Over the past four years, we have prioritised cooperation within the Nordic-Baltic circle and with Poland. For the second time, Swedish fighter aircraft are participating in air surveillance from Poland to protect NATO's airspace and continue deliveries of weapons to Ukraine. By fully cooperating with our friends and allies in NATO, we strengthen Sweden's, Europe's, and NATO's security. : Ulf Kristersson Prime Minister of Sweden

Our continent needs progressive governments that believe in European unity, democracy, peace, cooperation between countries, and an economic development that is fair and sustainable. Today, together with Emmanuel Macron, we reaffirm the commitment of France and Spain to building that shared future. Together, for a Europe of progress. : Pedro Sánchez Prime Minister of Spain

China reminded the US and Iran to return to the framework of the Islamabad memorandum of understanding (MoU) and resume dialogue. - Reiterating support for ending disputes through political and diplomatic means, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Beijing hopes that Iran and the United States “will choose peace, recommit themselves to the Islamabad memorandum of understanding, and resume dialogue and negotiations as soon as possible.”

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud has met members of the US Senate Armed Services Committee during his visit to the country to discuss defence and security cooperation. - The Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday that Prince Faisal and other Saudi officials, including the kingdom’s ambassador to the US, held discussions with committee members regarding defence coordination, regional security efforts, and the latest developments in the region.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi says Iraq has entered a new chapter of “sovereignty” following the withdrawal of the US-led coalition from the country. - “A new phase has begun defined by Iraq’s sovereignty, the strength of its institutions, the readiness of its forces, unity of decision-making, and balanced partnerships with its friends,” al-Zaidi said at a ceremony marking the end of the coalition’s 12-year mission.

The issue of relocating Russian-made S-400 systems from Turkey to a friendly country is on the agenda, and relevant work is underway, Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said. - "The topic is on the agenda, relevant work is being conducted, and appropriate communication is in progress," he said in response to a question whether Russia is considering the possibility the systems may be moved from Turkey to a friendly country.

Joint US-Japanese military exercises Keen Sword will take place from October 19 to 29 in Japan and adjacent waters with the participation of seven other countries, including Australia, Germany, and France, the Defense Ministry said. - On the Japanese side, about 45,000 soldiers and officers as well as about 40 warships and 250 aircraft will be involved, it said.

China and Russia will deepen comprehensive strategic cooperation and improve the global governance system, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Guo Jiakun said, commenting on the 77th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. - "We are confident that under the guidance of the two heads of state, China and Russia will uphold the original principles of establishing diplomatic relations, deepen comprehensive strategic cooperation, regard promoting the development and rejuvenation of their countries as an important mission, and reforming and improving global governance as a responsibility of major powers, constantly opening up broader prospects for bilateral relations…

Russian gas was one of the fundamental elements of European industry’s competitiveness and Europe itself gave it up, French President Emmanuel Macron said at an economic forum in Madrid. - "We have a problem with competitiveness and innovation. Europe's competitiveness largely relied <...> on inexpensive Russian gas, which triggered a crisis across the entire continent. We severed these supplies, which were key to the competitiveness of our industry, due to .

Dialogue within the G20 can serve as an effective tool for addressing the risks of fragmentation in international trade and preserving the effectiveness of the multilateral trading system based on WTO rules, Russian Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov wrote in his column "G20 Trade Crossroads: Where Countries Meet or Part Ways?" for US magazine Newsweek. - "The G20 forum has repeatedly demonstrated its relevance in preserving the stability of world trade…

South Korea made no promise ‌to provide military support for Ukraine's fight against Russia in the transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers, a South Korean lawmaker said on Wednesday, citing the country's intelligence agency. - Ukraine imposed no preconditions on the transfer of the pair captured ​during fighting in Russia's Kursk region, Yoo Yeong-ha, a lawmaker from the opposition People Power Party, ​told reporters after a briefing by South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS).

