Russia will wait for new proposals and ideas from the United States regarding a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in comments to Vesti.

“We will wait. We will wait for new proposals. The Americans are sincere, President Trump is sincere, and his negotiators are sincere in their desire to formulate options that are truly acceptable to everyone,” Peskov said.

The remarks came after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met in Manila on July 23, following the ASEAN Summit, where they discussed issues related to the Ukraine crisis.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, the Iranian news agency IRNA reported.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Kyrgyzstan, according to the report.

This article is published under the cooperation agreement between Armenpress and BTA.

Bulgaria’s St. Kliment Ohridski Antarctic Base on Livingston Island has been completely transformed thanks to the Bulgarian naval research vessel Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii (RSV 421), Rear Admiral Prof. Kalin Kalinov, rector of the Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy, said, the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) reported.

Speaking at an official ceremony marking the fifth anniversary of the Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii (RSV 421) joining the Academy’s fleet, Prof. Kalinov said the idea of including a vessel in Bulgaria’s Antarctic expeditions was first proposed in 2015.

He added that the dream began to take shape in 2020 with the support of then Deputy Education Minister Kalina Angelieva and Kiril Valchev, the current Director General of BTA, who at the time was a presenter at Darik Radio. The project became a reality in 2021.

“We carried out four polar expeditions, which evolved from providing logistical support into conducting scientific research. Thanks to the vessel, Bulgaria’s Antarctic base was completely transformed. Research that was unique and unprecedented in its nature was carried out. At the same time, the ship has not abandoned its other national missions,” Prof. Kalinov said.

He also noted that RSV 421 had undergone numerous challenges but had enjoyed the support of the Bulgarian Presidency, the Bulgarian Navy, the entire scientific community, Sofia University, the polar community, and Bulgarian seafarers throughout its voyages.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has said that his country remains committed to joining the European Union, stressing that EU membership continues to be Serbia’s strategic objective. Vučić made the remarks in an interview with the Austrian newspaper Die Presse.

He said Serbia was disappointed by the failure to implement the 2013 Brussels Agreement between Belgrade and Pristina, which remains unfulfilled more than 13 years after it was signed.

“I have a thousand reasons to be disappointed. But in the end, yes, we remain on the European path. I see Serbia’s future in Europe,” Vučić said.

He added that EU membership remains Serbia’s strategic goal and that the country has no alternative, which is why Belgrade must work closely with all EU member states and candidate countries.

Vučić also said he sees no reason to end cooperation with Ukraine, stressing that Serbia is guided by its own national interests.

NATO Special Representative for the Southern Neighbourhood Javier Colomina visited Qatar to discuss the situation in the Persian Gulf, according to a statement published on the Alliance’s official website.

During the visit, Colomina met with Minister of State for International Cooperation Mariam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad and Chief of Staff of the Qatar Armed Forces Lieutenant General Jassim bin Mohammed Al Mannai.

The discussions focused on the changing regional security environment and opportunities to deepen cooperation between NATO and Qatar.

NATO has confirmed reports that an unidentified drone was shot down in Romanian airspace.

According to a statement issued by the Alliance, two Romanian F-16 fighter jets and two Italian Eurofighter aircraft were scrambled to intercept the drone.

“The drone was shot down in Romanian airspace. The investigation is ongoing, and NATO remains in close contact with the Romanian authorities,” the statement said.

The Alliance did not disclose which country the drone belonged to.

Earlier, Romanian President Nicușor Dan also said that an F-16 fighter jet had shot down a drone that violated the country’s airspace.

The United States and the United Kingdom are planning to hold a high-level meeting to discuss the possible creation of a coalition to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, Axios reported, citing two European diplomats and two other anonymous sources.

According to the report, the meeting is expected to take place in London, although the exact date and agenda have yet to be determined.

The publication said U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, as well as other Western defence ministers and military leaders, may take part in the meeting.

“The Americans are looking for a way out, and they need our help,” a European diplomat told the outlet.

The United States resumed large-scale strikes against Iran on the night of July 8, accusing Tehran of violating the terms of the June 15 agreement concerning the Strait of Hormuz. Iran, for its part, has continued launching strikes against U.S. military bases across the Middle East.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held a phone conversation, the Iranian news agency Mehr reported, outlining the details of the call.

According to the report, the ministers discussed bilateral relations and regional developments.

The two top diplomats also exchanged views on a range of issues, including bilateral ties, matters of mutual interest, the latest developments in the region, and escalating tensions between Iran and the United States.

In addition, the foreign ministers discussed ways to restore peace, security and stability in the West Asia region.

The launch of direct flights between Yerevan and Urumqi has established a new air link connecting Armenia with China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, bringing together two places whose histories are closely tied to the ancient Silk Road.

For centuries, the Silk Road connected East and West, allowing goods, cultures and people to move across continents.

