Category: News

Russian President Vladimir Putin has delivered a video message to the people of China ahead of his official visit to Beijing, which is set to take place days after U.S. President Donald Trump’s trip to China.

In the message, Putin said he was “delighted” to be visiting Beijing again at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, whom he described as his “long-time good friend.”

“Regular mutual visits and Russia-China top-level talks are an important and integral part of our joint efforts to promote the entire range of relations between our two countries and unlock their truly limitless potential,” RT quoted Putin as saying.

Putin is due to visit China on May 19-20 at the invitation of Xi. The trip coincides with the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Russia-China Treaty of Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation.

The Russian president said the treaty had laid “a solid foundation for a genuinely strategic relationship and comprehensive partnership” between the two countries. He added that Moscow-Beijing ties had reached “a truly unprecedented level,” citing mutual trust, cooperation, and support on issues affecting what he called the “core interests” of both states.

Putin said Russia and China are expanding cooperation in politics, the economy, defense, and humanitarian exchanges, adding that these issues will shape the agenda of the upcoming talks in Beijing.

“I deeply appreciate President Xi Jinping’s commitment to long-term cooperation with Russia,” Putin said. “I am convinced that our warm and friendly ties enable us to chart the boldest plans for the future and bring them to life.”

The Russian president also highlighted growing trade between the two countries, saying it had “long surpassed the US$200 billion mark,” and noted that mutual settlements are now conducted almost entirely in rubles and yuan.

RT reported, citing Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov, that Putin would travel with a high-level delegation that includes senior officials, ministers, and heads of major Russian companies.

Around 40 bilateral documents are expected to be signed during the visit, including a joint statement on deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said on Monday that any U.S. military action against Cuba would lead to a “bloodbath” with incalculable consequences for regional peace and stability.

“Cuba does not represent a threat,” Diaz-Canel said in a post on X.

The comments ‌follow an Axios report published on Sunday, citing classified intelligence, that said Cuba had acquired more than 300 military drones and had discussed plans to use them to attack the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, U.S. military vessels and Key West, Florida.

Cuba said the U.S. was fabricating a case to justify potential military intervention, Reuters reported.

On the streets of Havana, some residents said they would resist any attack despite the ⁠island’s deep economic hardship, according to Reuters.

POLITICO reported, citing a U.S. official and a person familiar with the administration’s discussions on Cuba, that President Donald Trump and his aides have grown frustrated that the U.S. pressure campaign—which includes starving the island of fuel—has not led Cuba’s leaders to agree to significant economic and political reforms. According to POLITICO, they are therefore taking the military option more seriously than before.

The head of the World Health Organization expressed deep concern on Tuesday at the speed ‌and scale of the Ebola outbreak, Reuters reported.

There have been at least 500 suspected cases and 130 suspected deaths from Ebola since the new outbreak began, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

Later figures put the toll at 131 fatalities associated ⁠with the outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. There have been 516 suspected cases and 33 confirmed cases in Congo, according to a daily bulletin published by health authorities, and two confirmed cases in neighboring Uganda.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told members of the World Health Assembly meeting this week in Geneva that the “numbers will change as field operations are scaling up, including strengthening surveillance, contact tracing and laboratory testing.”

“I’m deeply concerned about the scale ‌and ⁠speed of the epidemic,” Reuters quoted the WHO Director-General as saying.

A meeting of the WHO’s Emergency Committee is scheduled for later on Tuesday to discuss the Ebola outbreak, he said.

U.S. President Donald Trump said that the United ‌States may need to hit Iran again and he was only an hour away from deciding on a strike before he postponed ⁠the attack.

“I was an hour away from making the decision to go today,” Trump told reporters at the White House.

“Well, I mean, I’m saying two or three days, maybe Friday, Saturday, Sunday, something, maybe early next week, a limited period of time, because we can’t let them have a new nuclear weapon,” he said.

A court has approved house arrest for the three remaining suspects accused of obstructing a campaign event of the ruling Civil Contract Party in Lori Province, concluding hearings for all 10 individuals detained in connection with the case, Investigative Committee spokesperson Kima Avdalyan said in a statement.

The decision comes days after authorities alleged that supporters of the Strong Armenia alliance disrupted campaign events in Norashen and Metsavan on May 16, prompting criminal proceedings over the alleged obstruction of election campaigning.

Six other suspects in the case had previously been placed in pre-trial detention, while another was placed under house arrest.

At the time, the Civil Contract Party’s campaign in Lori Province was led by Defense Minister Suren Papikyan, who was officially on leave to campaign for the party.

Three-time Armenian Cup winner, Super Cup winner, and reigning league champion, FC Noah, has unveiled its new training complex located on Margara Highway in Armavir Province, as well as the design of its new stadium.

The ceremony was attended by Arayik Harutyunyan, Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister’s Office; Zhanna Andreasyan, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports; Portuguese former footballer Luís Figo; FC Noah President Vardges Vardanyan; and other officials, as well as other football stars. 

