China's growing ties with Serbia point to new 'Silk Curtain' in Europe
KEN MORIYASU
August 20, 2025 03:48 JST
WASHINGTON -- Southeast of the "Iron Curtain" famously described by Winston Churchill in 1946, a new group of China-friendly nations is forming a north-south line that runs through the heart of Eurasia.
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Japan Today
7 minutes ago
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Israel weighs Hamas offer of 60-day Gaza truce and hostage release
The sun sets over Gaza, as seen from the Israeli side of the border between Gaza and Israel, August 19, 2025. REUTERS/Amir Cohen By Maayan Lubell and Nidal al-Mughrabi Israel is studying Hamas' response to a proposal for a 60-day ceasefire and release of half the hostages still held in Gaza, two Israeli officials said on Tuesday, although one source reiterated that all Israeli captives must be freed for the war to end. Efforts to pause the fighting gained new momentum over the past week after Israel announced plans for a new offensive to seize control of Gaza City at the heart of the Palestinian enclave. Mediators Egypt and Qatar have been pushing proposals to restart indirect talks between the sides on a U.S.-backed ceasefire plan. The proposals include the release of 200 Palestinian convicts jailed in Israel and an unspecified number of imprisoned women and minors, in return for 10 living and 18 deceased hostages from Gaza, according to a Hamas official. Two Egyptian security sources confirmed the details, and added that Hamas has requested the release of hundreds of Gaza detainees as well. Israel says a total of 50 hostages remain in Gaza, 20 of them still alive. "Israel's policy is consistent and has not changed. Israel demands the release of all 50 hostages in accordance with the principles established by the cabinet for ending the war. We are in the final decisive stage of Hamas and will not leave any hostage behind," an Israeli political source said. The comment, while adamant, fell short of an outright rejection of the proposal on the table. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to convene discussions about the ceasefire proposal soon, the two Israeli officials said. A response was expected in the coming two days, said a Palestinian source close to the talks. Before Hamas responded on Monday to the proposal, Netanyahu had ruled out any deal that excluded the return of all the hostages. Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said the 60-day truce deal would include "a pathway to a comprehensive agreement to end the war." The proposal includes a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces, which presently control 75% of Gaza and the entry of more humanitarian aid into the enclave, where a population of 2.2 million people is increasingly facing famine. Israel had previously agreed to the outline, advanced by U.S. special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, but negotiations faltered over some of its details. The last round of talks ended in deadlock in late July. While Israel's political echelon weighed a response, Defense Minister Israel Katz met commanders late on Tuesday. Public broadcaster Kan's military correspondent Itay Blumental said on X the meeting was to approve plans to capture Gaza City. The post cited four stages to the plans: building humanitarian infrastructure in the southern Gaza Strip, evacuation of Gaza City, encirclement of Gaza City and maneuvering into Gaza City. Thousands of people fearing an imminent Israeli ground offensive are estimated to have fled the area in the past few days for points to the west and south in the shattered territory. On the ground, there were no signs of a ceasefire nearing as Israeli gunfire, tank shelling and airstrikes killed at least 20 Palestinians on Tuesday, according to Gaza health officials. At a shelter in Khan Younis, in the south of the enclave, displaced people had mixed feelings over whether a deal would be reached this time. "I expect - every time the (Israeli) occupation would be obstinate, reject and receive proposals with negative responses - I expect the same for this proposal as well," said Abdallah Al-Khawaja. Women sat by wood fires cooking meals for their families, while men filled plastic gallons with water; many hoped Israel would approve the proposal. "What I say and expect as a member of the Palestinian people living in the Gaza Strip, one of the bereaved and displaced, is that I expect a positive response (from Israel)," said Awad Labde. ISRAELI PROTESTERS DEMAND DEAL In Israel, the threatened offensive prompted tens of thousands of Israelis on Sunday to hold some of the largest protests since the war began, urging a deal to end the fighting and free the remaining hostages held in Gaza. Netanyahu faces domestic political pressure from his far-right government partners who object to a truce with Hamas. Ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir have demanded to keep the war going until Hamas' defeat, and annex Gaza. Groups representing Israeli families of those held hostage have demanded their return to Israel and an end to the war. Hamas official Izzat El-Reshiq said that the truce proposal it has agreed to is an interim accord that would pave the way for negotiations on ending the war. A source close to the talks said that, unlike previous rounds, Hamas accepted the proposal with no further demands. But prospects for agreeing an end to the war appear remote, with gaps remaining on the terms. Israel is demanding the group lay down its arms and its leaders leave Gaza, conditions which Hamas has so far publicly rejected. The war began when Hamas-led fighters stormed into Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel's offensive has since killed more than 62,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials who do not distinguish between fighters and non-combatants. The Israeli assault has plunged Gaza into a humanitarian crisis and displaced most of its population. © Thomson Reuters 2025.
