Jaishankar wraps up France visit, appreciates support for fight against terrorism
During the visit, Jaishankar held meetings with President Emmanuel Macron and his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
United News of India
22 minutes ago
- United News of India
UAE president discusses Mideast tensions with French, Italian leaders over phone
Abu Dhabi, June 15 (UNI) President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held separate telephone conversations with French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to discuss recent developments in the Middle East, particularly in the wake of Israeli strikes on Iran, according to the Emirates News Agency (WAM) on Saturday. During the calls, the leaders exchanged views on the escalating tensions and stressed the importance of exercising maximum restraint. They underscored the need to avoid further escalation and to resolve disputes through diplomatic means that safeguard regional peace and stability. The conversations also highlighted the UAE's strategic relations with both France and Italy, with the leaders vowing to continue strengthening bilateral cooperation across various fields in support of shared interests. UNI/XINHUA BM
Scroll.in
an hour ago
- Scroll.in
India distances itself from SCO statement condemning Israel's strikes against Iran
India on Saturday distanced itself from a statement issued by the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation condemning Israel's military actions against Iran. Earlier in the day, the multilateral grouping – comprising, India, China, Pakistan, Russia and six other nations from the Eurasian region – called Israel's 'aggressive actions against civilian targets' in Iran a 'gross violation of international law and the United Nations Charter'. It added: 'They constitute an infringement on Iran's sovereignty, cause damage to regional and international security, and pose serious risks to global peace and stability.' However, India's Ministry of External Affairs in a press release said that it did not participate in the discussions on the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation statement. 'India's own position on the matter had been articulated by us on 13 June 2025, and remains the same,' the release said, adding that New Delhi urged that channels of dialogue and diplomacy be utilised to work towards de-escalation. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discussed the matter with his Iranian counterpart on Friday, the release said. It added that the minister also 'conveyed the deep concern of the international community at the turn of events'. Jaishankar also urged the avoidance of any escalatory steps and an early return to diplomacy, the release said. The overall position of India was communicated to other Shanghai Cooperation Organisation members, it added. On Friday, India had said that it was 'deeply concerned' about the developments between Iran and Israel. 'We are closely monitoring the evolving situation, including reports related to attacks on nuclear sites,' the ministry said in its press release. New Delhi urged both sides to avoid any escalatory steps. 'Existing channels of dialogue and diplomacy should be utilised to work towards a de-escalation of the situation and resolving underlying issues,' the release said. It added that New Delhi enjoyed 'close and friendly relations' with both the countries and stood ready to extend all possible support. 'All Indian nationals in the region are advised to exercise caution, stay safe and follow local security advisories,' the ministry added. Iran-Israel conflict On Friday, Israel struck what it claimed were Iranian nuclear targets and also on other sites with an aim of stalling Tehran's nuclear programme. The attacks have led to fears of a wider escalation of the conflict. The Israeli Defense Forces had hit sites in Tehran, Kermanshah and Tabriz, among other cities. Iran's main nuclear enrichment facility in Natanz was among the targets that were hit. At least 78 persons were killed and 320 injured in the attacks. Iranian military chief Mohammad Bagheri and Hossein Salami, the chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, were among those killed in the attack. On Saturday, Iran retaliated with missile attacks on Israel, killing at least three persons and leaving 80 injured. On its part, Israel attacked the Shahran fuel and gasoline depot in Tehran and set it ablaze. Israeli forces also hit Shahr Rey, one of Iran's largest oil refineries and also a portion of the South Pars Gas Field, which is among the largest gas fields in the world and is crucial for Iran's energy sector. Iran on Saturday launched missiles at several places across Israel, including the cities of Haifa and Tel Aviv. One person was killed in the strikes. Israel on Friday claimed that Iran was 'closer than ever' to obtaining a nuclear weapon, and said it had no choice but to ''fulfil the obligation to act in defence of its citizens'. Iran has for long maintained that its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
As Trump heads to G7 summit, world leaders show they're not intimidated