South Africa's foreign affairs ministry called in US Ambassador Leo Brent Bozell III on Tuesday for a third time over what it described ​as "undiplomatic conduct," a senior government official told Reuters, but did not ‌elaborate on what the conduct was. - "We can confirm that we demarched Ambassador Bozell. The third demarche since he started his duties nine months ago…

North Korea on Wednesday dismissed as a "farce" a South Korean investigation that found Pyongyang responsible for a mine blast in the Demilitarized Zone that wounded South Korean soldiers, as the UN Command said the incident constituted a violation of the Korean War armistice. - Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korea's ​leader Kim Jong Un, accused Seoul of trying to fabricate evidence after blaming Pyongyang for last week's explosion.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi received US feedback via Qatari mediators in ​Doha on Tuesday on a seven-day plan aimed ‌at building trust between Washington and Tehran, with sequencing the main sticking point, an official, who was not Iranian but was briefed on the ​talks, told Reuters. - Araqchi is expected to discuss the US ​response in Tehran on Wednesday…

Myanmar's junta chief-turned-President Min Aung Hlaing will visit Malaysia in October, Malaysia's state news agency reported on ​Wednesday, as the two countries continue talks on returning ‌refugees and people displaced by conflict. Malaysia deported nearly 1,500 Myanmar nationals on Tuesday on three ships sent by the Myanmar government, despite concerns from the United Nations ​and rights groups over the safety of those being returned to ​the war-torn nation.

France and Britain are in talks ​to end their "one in, one out" migration ‌deal, a French interior ministry source said on Wednesday. - "We are discussing the terms of withdrawal from the ​agreement with the British," the source ​said. - Under the agreement, announced last year in ⁠a bid to reduce small-boat crossings of ​the English Channel…

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called for efforts to achieve ​full-year economic targets while reiterating firm ‌opposition to Taiwan independence and external interference, according to a speech he delivered at a reception marking ​the 77th anniversary of the founding ​of the People's Republic. - "We should ... deepen ⁠cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, resolutely combat separatist ​forces advocating Taiwan independence, and oppose interference ​by external forces…

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said Tehran would use all means to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity while continuing to pursue diplomacy to protect its national interests. - He told Iran’s IRIB that Iranians would never abandon their demand for justice and accountability for what he described as “US and Israeli war crimes”. - “Iran has always remained committed to using diplomacy to safeguard its national interests and ensure peace in the region,” Araghchi said.

Pakistan will use “whatever means are available” to defend Saudi Arabia against Houthis, the country’s defence minister said. - Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif declined to say whether Pakistani forces had already participated in airstrikes. - He said, however, that Pakistan’s military capabilities would be available to Saudi Arabia.

China has opened a new military support and training centre in Laos, Beijing’s Ministry of National Defence said on Tuesday, a rare overseas expansion. • The China-Laos Joint Support and Training Center and the China-Laos Friendship Aviation Academy are now operational at an airport in Ban Keun, the ministry said in a statement. • “The two institutions, jointly maintained and operated by both sides, aim to help Laos strengthen the training of its air force pilots…

The European Commission is pitching measures to protect the EU from any efforts by future members to weaken democratic structures and prevent them vetoing decisions, according to a draft document seen by Reuters. - As Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine and Moldova make progress on their European Union accession bids, the bloc is examining the implications of expansion and whether to change its rules for new members.

Ukraine reached an agreement with Belgium to receive three F-16 fighter jets by the end of the year, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday. - In a post on US social media platform X, Zelenksyy said Belgium and other countries, including Spain, have already provided urgent deliveries of F-16s ammunition. - “When Russia escalates daily, it is necessary to add capabilities for shooting down aerial targets and protecting people…

Prime Minister Andy Burnham risked reopening the bitter division over Britain’s departure from the European Union on Tuesday by vowing to seek a consensus on closer ties with the bloc. - The promise comes 10 years after Britain voted to leave the EU — a decade marked by political instability, weak economic growth and a divisive debate about how closely the country should tie its fortunes to those of its nearest and largest trading partner.

Spain is planning to override standard migration procedures and tighten rules on asylum seeking for migrants who arrived in its North African enclave of Ceuta in July’s mass crossing, a draft decree seen by Reuters showed, prompting outcry from legal experts and NGOs. - The decree, designed to speed up applications and deportations for the over 10,000 migrants who remain in the tiny territory, would mark a major strategic shift for Spain’s leftist, pro-immigration government, a staunch advocate of multilateral rules and institutions, as it struggles to contain the political fallout from the border crisis. 

