FRANKFURT, 19 June 2022, (TON): Russia’s war in Ukraine could take years, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told a German weekly newspaper, adding “the supply of state-of-the-art weaponry to Ukrainian troops would increase the chance of liberating the Donbas region from Russian control.”

Stoltenberg told Bild am Sonntag “we must prepare for the fact that it could take years. We must not let up in supporting Ukraine.”

“Even if the costs are high, not only for military support, also because of rising energy and food prices.”

Stoltenberg said earlier this week “a NATO summit in Madrid later this month is expected to agree an assistance package for Ukraine that will help the country with the move from old Soviet-era weaponry to NATO standard gear.”

WASHINGTON, 19 June 2022, (TON): The United States has lifted sanctions against a relative of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, weeks after Washington said “it was taking steps to encourage dialogue between Maduro’s government and the US-backed Venezuelan opposition.”

The US Department of the Treasury confirmed that it had removed Carlos Erik Malpica Flores, Venezuela’s former national treasurer, from a blacklist on which he was placed in 2017 on charges of undermining democracy.

Malpica Flores also formerly held a top position at the national oil company PDVSA and is the nephew of First Lady Cilia Flores.

The move follows a meeting between a delegation of top US officials and Maduro in Caracas in March, seen as an attempt to kick-start negotiations between the government and Venezuela’s opposition politicians.

TEHRAN, 19 June 2022, (TON): An Iranian fighter plane crashed near the central city of Isfahan after its engine failed, but both pilots survived, media reported.

The official said “the pilots were taken to a local hospital.”

It said there was a technical failure in the engine of the Grumman F-14 Tomcat that led to the crash.

A clip by the agency showed columns of smoke billowing from the remains of the aircraft in a desert area.

Iran’s air force has an assortment of U.S.-made military aircraft purchased before the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the Tomcat F-14 is American-made.

It also has Russian-made MiG and Sukhoi planes. Decades of Western sanctions have made it hard to obtain spare parts and maintain the aging aircraft.

DHAKA, 19 June 2022, (TON): The government has allocated Taka 2.25 crore cash money, 400 metric tons of rice and 41,000 packets of dry and other foods as immediate humanitarian aid to deputy commissioners of 11 districts which have been affected by flood.

A press release said “the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry gave the allocation to the respective deputy commissioners between June 15 and 18.”

Tk 80 lakh cash and 200 metric tons of rice and 7,000 packets dry food have been allocated for Sylhet district, Tk 80 lakh for 8000 packets of dry food for Sunamganj, Taka 20 lakh, 100 metric tonnes of rice and 5000 packets of dry food for Netrokona and 3,000 packets of dry food for Rangpur.

KABUL, 19 June 2022, (TON): German diplomat Markus Potzel has been appointed as the UN’s new deputy representative to Afghanistan.

The world body’s deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said “Potzel would also be in charge of the UN Afghanistan Mission.”

A career diplomat, Potzel served as Germany’s ambassador to Afghanistan from 2014 to 2016. He succeeds Mette Knudsen of Denmark.

Mr. Potzel brings to the position more than 27 years of professional experience in diplomacy and international cooperation, including eight years of professional experience working in and on Afghanistan.

DHAKA, 19 June 2022, (TON): Foreign Minister Dr. A K Abdul Momen called for more economic collaboration between Bangladesh and India to build a prosperous and economically vibrant region. 

He said “the businessmen and the private investors of the two countries should look beyond the border and work as partners in this regard.”

A foreign ministry press release said “Dr Momen made the remarks while delivering his keynote address in a seminar entitled “Economic Diplomacy in New Delhi, organised by Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).”

The foreign minister urged the Indian businessmen to invest in the two specialized economic zones of Bangladesh Mongla and Mirsharai dedicated to Indian investors.

DHAKA, 19 June 2022, (TON): The 7th round of the Bangladesh-India Joint Consultative Commission meeting will be held in New Delhi to discuss various bilateral issues.

Officials said “Bangladesh foreign minister AK Abdul Momen and Indian external affairs minister S Jaishankar will co-chair the meeting.”

Momen arrived in New Delhi on Saturday to join the JCC, a first physical meeting convened since the onset of the Covid pandemic, with the previous edition held virtually in 2020.

On his arrival in the afternoon, the foreign minister was received by Bangladesh’s high commissioner to India, Muhammad Imran, and high officials from the Indian ministry of external affairs.

The officials said “the JCC will review the entire gamut of bilateral relations, including cooperation in the wake of pandemic.”

DHAKA, 19 June 2022, (TON): Foreign Ministry in a statement said “it has noticed that some quarters are trying to portray that the Padma Multipurpose Bridge scheduled to be opened on June 25, 2022, has been constructed with the assistance of foreign funds and is a part of the Belt and Road Initiative.”

it said "Ministry of Foreign Affairs categorically asserts that the Padma Multipurpose Bridge has been entirely funded by the Government of Bangladesh and no foreign funds from any bilateral or multilateral funding agency has financially contributed to its construction.”

It said “both Bangladeshi and foreign construction firms were engaged for the implementation of the project.”

The foreign ministry said “the completion of this bridge will fulfill the long-cherished dream of the nation for connecting the 19 south-western districts with the rest of the country resulting in collective prosperity, socioeconomic development of Bangladesh as well as enhanced regional connectivity.”

BRUSSELS, 18 June 2022, (TON): The European Union gave its blessing for Ukraine and its neighbour Moldova to become candidates to join the bloc, reaching out deep into the former Soviet Union for what would be a major geopolitical shift resulting from Russia’s invasion.

“Ukrainians are ready to die for the European perspective,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told a news conference, wearing Ukrainian colours: a yellow blazer over a blue blouse. “We want them to live with us the European dream.”

Though only the start of a process that may take many years, it puts Kyiv on course to realise an aspiration that would have been beyond its reach just months ago.

Ukraine applied to join the EU four days after Russian troops poured across its border in February. Another four days later, so did Moldova and Georgia smaller ex-Soviet states also contending with separatist regions occupied by Russia.

WASHINGTON, 18 June 2022, (TON): The United States imposed sanctions on Nicaraguan state-owned mining company Empresa Nicaraguense de Minas, accusing President Daniel Ortega’s government of deepening ties with Russia despite the war in Ukraine.

The United States and Nicaragua have been at odds for years, but relations took an especially hard hit when Daniel Ortega, a former Marxist guerrilla, won a fourth consecutive term in November after jailing rivals and cracking down on critical media.

US President Joe Biden dismissed the election as a sham and imposed sanctions on more Nicaraguan officials.

Nicaragua’s Congress renewed a decade-long decree allowing Russian forces to train in the Central American country, a decision criticized by the United States in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Treasury’s Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson said “as the Ortega-Murillo regime increasingly engages Russia and continues lining its coffers with significant revenue exploited from the Nicaraguan gold sector.”