China

Ukraine cannot agree with China's demands to invite Russia to a peace summit, as this would distort the goal of the summit - to develop a collective position of the international community for further transmission of proposals to Russia.

The EU has imposed sanctions on 9 more individuals and legal entities from North Korea for supporting Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine by providing military assistance and circumventing UN sanctions.

Washington and Beijing held high-level talks to ease tensions and discuss cooperation in areas of mutual interest, such as the fight against drugs. The parties also discussed differences over Taiwan, the war in Ukraine and other issues.

Zelensky says a peace deal with Russia would be a "trap" because Putin would break any agreement and use any pause in the fighting to "strengthen his muscles" before striking again.

Agreements on a peace conference on Ukraine in Switzerland next month are still far from meeting China's needs and the general expectations of the international community, making it difficult for China to participate, Beijing said.

China has confirmed that it will not attend a peace conference on Ukraine to be held in Switzerland next month, citing four sources directly familiar with the matter, Reuters reports.

China is ready to take more decisive countermeasures in response to any attempts by the United States to violate its sovereignty and security interests.

Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian said China was responsible for exporting military products, responding to the United States ' accusations of supporting the Russian defense industry, and stressed China's desire for a peaceful settlement of the conflict.

China has resumed military exercises around Taiwan, putting pressure on the island nation through military exercises and unilaterally opening up new air routes near Taiwan-controlled islands, which Taiwan's foreign minister described as China's attempt to "bite off" Taiwan's space and create a new norm.

Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Iryna Borovets met with Chinese ambassador fan Xianzhong to discuss China's support for Ukraine's peace initiatives, including the Global Peace Summit in Switzerland, and called on China to actively participate in the fight against human rights violations caused by Russian aggression.

Biden's participation in the peace summit in Switzerland remains uncertain, as the United States has not confirmed his presence, possibly for security reasons. Its presence or high-level representation by the United States is crucial for demonstrating Western support for Ukraine's peace initiative.

Beijing will send a new pair of giant pandas named Bao Li and Qing Bao to The Washington National Zoo in the United States as part of a 10-year agreement marking a new era of "panda diplomacy" between the two superpowers.

Russia plans to raise corporate income tax from 20% to 25% and personal income tax for high-income individuals from 15% to 22% starting in 2025 to cover the budget deficit caused by the war in Ukraine.

According to a report by Amnesty International, at least 1,153 people were executed worldwide in 2023, up 31% from the previous year, with a sharp increase in Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Russian companies facing difficulties in trading with China due to Western sanctions are increasingly using cryptocurrencies such as Tether and barter transactions to circumvent financial restrictions.

China calls for safe navigation in the Red Sea region and an end to the conflict in Gaza to prevent further humanitarian disaster and regional tensions.

Japan has scrambled its fighter jets after detecting a new Chinese Wing Loong-10 reconnaissance and strike drone near Okinawa Prefecture.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that if White House Chief of Staff Joe Biden does not attend the Global Peace Summit, Russian leader Vladimir Putin will give him a standing ovation, as Ukraine expects Biden to attend this important event.

China is preparing civilian ferries and ships for a possible invasion of Taiwan amid mounting pressure on the island nation over a shortage of military landing craft.

At the trilateral summit, Japan, South Korea, and China reaffirmed the importance of North Korea's denuclearization and agreed to continue efforts to resolve the Korean Peninsula issue politically.

China is launching the world's largest chip development fund, worth $47. 5 billion, to strengthen its technological leadership and reduce its dependence on US technology exports.

A former German army officer has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison for spying for Russian intelligence services by passing classified military information.

North Korea and China are the most significant supporters of Russia's war against Ukraine, providing military aid, microelectronics for missiles and tanks, and more than a million artillery shells, while Russia shares with the DPRK technologies that allow them to develop their missile and nuclear programs.

China has no information about sending a delegation to the Ukraine Peace Summit scheduled for June 15-16 in Switzerland, but supports efforts to reach a peaceful settlement and “political solution” to the “crisis.

The EU is considering how to move from the upcoming Peace Summit in Switzerland to a possible meeting in Saudi Arabia in the fall with Russia's participation.

Putin arrives in Uzbekistan for talks with President Mirziyoyev, his third foreign visit since his inauguration for a fifth term, aimed at deepening relations between the two countries.

The leaders of China, Japan, and South Korea met in Seoul for the first trilateral talks in four years to resume dialogue on trade, security, economy, science, technology, people-to-people exchanges, health, and aging.

The United States will take part in the Peace Summit in Switzerland, which begins on June 15 and aims to unite global opinion on how to stop the Russian-Ukrainian war, but it remains unclear at what level the United States will be represented.

China conducted military exercises around Taiwan, simulating attacks and boarding ships after the inauguration of Taiwan's new president, Lai Tsing-jeou, prompting the US State Department to express "deep concern" and call on Beijing to act with restraint to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

President Zelenskyy criticized China for trying to balance between Ukraine and Russia instead of protecting Ukraine's territorial integrity as one of the guarantors of the Budapest Memorandum.