Today, the Yerevan-Urumqi route revives that connection in a modern form, linking two destinations that once played important roles along this historic trade network.

For Armenia, the direct route to Urumqi opens fresh opportunities to expand tourism, business ties and people-to-people exchanges with China.

Beyond improving travel, the new connection also creates greater potential for cooperation in trade, logistics, investment and cultural exchange.

The route, which China Southern Airlines has recently increased to six flights a week, also illustrates how the Silk Road has evolved over time. Where caravans once carried silk, jade, spices and other goods across deserts and mountain passes, today’s connections rely on aviation, logistics and modern transport infrastructure, bringing Armenia and China closer together.

Located in northwestern China, the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region is the country’s largest province-level administrative division. Long known as China’s gateway to Central Asia, Xinjiang has undergone significant economic development in recent years, strengthening its role as a bridge between China, Central Asia and Europe and becoming an important hub for Belt and Road cooperation.

Sharing borders with Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and India, the province occupies one of the most strategically important locations in China.

Its capital, Urumqi, serves as the region’s political, economic and cultural center. It is also one of western China’s main transportation and logistics hubs, connecting China with Central Asian markets and broader international transport networks.

Scholars have offered different interpretations of the origin of the name “Urumqi,” including the possibility that it comes from the Mongolian language. According to one widely told account, Genghis Khan entered the region in search of grasslands and, upon reaching the area, described it as a “beautiful pasture,” which the name means.

Nestled between the Gurbantunggut Desert to the north and the Taklamakan Desert to the south, Urumqi reflects the distinctive geography and long history of Xinjiang.

A Historic Silk Road Crossroads

Xinjiang has for centuries stood at the heart of the ancient Silk Road, where its Northern, Central and Southern land routes converged. In its earliest days, it was primarily a jade trading route rather than a silk route, earning it the name the Jade Road.

The region’s ethnic and cultural diversity is rooted in this long history of exchange. The Uyghurs are one of China’s 55 officially recognized ethnic minorities. Xinjiang’s total population is over 20 million. Aside from Uyghurs it is also home to many other ethnicities, namely Han and Kazakhs, among others.

Among Urumqi’s most recognizable landmarks is the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar, an Islamic-style marketplace that brings together traditional architecture, ethnic commerce, tourism and entertainment. Often described as one of the world’s largest bazaars by scale, it reflects both the enduring legacy of the Silk Road and the cultural diversity of Xinjiang.

Today, Urumqi is a dynamic modern city that welcomes visitors from across China and abroad, with the Grand Bazaar remaining one of its most popular attractions.

Every day, thousands of people visit the marketplace for shopping and sightseeing. Countless stalls and shops offer aromatic spices, fine jade, colorful silk garments, famous local fruits and a wide selection of traditional foods, many of which were once traded along the ancient Silk Road.

Walking through the bazaar is a sensory experience. The aroma of grilled lamb skewers fills the air, freshly ground spices add their distinctive fragrance, and Uyghur performers in traditional dress bring music and dance to the lively streets. Alongside modern restaurants, visitors can sample Xinjiang naan, a traditional Central Asian flatbread that remains a daily staple for Uyghur and other ethnic communities. The marketplace also includes a museum dedicated to the history of naan and the traditional methods used to bake it.

Coffee has not traditionally been part of everyday life in the region. In recent years, however, growing interest among younger people has inspired local bakers to experiment with new ideas. One result is naan coffee, a viral trend in which espresso or lattes are served inside a hollowed-out, cup-shaped piece of freshly baked naan. The combination highlights how local culinary traditions continue to evolve while remaining rooted in the region’s heritage.

Just outside downtown Urumqi, a major museum presents a comprehensive overview of Xinjiang’s development, highlighting the region’s transformation across infrastructure, industry, culture, and public services. Through exhibits on the modernization of formerly underdeveloped villages, the growth of the oil industry, the preservation of cultural heritage, and large-scale government investment, the museum illustrates the broad changes that have shaped Xinjiang in recent decades.

A Modern Community

Alongside its economic growth, Urumqi has expanded public services at the community level.

On July 13, 2022, during his visit to Guyuanxiang Community in Tianshan District, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with residents of all ethnic groups. Xi issued recommendations to local officials, who are working diligently to care for all ethnic groups. The authorities are doing their utmost to provide practical assistance, deliver quality services, and solve problems for the people in the community.

Xi said that all ethnic groups should be closely united like the “seeds of a pomegranate.”

Xi Jinping has pointed out that “Cultural identity is the deepest form of identity. It is the root of ethnic unity and the soul of all ethnic groups.”

Across the city, neighborhood service centers offer residents a wide range of government, legal, employment and social services through one-stop facilities designed to make daily life more convenient.