The building includes state-of-the-art dressing rooms equipped with various recovery rooms, medical and massage areas fitted with the latest equipment, a modern, spacious gym, hotel rooms for training camps, a library, a dining area for first-team staff, meeting halls, offices, and several leisure rooms equipped with table tennis tables and gaming consoles.

“A new beginning toward excellence and toward all the goals FC Noah continues to pursue with unwavering determination,” the club said in a press release.

The club also presented the large-scale architectural and engineering concept for the “Noah Park” project, which is planned to be implemented in Vagharshapat.

The project integrates sports, educational, infrastructural, and public spaces, aiming to create a modern football and development ecosystem. The philosophy of “Noah Park” is based on long-term development, territorial integration, and contemporary architecture.

The plan includes a stadium, a football academy, public and recreational areas, as well as multifunctional spaces designed for both matchdays and everyday use.

“Our goal is to develop youth football and introduce European football standards. We will do everything in that direction. Over the past 2.5 years, we have done a significant amount of work. Thanks to these years of effort, we already have something to show. I believe that with this step by Noah, other clubs will also invest in infrastructure and youth football,” said FC Noah president Vardges Vardanyan.

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan held a meeting on Tuesday with Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys.

“The tête-à-tête meeting between Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan and Foreign Minister of Lithuania Kęstutis Budrys at the MFA of Armenia commenced,” the Foreign Ministry said in a press release.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys arrived in Armenia on Tuesday for an official visit. Mirzoyan and Budrys are expected to hold a joint press conference after their meeting.

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and his Lithuanian counterpart Kęstutis Budrys signed a strategic partnership agreement between the two countries in Yerevan on Tuesday.

Speaking at a joint press conference with FM Budrys following their meeting, Armenian FM Ararat Mirzoyan said that the partnership format will allow for further deepening of political dialogue and cooperation between the two countries, as well as a more comprehensive approach to sectoral cooperation.

“Bilateral visits, meeting each other, and holding detailed discussions in our capitals provide a special opportunity to advance our political dialogue and cooperation,” Mirzoyan said.

“This visit is taking place at a highly symbolic time—the 35th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations—and at this very moment, taking into account all previous developments, we were able to sign a document that elevated the level of our relations,” he said.

Mirzoyan also said that during the meeting they discussed matters pertaining to the South Caucasus region, as well as the geopolitical situation.

“We had the opportunity today to discuss the prospects for our economic cooperation, particularly in the fields of information technology, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity, where Lithuania has extensive experience and where we also have certain expertise and knowledge,” said the Armenian Foreign Minister, adding that cooperation between Armenia and Lithuania is also reflected in Armenia–EU relations and in international platforms.

“We are grateful to our Lithuanian partners for the support they have provided in deepening Armenia–EU relations,” Mirzoyan said.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys said on Tuesday, after meeting his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan, that diplomatic and political relations between the two countries are stronger than ever before.

The foreign ministers signed a strategic partnership agreement between Armenia and Lithuania.

FM Budrys said the agreement will further expand cooperation in multiple areas.

Speaking about the EU visa liberalization process for Armenian citizens, the Lithuanian FM said that the move offers great opportunities for countries.

“We hope that we will help Armenia speed up this process, so that Armenia can move into a visa liberalization stage, and then, with very few restrictions, your citizens will be able to travel throughout the entire EU,” the Lithuanian FM said at a joint press conference with FM Mirzoyan in Yerevan.

Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys said Lithuania is ready to share its best experience in several future-oriented fields such as information technology, artificial intelligence, and others.

FM Budrys also stated that Lithuania fully supports the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

“We hope that it will open the door to new economic opportunities for everyone. By opening borders and infrastructure, people-to-people ties will become more active, and the level of security will increase, which you all deserve here,” FM Budrys said.

Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan on Tuesday lauded what he described as the “effective outcomes” of the inaugural Armenia-EU Summit held earlier in May in Yerevan.

Mirzoyan addressed the issue during a joint press conference with his Lithuanian counterpart, Kęstutis Budrys, responding to a question about perceptions in the EU regarding Armenia’s approaches following the summit.

He said that Armenia is moving closer to the EU every day.

“Armenia’s approaches have always been dynamically presented both to the EU and to partner member states. This summit was no exception. It is no secret that Armenia is moving closer and closer to the EU every day. There are all the opportunities for this, and there is the number one prerequisite for it — the European aspirations of the Armenian people, which were expressed, for example, through last year’s civic initiative that eventually turned into a law adopted by the National Assembly,” the Armenian FM said.

Last year, the Armenian parliament adopted a bill on EU integration, calling on the government to launch the process of EU accession.

The inaugural Armenia-EU Summit took place on May 5, a day after the 8th European Political Community Summit, which was also held in the Armenian capital.