Trump’s Policies Shake Up Foreign Relations. India Stands to Gain.
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Russian allies Belarus and Iran agree to boost bilateral defense ties
Both governments have been placed under heavy sanctions, limiting potential trading partners. Pezeshkian said Iran would help Belarus to “neutralize’ such measures. Lukashenko called the strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure “a serious threat to regional and international stability and security” The two presidents also said their countries would start work toward a strategic partnership treaty, the two governments said. The two parties did not disclose any further details on how the countries intend to cooperate.
Presidents Alexander Lukashenko and Masoud Pezeshkian signed a package of 13 documents in the Belarusian capital, Minsk.
Both governments have been placed under heavy sanctions, limiting potential trading partners. Pezeshkian said Iran would help Belarus to “neutralize” such measures, citing Tehran’s decades of experience circumventing Western economic restrictions.
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Lukashenko told Pezeshkian that Belarus was “ready to cooperate with you on all issues — from providing your country with food to military-technical cooperation,” calling the Iranian president a “friend.”
The two parties did not disclose any further details on how the countries intend to cooperate in the defense sector. Other areas covered by the agreement include industry and tourism, as well as joint initiatives in science, technology and education.
Access to Belarus’ wood processing and chemical industry, as well as potash fertilizers, can all bring potential benefits to Iran.
The two presidents also said their countries would start work toward a strategic partnership treaty.
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Lukashenko, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, allowed Russia to use Belarusian territory as a staging ground for Moscow’ full-scale invasion of Ukraine and later allowed the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear missiles.
Iran has supplied Russia with drones for use in the war, and Pezeshkian signed a strategic cooperation treaty with Putin in January, although it did not include a mutual defense clause.
The Iranian president’s visit to Minsk has been postponed several times due to U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Lukashenko called the strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure “a serious threat to regional and international stability and security.”
“We support Iran’s legitimate right to develop peaceful nuclear energy,” Lukashenko said.
Sa’ar: Europe needs to decide if it is on Israel’s or radical Islam’s side
Gideon Sa’ar: Europe must decide if it’s on Israel’s side or the side of radical Islam. This was in response to Danish PM Frederiksen telling Jyllands-Posten that Netanyahu is personally a problem and that Israel is going too far. Sa’ar called this ‘disrespectful to Israeli democracy,’ and said he spoke to Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen about it. Frederikson said she supported Israel and its right to defend itself, but that the level of “human suffering is incomprehensible,” adding that she did not support recognizing a Palestinian state at this time.
Europe must decide if it’s on Israel’s side or the side of radical Islam, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said in a Tuesday Facebook post.
“The same countries that criticize Israel’s policy are actually very fond of the fruits of that policy in Iran, Lebanon, and Syria,” Sa’ar added.
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In the post, Sa’ar was referring to an interview with Danish daily Jyllands-Posten on Monday, where he discussed the criticism levied against Israel by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in the same outlet last week.
“This goes beyond the disagreements we’ve had before,” Sa’ar told Jyllands-Posten.
“We consider the Danish prime minister a friend, but to say that an elected prime minister [Benjamin Netanyahu] has become a problem, not only insults that prime minister, but the entire Israeli democratic system,” Sa’ar added.
Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen attends a press conference after the contact committee meeting in Torshavn, Faroe Islands, June 17, 2025; illustrative. (credit: Ritzau Scanpix/Ida Marie Odgaard/via REUTERS)
This came in response to Frederiksen’s comments to Jyllands-Posten, in which she said that Netanyahu is “a problem in himself,” and stated that Israel would be better off without him as prime minister. “It’s a government that, in our eyes, goes too far,” she said.
Danish PM’s statements are ‘disrespectful to Israeli democracy,’ Sa’ar claims
“These statements are disrespectful to the Israeli democracy, the Israeli people’s choice, and the Israeli parliament,” Sa’ar said.
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Sa’ar also noted that he spoke directly with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and expressed his disappointment with Frederiksen’s comments.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar (R) with his Danish counterpart Lars Rasmussen in Jerusalem, January 13, 2025; illustrative. (credit: SHLOMI AMSALEM/GPO)
“Things will happen in dialogue. We have not given up on Denmark. We have common interests, values, and challenges,” Sa’ar said.
Frederiksen said that while her country condemned Netanyahu, she did not support recognizing a Palestinian state at this time.
In a Saturday Facebook post, the Danish leader stated that “recognizing Palestine here and now will not help the thousands of children currently fighting for their survival, no matter how much one might wish it.”
While Frederiksen said she supported Israel and its right to defend itself, she also added that the level of “human suffering is incomprehensible.”