Japan Today
7 minutes ago
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Trump says no ground troops, but maybe air support, to back Ukraine peace deal
FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy walk during a meeting, amid negotiations to end the Russian war in Ukraine, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 18, 2025. REUTERS/Al Drago/File Photo By Andrea Shalal, Tom Balmforth and Anastasiia Malenko U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the United States would not put troops on the ground in Ukraine but might provide air support as part of a deal to end Russia's war in the country. A day after Trump pledged security guarantees to help end the war at an extraordinary White House summit, the path to peace remained uncertain as the U.S. and allies prepared to work out what military support for Ukraine might include. "When it comes to security, Europeans are willing to put people on the ground. We're willing to help them with things, especially, probably, ... by air," Trump said in an interview with the Fox News "Fox & Friends" program. He did not elaborate. Following Monday's meeting, Russia launched its biggest air assault in more than a month on Ukraine, and Trump conceded that Russian President Vladimir Putin might not want to make a deal after all. "We're going to find out about President Putin in the next couple of weeks," he said. The nature of U.S. military aid for Ukraine under a peace deal was unclear. Air support could take many forms such as missile defense systems or fighter jets enforcing a no-fly zone. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed U.S. air support was "an option and a possibility," but like Trump did not provide any details. "The President has definitively stated U.S. boots will not be on the ground in Ukraine, but we can certainly help in the coordination and perhaps provide other means of security guarantees to our European allies," she said at a news briefing. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hailed the White House talks as a "major step forward" towards ending Europe's deadliest conflict in 80 years and setting up a trilateral meeting with Putin and Trump in the coming weeks. Zelenskiy's warm rapport with Trump contrasted sharply with their disastrous Oval Office meeting in February. Analysts say more than 1 million people have been killed or wounded in the conflict, which began with Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. RUSSIAN ATTACKS Russia launched 270 drones and 10 missiles in an overnight attack on Ukraine, the Ukrainian air force said. The energy ministry said the strikes caused big fires at energy facilities in the central Poltava region, home to Ukraine's only oil refinery. However, Russia also returned the bodies of 1,000 dead Ukrainian soldiers on Tuesday, Ukrainian officials said. Moscow received 19 bodies of its own soldiers in return, according to the state-run TASS news agency. Ukraine's allies held talks in the so-called Coalition of the Willing format on Tuesday, discussing additional sanctions to crank up the pressure on Russia. The grouping has also agreed that planning teams will meet U.S. counterparts in the coming days to develop security guarantees for Ukraine. NATO military leaders were expected to meet on Wednesday to discuss Ukraine, with U.S. General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, expected to attend virtually, officials told Reuters. "We are now actively working at all levels on the specifics, on what the architecture of the guarantees will look like, with all members of the Coalition of the Willing, and very concretely with the United States," Zelenskyy said on social media 'TIPTOEING AROUND TRUMP' Although Trump said on Monday Putin asked for a bilateral meeting with Zelenskyy, the Kremlin has made no explicit commitment. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that Moscow did not reject any format for Ukraine peace talks but any meeting of national leaders "must be prepared with utmost thoroughness". Putin has said Russia will not tolerate troops from the NATO alliance in Ukraine. He has also shown no sign of backing down from demands for territory, including land not under Russia's military control, following his summit with Trump on Friday in Alaska. Neil Melvin, a director at the International Security at the Royal United Services Institute think-tank, said Russia could drag out the war while trying to deflect U.S. pressure with a protracted peace negotiation. Melvin said both Ukraine and its European allies on one side and Russia on another were striving "not to present themselves to Trump as the obstacle to his peace process," Melvin said. "They're all tiptoeing around Trump" to avoid any blame, he said, adding that Trump's statements on security guarantees were "so vague it's very hard to take it seriously". © Thomson Reuters 2025.
Nikkei Asia
2 hours ago
- Nikkei Asia
China's growing ties with Serbia point to new 'Silk Curtain' in Europe
Chinese President Xi Jinping is introduced to the crowd at the Palace of Serbia in Belgrade by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on May 8, 2024. © Reuters KEN MORIYASU August 20, 2025 03:48 JST WASHINGTON -- Southeast of the "Iron Curtain" famously described by Winston Churchill in 1946, a new group of China-friendly nations is forming a north-south line that runs through the heart of Eurasia.
