Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2024’s Post

UPDATE. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian Killed in Helicopter Crash #iran 🇮🇷 authorities confirmed the death of the President Ebrahim Raisi and the Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian together with other members of the #iranian delegation, which was flying on the helicopter crushed in the country’s remote northwest. The incident might exacerbate existing tensions within the Iranian political elite, especially concerning the succession of the Supreme Leader. Vice President Mohammad Mokhber will assume powers after Raisi’s death. According to the Iranian Constitution, in case of the president’s death or incapacity, the first vice president will take over until an election is held within 50 days. The death of Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian complicates Iran’s foreign relations and diplomatic engagements. He was instrumental in pivotal negotiations, including rapprochement with #saudiarabia 🇸🇦 and indirect discussions with the #unitedstates 🇺🇸. For further information, read our #report: https://lnkd.in/dRHE-fBz #specialeurasia #geopolitics #persianfiles #middleeast #raisi #geopoliticalrisk #foreignaffairs #internationalrelations #geopoliticalintelligence

Ukraine has invited Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to visit a meeting between Chinese and Ukrainian foreign ministers in China. China says it is impartial in the fight, however it keeps tight relations with Russia; it has announced a "no limits" alliance prior to the invasion and lately welcomed Putin for discussions. #UkraineChina #WangYi #DiplomaticRelations #UkraineWar #RussianAggression #InternationalDiplomacy #ChinaRussia #GlobalConflict

Moscow can reduce diplomatic ties with US in response to seizure of Russian assets — MFA Depending on the degree of challenge that theUS continue to pose," the Russian Federation will decide how to respond to this," Deputy Foreign Sergey Ryabkov said MOSCOW, June 19/ Moscow does not rule out that the level of diplomatic relations with Washington can be lowered in response to the seizure of Russian assets, Deputy Foreign Sergey Ryabkov said in an interview with TASS. "[The reaction to US actions] may include retaliatory measures against some Western assets that we have, may include asymmetry of another kind, and lowering the level of diplomatic relations is also in the arsenal of means. There can be a set of steps or it can be one thing. Once again: depending on the intensity of the poison in their actions, we will calibrate our response measures," the senior diplomat said. Ryabkov stressed that "depending on the degree of challenge that they [the US] continue to pose," the Russian Federation will decide how to respond to this. "I do not rule out any options, but I do not anticipate any options. In any case, all this is the subject of a separate political decision, and this decision will be made at the appropriate very high level in Moscow," Ryabkov said. #business #finance #financialservices

#Moldova is possibly facing a coup d’état and unrest, as the Kremlin steps up effort to bring #Chisinau back under Russia’s wing. - Similar scenario in Ukraine in 2013, as current escalation in Moldova coincides with an effort by Chisinau to join the EU.  - #Russia could use Moldova’s territory as a foothold to put pressure on Kyiv from the southwest. - The fact that Russia’s military intelligence has currently joined the effort on Moldova is a cause for concern. - Mlitary intelligence (Simonyan) actively engaged in developing a political base to overthrow the Sandu government and bring Russian puppets to power.  - Moldova might face some military operations, takeover of the government offices, mass clashes, and rise in separatism in Gagauzia, like Russian scenario in the Donbas in 2014.  - Sandu would find herself in a fragile position, which endangers the prospects for democracy in the country.  - Russia will make an indirect attack on Moldova. That, most likely, will be an attempt to roil the country from inside, changing the government for a pro-Russian one.  - Moscow will be able to use the units in #Transnistria and #Russian #GRU special operations forces, moved from #Crimea, for indirect military intervention.

Turkey confirms plans to hold peace talks involving Russia, Ukraine — Erdogan The war between Ukraine and Russia must be ended through talks, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said ANKARA/ Turkey remains ready to arrange and host a Russia-Ukraine peace summit, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said after talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Vladimir Zelensky in Istanbul. "Regrettably, our diplomatic initiative made in Istanbul in 2022 failed to yield results. The war between Ukraine and Russia must be ended through talks. We are poised to hold a peace summit in which Russia will also take part," he said, as broadcast by Turkish television channels. #business #finance #financialservices

Centre Meeting In its weekly Centre meeting, #Europe & #Eurasia Centre members discussed #Russia's relationship with #Turkiye & #Japan, Russia's Population Decline, Russia policy towards #Georgia & #Ukraine, #EU aid to Ukraine, #NATO Exercises, EU & the Caucasus, Relevance of CSTO, Georgia's PM Change.

The onset of dialogue between the Ukrainian authorities and the Belarusian democratic forces began in autumn 2022. However, it did not continue so strongly in 2023. This can be partly explained by the difficult situation on the battlefield in the Russian war against Ukraine, which is naturally the priority for the authorities in Kyiv. At the same time, Ukraine has maintained its diplomatic relations with the authorities in Minsk. In February of 2022, Russian tanks used Belarusian territory to invade Ukraine through the north to try and install a puppet government in Kyiv. After Alyaksandr Lukashenka recognized Crimea as Russian at the end of autumn 2021, the question of warming relations between Kyiv and the Belarusian dictator was finally eliminated. Nevertheless, diplomatic relations remained between Ukraine and Belarus. They were not torn apart even after the outbreak of the full-scale Russian aggression with the participation of Belarus, so a certain official level of dialogue was still ongoing. Read the article by Oleksandr Shevchenko in our latest issue 'Elections without Choice'. https://lnkd.in/d_MDw93t

PM Modi and Putin Discuss Ukraine Visit and Bilateral Progress The visit was a vital diplomatic engagement for the Prime Minister, as it was created just last week. Read more at: https://lnkd.in/eDSkwUMc #indiareportagenews #headlines #breakingnews #worldnews #indianews #latestnews #Dailyupdates

Ukraine’s Path to Peace: President Zelenskyy Unveils Victory Plan Ukraine’s parliament, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has unveiled his ambitious Victory Plan, outlining a strategic roadmap aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s position in its ongoing conflict with Russia. This presentation comes at… #Ukraine #War #Zelensky >>> Read more

''Reformist Masoud Pezeshkian has beaten hardliner Saeed Jalili in the Iranian presidential race. The July 5 runoff drew some six million more voters than the first round of polling on June 28, pushing up turnout to just under 50%. While President-elect Pezeshkian will begin receiving calls and hold discussions with foreign counterparts from July 8, he will not be sworn in before the parliament until early August. This has not, however, stopped Iranian veteran diplomats from immediately backing any effort by Pezeshkian to engage the west and revive the 2015 nuclear deal. Yet, questions remain over to what extent the conservative-dominated political establishment may support such outreach. This comes as Iran’s supreme leader has urged Pezeshkian to follow in the footsteps of his hardline predecessor, late former president Ebrahim Raisi (2021-24). Moreover, facing the potential prospect of renewed Iran-west diplomacy, Israel is not likely to sit idly by.'' Via Amwaj.media #iran #iranelections #diplomacy