve Russia’s domestic defence manufacturing capability. “Vladimir Putin and his regime have caused untold pain and suffering in Ukraine and across the world. Together, with our G7 counterparts, Canada is stepping up our continuous and coordinated pressure to bring about the end of Vladimir Putin’s war of choice,” Trudeau remarked. [Prime Minister of Canada]
Oceania
Australia’s new Minister for International Development and Pacific, Pat Conroy, said on Tuesday that Canberra will set up a defence academy to train Pacific island militaries, as China seeks to expand its influence in the region. To this end, it will double its funding for aerial surveillance of the region. [The Straits Times]
During her official visit to Vietnam on Monday, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said that Canberra has always valued Hanoi’s role in the region and that the new Albanese government is committed to further strengthening the strategic partnership with Vietnam. Both sides agreed to expand collaboration in areas of climate change, green growth, and sustainability. [VN Express]
Sub-Saharan Africa
Speaking at the opening plenary session of the second United Nations Ocean Conference in Lisbon on Monday, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta called for urgent global “action that is driven by science, technology, and innovation” to address the threats to oceans and marine biodiversity. Stating that the world’s oceans are a “global common good,” he noted that two-thirds of oceans lie beyond Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, and expressed concern over poor management and indiscriminate dumping of toxic wastes and plastics that have “put such a critical resource at risk.” [Kenyan Presidency]
Rwandan Air Force Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Jean-Jacques Mupenzi on Monday received Qatar’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Joint Operations, Maj Gen Ibrahim Juma Al-Malki Al-Jehani, in Kigali. The Qatari delegation is on a three-day working visit to Rwanda from June 27-29, during which they will also visit the Rwanda Military Academy in Gako. [Rwanda Ministry of Defence]