The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday extended by six months the mandate of an international security force in Haiti intended to fight powerful armed groups that have taken control of much of the country. - Twelve nations voted to renew the mandate of the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) and none voted against. Three nations, however, abstained: China, Russia and Pakistan…

China has vowed a "resolute response" to safeguard its industries if the European Union goes ahead with restrictions against Chinese companies or products, according to its commerce ministry. - The ministry was referring to a reported joint document drafted by some EU member states pushing for a tool to tackle unfair trade and take more forceful measures against China. - The…

UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited Saudi Arabia on Tuesday and met with the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the kingdom’s defence minister, the first visit by a senior UAE official to the kingdom since a deep rift emerged between the two Gulf powers last year. - The visit, following an invitation by Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman…

US forces withdraw from their remaining bases in Iraq on Wednesday, raising fears they will leave behind ​a security vacuum, further embolden Iranian-backed militias and give the resurgent Islamic State group an opening to regroup. - The departure, ‌celebrated as a victory by Tehran and its allies, was agreed in 2024 under President Joe Biden and carried out by Donald Trump's administration even as it wages war against Iran, which wields influence in Iraq through proxies.

The Czech Republic would be ready to honour its NATO commitments in the event of a Russian attack on a Baltic ​country, Prime Minister Andrej Babis told a Czech news website on ‌Tuesday. - Babis, whose government includes a pro-Russian anti-immigrant party, has halted Czech contributions to military aid for Ukraine and also opted out of EU and NATO financing and military ​aid pledges for Kyiv.

The next regular session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute, the governing, administrative, and legislative organ of the International Criminal Court (ICC), will be held in the Hague instead of New York, the ICC press service said. - The Bureau of the Assembly of States Parties decided that the twenty-fifth session of the Assembly, originally scheduled to take place at United Nations Headquarters in New York, will be relocated to The Hague from 30 November to 7 December 2026 (inclusive), with Saturday, 5 December and Sunday, 6 December as working days…

Berlin is holding talks with its partners on increasing supplies for Ukraine’s air defense, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said. - He noted that consultations on further assistance to Ukraine are underway ahead of the next European Council meeting, scheduled for October 15 and 16 in Brussels. "We are also discussing very specific support for the Ukrainian budget," Merz said at a joint news conference with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Berlin.

Slovakia does not want a new Iron Curtain in Europe, Slovak Foreign and European Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar said following talks with his German counterpart Johann Wadephul in Bratislava. - "We do not want another Iron Curtain to be erected between Europe and Russia. Russia is here to stay. We need to move toward peace talks and peace -- the sooner, the better…

Russia is prepared to use all means, including nuclear weapons, to defend the Kaliningrad Region from isolation, the Russian Embassy in Ireland said in a statement. - "There has been information that NATO is preparing an air and naval blockade of Kaliningrad and the Kaliningrad Region. This is not fiction, but a matter of grave concern to Russia. The…

On Tuesday, September 29, I met with the newly appointed members of the Consultative Board of the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS). The TCS is undertaking various programs to promote cooperation among Korea, Japan, and China. Through exchanges among young people, entrepreneurs, and academics, the TCS is creating opportunities for the people of the three countries to deepen mutual understanding and build stronger friendships.

Based on the information collected by the Estonian Internal Security Service Kaitsepolitsei we can conclude with certainty that the arson attack on Milrem Robotics premises that took place on the night of 14–15 august in Tallinn was an act of sabotage ordered by the special services of the Russian Federation. Such actions are absolutely unacceptable. In response, the MFA Estonia will today summon Russia’s Chargé d’affaires.

A constructive exchange in Brussels with David Cvach, Deputy Secretary General of the EEAS for Peace, Security and Defence. We focused on Moldova’s security and defence cooperation with the 🇪🇺, including the EU’s support for strengthening our resilience and defence capabilities. : Mihail Popșoi Minister of Foreign Affairs of Moldova

Saudi Arabia has resumed oil loadings from its Red Sea port of Yanbu after restarting operations on the East-West Pipeline, according to trade sources and shipping data, improving the outlook for oil exports from the Middle East. - Drone attacks forced the kingdom to shut the pipeline on September 11, halting crude exports from Yanbu. Pipeline operations resumed last Tuesday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned what he called “violent riots” overnight in the northern occupied West Bank, saying security forces were harmed while trying to maintain order in a post on X. - Netahyahu said “a handful of rioters” does not represent what he called the “law-abiding settler community,” adding that they “do them a grave injustice” and hinder security forces in carrying out their mission. - He called on law enforcement authorities to “exhaust the full severity of the law against the rioters”.