Israel approves plan to conquer Gaza City, calls up reservists
Israel’s defence minister approved a plan on Wednesday for the conquest of Gaza City and authorised the call-up of around 60,000 reservists. The move, confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson, came as mediators awaited an official Israeli response to their latest proposal in ceasefire talks. The framework that Hamas had approved proposes an initial 60-day truce, a staggered hostage release, the freeing of some Palestinian prisoners and provisions allowing for the entry of aid into Gaza. A senior Israeli official said the government stood firm on its call for the release of all hostages in any agreement. Israel and Hamas have held on-off indirect negotiations throughout the war, resulting in two short truces during which Israeli hostages were released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Israeli military official told journalists on Wednesday that the new phase of combat would involve “a gradual precise and targeted operation in and around Gaza City” French President Emmanuel Macron said the offensive “can only lead to a complete disaster for both peoples”, warning it would “drag the region into a permanent war”
Defence Minister Israel Katz’s move, confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson, came as mediators awaited an official Israeli response to their latest proposal in ceasefire talks.
While mediator Qatar had expressed guarded optimism over the latest proposal, a senior Israeli official said the government stood firm on its call for the release of all hostages in any agreement.
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The framework that Hamas had approved proposes an initial 60-day truce, a staggered hostage release, the freeing of some Palestinian prisoners and provisions allowing for the entry of aid into Gaza.
On the ground in Gaza City on Wednesday, Mustafa Qazzaat, head of the emergency committee in the Gaza municipality, described the situation as “catastrophic”, with “large numbers” fleeing eastern neighbourhoods.
One resident, Anis Daloul, 64, said the Israeli military had “destroyed most of the buildings in Zeitoun and displaced thousands of people”.
Israel’s security cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the plan to conquer Gaza City in early August, sparking fears it would worsen the already catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
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According to Israeli media reports, Netanyahu has not yet called a security cabinet meeting to discuss any response to the latest truce proposal.
His office said in a statement Wednesday that the premier “has directed that the timetables for seizing control of the last terrorist strongholds and the defeat of Hamas be shortened”, without indicating a specific timeframe.
– ‘Permanent war’ –
Netanyahu has come under growing pressure at home and abroad to end the war, with the German government saying on Wednesday that it “rejects the escalation” of Israel’s campaign.
French President Emmanuel Macron said the offensive “can only lead to a complete disaster for both peoples”, warning it would “drag the region into a permanent war”.
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Katz’s approval of plans to conquer Gaza City came days after Hamas said it had accepted the latest proposal from mediators for a ceasefire to halt almost two years of devastating war.
Sources from Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad told AFP on Wednesday that the proposal envisages the release of 10 hostages and 18 bodies from Gaza.
The remaining captives would be released in a second exchange within the 60-day period, during which negotiations for a permanent ceasefire would take place, the sources said.
Israel and Hamas have held on-off indirect negotiations throughout the war, resulting in two short truces during which Israeli hostages were released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
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Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas’s October 2023 attack that triggered the war, 49 are still in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.
Qatar, one of the mediators in the talks, said the latest proposal was “almost identical” to an earlier version agreed by Israel.
Netanyahu has yet to publicly comment on the truce plan but said last week that his country would accept “an agreement in which all the hostages are released at once and according to our conditions for ending the war”.
– ‘Gradual operation’ –
An Israeli military official told journalists on Wednesday that the new phase of combat would involve “a gradual precise and targeted operation in and around Gaza City”, including some areas where forces had not previously operated.
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Gaza’s civil defence agency said Israeli strikes and fire killed at least 25 people across the territory on Wednesday.
When contacted by AFP, the Israeli military asked for coordinates and specific timeframes to comment on the reports but said it would look into reports of eight people killed by Israeli fire near an aid site in the centre of Gaza.
Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties accessing swathes of the Palestinian territory mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civil defence agency or the Israeli military.
The Israeli military said it killed 10 Hamas militants in southern Gaza on Wednesday while repelling an attack by the armed wing of the Islamist group, which claimed it killed several Israeli soldiers.
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Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
Israel’s offensive has killed at least 62,122 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, which the United Nations considers reliable.
In the West Bank, Israel on Wednesday approved a major settlement project in an area that the international community has warned threatens the viability of a future Palestinian state.
The Palestinian Authority swiftly condemned the approval “in the strongest terms”, saying it entrenched division in the territory.
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Wadephul criticizes China, North Korea over Indo-Pacific tensions
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul accused China and North Korea of threatening international stability through aggressive actions in the Indo-Pacific. “The rule is always that borders must not be shifted by force,” he said during a visit to the 7th US Fleet and a Japanese naval base in Yokosuka, south of Tokyo. The US 7th Fleet has been stationed in Japan under a bilateral security pact signed in 1960 to help safeguard the country. The German navy last participated in the monitoring with ships in 2024 and since the beginning of this year Germany has been represented in the group by a permanent liaison officer. On Wednesday, he will continue his trip in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta.
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what’s in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what’s in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Tuesday accused China and North Korea of threatening international stability through aggressive actions in the Indo-Pacific.