One such example is the South Community of Yuejin Street on Heijiashan Street in Tianshan District. Home to nearly 1,500 households and more than 4,000 residents from different ethnic backgrounds, the neighborhood has undergone extensive redevelopment in recent years.

Local officials say the area once relied on coal-fired heating and struggled with muddy roads, as well as outdated water and sewage systems. Heijiashan was among the first neighborhoods selected for redevelopment under Urumqi’s urban renewal program.

“As you can see today, the area has been transformed with modern high-rise residential buildings, a pleasant living environment and well-developed public facilities,” a local official told Armenpress during a visit to the community center.

The one-stop service center brings together a range of public services, including government administration, public security, utility assistance, legal support, employment services and community mediation. It also offers vocational training, flexible employment opportunities and entrepreneurship programs aimed at supporting local residents.

The community places particular emphasis on education. Among its programs are English-language classes for children. Grace, a Uyghur English teacher, said that learning English remains valuable for younger generations.

“I graduated in the early 2000s,” she told Armenpress. “Back then, learning English was very much in demand.”

“Everyone studied English in college, and later we had some training centers. I chose English for my master’s degree. Then I worked in a primary school in Urumqi for four years.”

“Today, children also need to learn English for their future careers,” she said while showing a brightly decorated classroom filled with paintings created by her students.

Beyond education, the center provides childcare, programs for young people, senior care and volunteer initiatives. It also hosts regular cultural events and community activities that encourage interaction among residents from different ethnic backgrounds.

Natural Resources and Industry

In addition to its historical importance, Xinjiang is one of China’s most resource-rich regions. Much of its landscape is dominated by the Altai, Kunlun and Tian Shan mountain ranges, while the region also holds significant reserves of coal, oil and natural gas.

These resources have played a central role in Xinjiang’s economic growth, helping make it China’s largest producer of natural gas and one of the country’s strategic energy bases. In 2025, authorities opened a new passenger terminal at Urumqi’s airport, while the older terminals were converted for cargo operations as Belt and Road trade continued to expand.

Although Xinjiang has traditionally been known for agriculture, its economy has become increasingly diversified. The region is one of the world’s leading producers of cotton and has also developed into a major manufacturing base for solar panel components.

Viticulture has grown as well. China’s largest winery, Changyu, operates the Château Changyu Baron Balboa winery in Shihezi, which has become a popular destination for visitors.

A Growing Belt and Road Hub

Xinjiang has steadily strengthened its position as one of China’s key Belt and Road hubs. During a visit to the Urumqi International Land Port Area in 2022, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that, as Belt and Road cooperation advances, Xinjiang is no longer a remote frontier but has become a core area and an important hub.

With its strategic location, abundant natural resources, expanding industrial base and developing logistics infrastructure, Xinjiang continues to deepen China’s connections with Central Asia and Europe.

The launch of direct flights between Yerevan and Urumqi further underlines this growing connectivity, establishing a new air bridge between Armenia and western China while building on the historic links created along the ancient Silk Road.

Tourism

Throughout the 2020s, Xinjiang has become one of China’s leading destinations for domestic tourism, drawing visitors with its dramatic landscapes, rich cultural heritage and historic Silk Road landmarks.

From vast deserts and mountain ranges to centuries-old bazaars and diverse cultural traditions, Xinjiang combines ancient history with modern development, reinforcing its role as China’s gateway to Central Asia and an important hub along the modern Silk Road.

While caravans once crossed deserts and mountain passes carrying goods between East and West, today’s connections are shaped by aviation, logistics and digital infrastructure, opening new possibilities for closer ties between Armenia and China.

Marking her first 100 days as the Asian Development Bank’s Country Director for Armenia, Ms. Lyaziza Sabyrova reflects on her first impressions of the country, ADB’s long-standing partnership with Armenia, and the institution’s priorities for supporting sustainable, inclusive, and private sector-led growth in the years ahead.

Armenpress: Ms. Sabyrova, congratulations on your first 100 days as ADB Country Director for Armenia. Could you tell us a little about yourself and your first impressions of Armenia? 

Sabyrova: Thank you very much. It is a real honor for me to serve as ADB’s Country Director for Armenia. I have been with ADB since 2000 and, over the years, have worked across East Asia, Central Asia, and South Caucasus. Most recently, I served as Regional Head for Regional Cooperation and Integration in ADB’s Central and West Asia Department, where my work focused on economic cooperation, regional connectivity and integration, as well strategic work across the region.

Armenia is not entirely new to me. Earlier in my career, I had the privilege of working closely on ADB’s engagement with Armenia, including leading the preparation of ADB’s first Country Partnership Strategy for the country for 2014–2018. That experience gave me a strong appreciation of Armenia’s development ambitions and potential. It is therefore especially meaningful to return now in the new capacity and see how much progress the country has made.