Iran’s currency fell to a new record low on Tuesday with traders in Tehran exchanging more than 2.5 million rials to the US dollar in a stark reflection of how the US-Israeli war has steadily eroded its economy. - The latest decline came just 27 days after the rial hit its previous record low of 2.2 million to the dollar on September 2.

Iraqi Airways plans to restart flights to Iran in October after obtaining a special exemption, according to the country’s Transport Ministry, following US sanctions that had restricted services to Iranian airlines. - According to state Iraqi News Agency, Iraqi Airways had already resumed flights between Najaf and Iranian airports on Monday - Addressing earlier disruptions, the Iraqi ambassador to Iran, Yasser Abdul-Zahra Al-Hajjaj, told INA “

Norway is increasing its support for humanitarian efforts to help deported ​Ukrainian children, detained civilians and prisoners ‌of war through UNICEF and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the ​Nordic country said on Tuesday. Funds will ​help trace missing persons, support efforts ⁠to bring more people home ​and assist with rehabilitation and reintegration Seeking to ​draw attention to human rights violations perpetrated by Russia in Ukraine…

More than 20 aircraft and helicopter crews of the Russian Baltic Fleet’s naval aviation have started a scheduled tactical air exercise in the Kaliningrad Region, the fleet’s press service reported. - "More than 20 crews of Su-24, Su-30SM, Su-30SM2 aircraft, Mi-24 and Mi-8 attack and military transport helicopters, as well as Ka-27 ship-based helicopters and An-26 military transport aircraft of the Baltic Fleet’s naval aviation, are taking part in the exercise…

Pakistan continues work on unique Russian gas projects, Pakistani Ambassador to Moscow Faisal Niaz Tirmizi told TASS. - "Yes, we continue the work on those unique projects as we want the economies of all countries in the region to integrate," he said when asked a respective question. - The diplomat said in an interview with TASS earlier that Islamabad and Moscow were working on the initiative of creating the Pakistan Stream gas pipeline.

The European Commission (EC) has asked the United States not to restrict diesel supplies to Europe, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jorgensen told reporters. - "I've sent a very clear signal to my American counterpart and also the public, which is that it is not in the interests of anybody, not the US, not us, to not have as free a flow of energy as possible in these difficult times…

The protraction of the armed conflict between the United States and Iran in the Middle East and the regional instability carry grave consequences for the international economy, Official Spokesman of the Qatari Foreign Ministry Majed bin Mohammed Al-Ansari said. - "The question is how long can international economy withstand the results of what's happening in our region?" the spokesman said at a briefing.

Russia-US contacts on the issue of "irritants" will take place soon, with the timing currently under coordination, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters on the sidelines of the 23rd annual meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club. - "Not yet," the minister said when asked about Russia-US contacts on the issue of "irritants." "We agreed with Marco Rubio that this would happen. The experts are expected to agree on the specific timing and venue."

“Denmark is deeply concerned by developments in North #Ethiopia. We call for de-escalation, humanitarian access and dialogue. We call on neighbouring countries to refrain from further escalation. The Pretoria Agreement and AU-led mediation remain the path to peace” : Lars Løkke Rasmussen Minister for Foreign Affairs of Denmark

Welcome to European Parliament, Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius 🇪🇺🇱🇹 This House is an ally as we push for stronger European defence, including against hybrid threats, with Lithuania at the forefront of Europe’s security on the eastern flank. Looking forward to working closely together, especially as Lithuania prepares to take on the Presidency of the Council of the EU at the beginning of next year. : Roberta Metsola President of the European Parliament

Prime Minister N. Ukhnaa, during his official visit to Japan, met with E. Mori, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Japanese Parliament, and exchanged views on bilateral relations between the two countries and inter-parliamentary cooperation. He also expressed gratitude to the Parliament, Government, and people of Japan, who have consistently provided support for many years to the development of democracy, society, and the economy of Mongolia, and emphasized the importance of further strengthening inter-parliamentary relations and cooperation among friendship groups.

Moscow views the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as the cornerstone of the nuclear non-proliferation regime and hopes that Tehran remains a responsible party to the treaty, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. - Earlier, Iranian Parliament (Majlis) Vice Speaker Ali Nikzad stated that Tehran is considering withdrawing from the NPT. - "We wouldn’t want Iran to withdraw from the NPT…