“The rule is always that borders must not be shifted by force. Neither in Europe, nor in the Indo-Pacific, nor anywhere else in the world,” Wadephul said during a visit to the 7th US Fleet and a Japanese naval base in Yokosuka, south of Tokyo.
Speaking to journalists, Wadephul highlighted the vital role strong partnerships play in maintaining peace, security and stability.
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He described the base as strategically important for preserving stability in the Indo-Pacific and noted that, alongside close G7 partners Japan and the United States, Germany shares concerns over rising tensions in the region.
The US 7th Fleet has been stationed in Japan under a bilateral security pact signed in 1960 to help safeguard the country.
More than 26,000 US service members live and work at the Yokosuka base. Its area of operations covers 36 countries, and up to 70 warships, including an aircraft carrier and submarines, are permanently deployed there.
Wadephul warned that China’s military build-up and push to become the world’s technological leader through big data and artificial intelligence pose a challenge in the region.
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He urged Beijing not to alter the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, stressing that the United Nations Charter’s prohibition on the use of force applies in the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea and the East China Sea.
Sharp criticism of North Korea’s rhetoric and manoeuvres
The foreign minister also sharply criticized North Korea’s rhetoric and manoeuvrers which he said are escalating tensions.
Pyongyang continues to expand its nuclear arsenal, conduct ballistic missile tests in violation of international law and support Russia’s war in Ukraine with military personnel, undermining peace in both the Indo-Pacific and Europe, Wadephul said.
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He criticized North Korea’s activities as violating several UN Security Council resolutions.
At the Yokosuka base, he was briefed on the work of the multinational coordination group that monitors UN sanctions against North Korea.
The German navy last participated in the monitoring with ships in 2024 and since the beginning of this year Germany has been represented in the group by a permanent liaison officer.
Wadephul said the coordination group’s work makes it “more difficult and more costly for anyone attempting to circumvent the sanctions.”
Germany’s top diplomat arrived in Japan on Monday. On Wednesday, he will continue his trip in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta.
Chinese troops swelter through rehearsal for major military parade
China to unveil new domestically produced military hardware at a parade next month. President Xi Jinping will inspect troops in the capital’s Tiananmen Square. The event will mark 80 years since the end of World War II. Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and other world leaders are expected to attend. China has the world’s second-largest military budget but lags well behind the United States, its primary strategic rival. It raised its defence spending for 2025 by 7.2 percent in March. The increase comes as Beijing’s armed forces undergo rapid modernisation and eye deepening strategic competition with the U.S. The ruling Communist Party has held a series of blockbuster events in recent years to commemorate its wartime resistance.
President Xi Jinping will inspect troops in the capital’s Tiananmen Square at the event to mark 80 years since the end of World War II, with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and other world leaders expected to attend.
Pin-straight lines of men and women clutching guns packed the pavement at a rehearsal on a military training square under the hot sun in northwest Beijing on Wednesday.
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Soldiers in their twenties stared sternly as sweat collected on their faces and soaked through their fatigues.
Wang Ranran, an army guard, said she was “extremely proud” to participate in the parade on September 3.
“China often uses the term ‘steel-gun rose’ to describe its female soldiers,” she said. “The combination of roses and guns, we really like it.”
Troops wearing white, green and navy blue uniforms with Chinese flags on their chests started and stopped to the piercing voices of the officers directing the show.
Training that is “strict, difficult and practical” has always been the army’s tradition, said Lan Yu, a second-level staff sergeant.
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Rehearsals had not lasted long, he said, because parade training was part of their daily schedule.
– New hardware –
Millions of Chinese people were killed during a prolonged war with imperial Japan in the 1930s and 40s, which became part of a global conflict following Tokyo’s attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.
The ruling Communist Party has held a series of blockbuster events in recent years to commemorate its wartime resistance.
China’s military will showcase its latest equipment on September 3, “reflecting the evolution of modern warfare”, Major General Wu Zeke, an official at China’s military commission, told a news briefing on Wednesday.
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“All of the weapons and equipment taking part in this review were selected from domestically produced, currently active main battle systems, with a significant proportion being newly unveiled equipment,” Wu said.
These will include strategic heavy weapons and hypersonic precision systems, as well as unmanned and counter-unmanned equipment making their public debut, he said.
The parade, which will last around 70 minutes, will “fully showcase our military’s powerful capability to prevail in modern war”, Wu said.
It will also feature ground troops marching in formation, armoured columns, aerial echelons and other high-tech fighting gear.
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The Kremlin has confirmed that Putin will attend, and Chinese officials said other world leaders were also expected at the parade.
China raised its defence spending for 2025 by 7.2 percent in March.
The increase comes as Beijing’s armed forces undergo rapid modernisation and eye deepening strategic competition with the United States.
China has the world’s second-largest military budget but lags well behind the United States, its primary strategic rival.
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