During my first 100 days, I have had the opportunity to start reconnecting with Armenia —not only through meetings, but also by travelling across the country, visiting project sites, and speaking with people whose lives are directly touched by the development work. What struck me most was not only Armenia’s rich history and culture which are deeply inspiring, but also the country’s energy, resilience, and ambition to build a stronger, more competitive, and better-connected economy.

With my colleagues, I have visited ADB-supported schools that provide safer learning environments for children, travelled along transport corridors that are improving connectivity, and met families whose housing conditions are changing through reforms supported by ADB. I also met a local entrepreneur who started a business after the construction of the North–South Road Corridor and is now benefiting from the improved access and new economic opportunities it has created. I have also seen firsthand how ADB is working with local financial institutions to expand access to finance for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), helping businesses grow and create jobs. These moments stay with you. They remind us that development is not only about projects, roads, or financing—it is about people, their choices, and the opportunities they have to build a better future for themselves and their families.

I have also been fortunate to join a strong and dedicated ADB Armenia team that is deeply committed to supporting the country’s development.

Armenpress: ADB has been a long-standing development partner of Armenia. How would you describe ADB’s contribution to the country’s development?

Sabyrova: ADB has been partnering with Armenia since 2005 and today is one of the country’s largest multilateral development partners. As of the end of 2025, ADB’s cumulative commitments for sovereign and non-sovereign operations in Armenia reached about $2.5 billion. But beyond the numbers, what matters most is how this support is helping Armenia respond to real development needs.

Many people associate ADB with transport infrastructure, including the North–South Road Corridor and urban transport projects. These are indeed very important, because connectivity is essential for Armenia’s economic growth, regional integration, and access to markets. But ADB’s partnership with Armenia goes much further.

We are also supporting safer schools through the Seismic Safety Improvement Program, under which 31 schools have already been completed and 15 more are under construction, with further investments being prepared. In health, ADB is supporting modernization efforts that will help improve health service quality and finance the construction of 24 inclusive, climate- and gender-responsive health facilities across the country. Through the housing reforms program, we are supporting reforms aimed at improving access to affordable, resilient, and inclusive housing, while also strengthening housing finance systems.

Water security is another important area. Armenia, like many countries, is facing increasing pressure from climate change, and ADB is helping the Government identify long-term solutions, including preparatory work for possible reservoir investments and support for climate-smart agriculture. We are also working with Armenia on disaster risk management and climate resilience, helping the country move toward a more proactive and risk-informed approach to natural hazards. As Armenia prepares to host COP-17, we wish it every success in chairing this important global event, and we are pleased to support the Government’s efforts in this, together with other development partners.

Another area which is central to our work is private sector development. We support businesses not only through financing, but also by helping improve the environment in which the private sector can grow. This includes support for reforms, technical assistance, stronger financial institutions, expanded access to finance for MSMEs, and promotion of green and inclusive investment. Operations with local banks are helping mobilize capital for businesses, support job creation, and encourage more sustainable economic growth.

Policy reforms are another important part of ADB’s partnership with Armenia. Through budget support loans, over the past decade, ADB has helped to strengthen the institutions, rules, and systems that underpin economic development. Building on this work, our team, in partnership with AFD, is currently preparing a new series of policy-based operations that will help ensure these reforms translate into tangible results through better public services and fiscal management, deeper financial markets, and a more supportive environment for businesses and investors.

One thing I have come to appreciate is how interconnected these development challenges are. Progress in one sector often depends on progress in another. Development does not happen in one sector alone. Roads help businesses grow. Safer schools protect children and communities. Better housing improves dignity and stability. Stronger health services improve quality of life. Access to finance helps entrepreneurs take risks and create jobs. Together, these investments help build a stronger foundation for Armenia’s future.

Armenpress: Looking ahead, what are your priorities for Armenia and where do you see the greatest opportunities for cooperation?

Sabyrova: Looking ahead, ADB’s priority is to support Armenia in building a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable economy, in line with the Government’s evolving development agenda and ADB’s Country Partnership Strategy for 2026–2030.

We will continue working closely with the Government to support private sector-led growth, strengthen institutions and human capital, improve climate and disaster resilience, and expand connectivity. I also see strong opportunities in regional cooperation and integration, especially as Armenia continues to explore ways to strengthen its links with regional and global markets. Digitalization is another promising area, given Armenia’s strong talent base and growing innovation ecosystem, and ADB stands ready to support efforts to harness digital solutions for more inclusive and sustainable development.  I have also been impressed by the strong collaboration among development partners in Armenia. ADB will continue working closely with fellow partners to support the country’s development priorities.

For me, the most important priority is to ensure that our partnership delivers practical results for people. ADB will continue to bring not only financing, but also knowledge, international experience, and policy support. We want to help Armenia turn its ambitions into concrete progress—through better and smarter infrastructure, more opportunities for businesses, stronger communities, and ultimately, improved quality of life for people across the country.