WASHINGTON, 01 June 2022, (TON): The Biden administration announced “it will send Ukraine a small number of high-tech, medium-range rocket systems, a critical weapon that Ukrainian leaders have been begging for as they struggle to stall Russian progress in the Donbas region.”

The US plan tries to strike a balance between the desire to help Ukraine battle ferocious Russian artillery barrages while not providing arms that could allow Ukraine to hit targets deep inside Russia and trigger an escalation in the war.

In a guest essay published in The New York Times, Biden confirmed that he’s decided to provide the Ukrainians with more advanced rocket systems and munitions that will enable them to more precisely strike key targets on the battlefield in Ukraine.

Biden had said Monday that the US would not send Ukraine rocket systems that can strike into Russia.

 Any weapons system can shoot into Russia if it’s close enough to the border.

US officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of the aid said “the aid package expected to be unveiled Wednesday would send what the US considers medium-range rockets they generally can travel about 45 miles.”

CAIRO, 01 June 2022, (TON): Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda discussed the Russia-Ukraine conflict and its international repercussions.

During a press conference with Duda in Cairo, El-Sisi said “this crisis has cast a shadow over the global economy and threatens the food security of various countries of the world.”

El-Sisi added “Egypt’s position is based on addressing all means leading to calm and a peaceful solution to the conflict, and exerting all efforts to achieve this, whether at the bilateral, regional or international levels.”

He stressed “the importance of finding alternatives and solutions to spare peoples the negative effects of the Russian-Ukrainian crisis.”

El-Sisi said “he and Duda also discussed promoting citizenship rights and religious freedoms, combating extremism national efforts to maintain regional and international security and stability and supporting efforts to counter terrorism at the international level.”

RIYADH, 01 June 2022, (TON): Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Riyadh as part of a trip to the countries of the Persian Gulf, RIA Novosti correspondent reports.

The minister is scheduled to hold talks with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.

On June 1, Lavrov will take part in a regular meeting of the Russia-GCC Foreign Ministers’ Forum Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf.

He will also have a number of bilateral meetings, including with the foreign ministers of the UAE and Kuwait.

TOKYO, 01 June 2022, (TON): Government sources said “Japan is considering a foreign ministerial meeting with South Korea next month in Tokyo, as Prime Minister Fumio Kishida seeks to mend soured bilateral ties following the launch of a new government in Seoul.”

If realized, it will be the first in-person meeting in Japan since November 20-19 by top diplomats from the two countries.

The two neighboring countries have been locked in disputes ov-er wartime issues for many years and their relations sa-nk to their lowest level in decades under former South Korean President Moon Jae In.

The sources said “Japan is planning to hold a meeting between Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and his new South Korean counterpart Park Jin before June 22, the most likely date for the start of campaigning for the upcoming House of Councillors election.”

KYIV, 01 June 2022, (TON): Ukrainian Interfax news agency reported “two Russian soldiers were handed jail terms of more than 11 years each Tuesday following a trial in central Ukraine."

The servicemen, Alexander Bobykin and Alexander Ivanov, were both handed sentences of 11 years and six months under legislation against violating the laws and customs of war.

WASHINGTON, 01 June 2022, (TON): President Joe Biden told New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern that after the latest US mass shooting he wants her advice in tackling a rise in gun violence and extremist ideologies.

Meeting in the Oval Office with Ardern, Biden referred to the 2019 Christchurch slaying of 51 people in mass shootings targeting Muslims.

The bloodshed prompted New Zealand to ban military-style rifles. A gun buy-back was also instituted.

Biden said “we need your guidance.”

He said “I want to work with you on that effort.”

Biden, who visited the Texan town of Uvalde on Sunday to mourn the deaths of 19 children and two teachers slain by a gunman using an assault-style rifle, said "there was an awful lot of suffering and that much of it is preventable.”

TEHRAN, 01 June 2022, (TON): Authorities in Tehran were said to explain the presence of uranium particles at three undeclared nuclear sites in Iran after a critical report by the UN nuclear watchdog.

The latest report by the International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran had not credibly answered long-standing questions about apparent nuclear activity at the sites in Marivan, Varamin and Turquzabad.

France’s Foreign Ministry said “we call on Iran to respond without delay to the questions and needs of the IAEA under its safeguards agreement.”

The dispute may herald a new diplomatic clash when the agency’s 35-nation board of governors meets next week.

If Western powers seek a resolution criticizing Tehran, it could deal a further blow to stalled eforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran.

TAIPEI, 01 June 2022, (TON): The defense ministry said “Taiwan’s air force suspended flight training of new pilots after a jet trainer crashed killing its pilot, the second fatal accident the air force has experienced in 2022.”

The ministry said the AT-3 jet crashed during a training mission from the Gangshan air base in the southern city of Kaohsiung and the body of the pilot had already been found.

The AT-3 is a domestically-developed advanced trainer that first flew in 1980 and can carry weapons.

Air force Chief of Staff Huang Chih-wei told reporters the aircraft had gone missing a few minutes after take-off, piloted by 23-year-old Hsu Ta-chun.

Huang added “the aircraft was in good working order with no major maintenance issues reported over the past year.”

He said “the air force has now suspended flight missions for its trainee pilots.”

RIYADH, 01 June 2022, (TON): Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said “the Kingdom supports efforts aimed at reaching a political solution to end the Russia-Ukraine crisis and achieve security and stability, Saudi Press Agency reported.”

During a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Riyadh, Prince Faisal said “the Kingdom is ready to make the necessary efforts to contribute to such a solution.”

He affirmed the Kingdom’s position on the Russia-Ukraine crisis that is based on the foundations of international law.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan meets with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Riyadh.

The two ministers also reviewed bilateral relations between their countries and ways to enhance them, in addition to exchanging views on the latest developments in the region and the world and efforts exerted with regards to them.

ANKARA, 01 June 2022, (TON): Turkish foreign minister said “Finland and Sweden should change their laws if needed to meet Turkey’s demands and win its backing for their bid to join NATO, doubling down on a threat to veto a historic enlargement of the alliance.”

In a move that shocked its allies, Turkey on May 13 objected to Finland and Sweden joining NATO on the grounds that they harbor people linked to groups it deems terrorists, including the Kurdistan Workers Party, and because they halted arm exports to Turkey in 2019.

The Nordic states applied to join NATO after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

All 30 NATO members must approve any enlargement plans.

Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey, a NATO member for seven decades, would not lift its veto unless its demands were met, echoing recent comments by President Tayyip Erdogan.