President Donald Trump has long bet that he can scare allies into submission a gamble that is increasingly being tested ahead of the Group of Seven summit beginning Monday in Canada. He's threatened stiff tariffs in the belief that other nations would crumple. He's mused about taking over Canada and Greenland. He's suggested he will not honour Nato's obligations to defend partners under attack. And he's used Oval Office meetings to try to intimidate the leaders of Ukraine and South Africa. But many world leaders see fewer reasons to be cowed by Trump, even as they recognise the risks if he followed through on his threats. They believe he will ultimately back down since many of his plans could inflict harm on the US or that he can simply be charmed and flattered into cooperating. Many leaders still seem intimidated by Trump, but increasingly they are catching on to his pattern of bullying, said Jeremy Shapiro, research director at the European Council on Foreign Relations. In places as diverse as Canada, Iran, China and the EU, we are seeing increasing signs that leaders now recognize that Trump is afraid of anything resembling a fair fight. And so they are increasingly willing to stand up to him. In the 22 instances in which Trump has publicly threatened military action since his first term, the US only used force twice, according to a May analysis by Shapiro. World leaders feel comfortable standing up to Trump Ahead of the G7 summit, there are already signs of subtle pushback against Trump from fellow leaders in the group. French President Emanuel Macron planned to visit Greenland over the weekend in a show of European solidarity. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said the US is no longer the predominant force in the world after Trump's tariffs created fissures in a decades-long partnership between the US and its northern neighbour. We stood shoulder to shoulder with the Americans throughout the Cold War and in the decades that followed, as the United States played a predominant role on the world stage," Carney said this past week in French. "Today, that predominance is a thing of the past. The new prime minister added that with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the US became the global hegemon, a position of authority undermined by Trump's transactional nature that puts little emphasis on defending democratic values or the rule of law. Now the United States is beginning to monetise its hegemony: charging for access to its markets and reducing its relative contributions to our collective security, Carney said. Israel's attack on Iran has added a new wrinkle to the global picture as the summit leaders gather to tackle some of the world's thorniest problems A senior Canadian official said it was decided early on that the G7 won't be issuing a joint communiqu as it has at past summits an indication of how hard it can be to get Trump on the same page with other world leaders. The White House said individual leader statements will be issued on the issues being discussed. Speaking last month at a conference in Singapore, Macron called France a friend and an ally of the United States but pushed back against Trump's desire to dominate what other countries do. Macron said efforts to force other nations to choose between the US and China would lead to the breakdown of the global order put in place after World War II. We want to cooperate, but we do not want to be instructed on a daily basis what is allowed, what is not allowed, and how our life will change because of the decision of a single person, Macron said. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba pushed back against Trump's agenda of levying higher tariffs on imported goods, arguing it would hurt economic growth. The Japanese leader specifically called Trump ahead of the summit to confirm their plans to talk on the sidelines, which is a greater focus for Japan than the summit itself. I called him as I also wanted to congratulate his birthday, though one day earlier, Ishiba said. Trump cares about being tough, but G7 is a chance to reset relations Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., the ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, said the summit was an opportunity for Trump to mend relationships with other countries so China would be unable to exploit differences among the G7. She said other foreign leaders are not intimidated by Trump's actions, which could be driving them away from tighter commitments with the US. The conversations that I've had with those leaders suggest that they think that the partnership with the United States has been really important, but they also understand that there are other opportunities, Shaheen said. The White House did not respond to emailed questions for this story. Many leaders feel more confident that they can sidestep Trump's threats Having originally made his reputation in real estate and hospitality, Trump has taken kindly to certain foreign visitors, such as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Starmer has sought to keep Trump in line with Europe in supporting Ukraine and NATO instead of brokering any truces that would favor Russia. He has echoed the president's language about NATO members spending more on defence. But in his Oval Office visit, Starmer also pleased Trump by delivering an invite for a state visit from King Charles III. The German government said it, too, wanted to send a public signal of unity, saying that while Trump's recent meeting with Merz at the White House went harmoniously, the next test is how the relationship plays out in a team setting. There will also be other world leaders outside of the G7 nations attending the summit in mountainous Kananaskis, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whom Trump dressed down in the Oval Office. Italy's Meloni has positioned herself as a bridge between the Trump administration and the rest of Europe. But Italy's strong support of Ukraine and Trump's threatened tariffs on European goods have put Meloni, the only European leader to attend Trump's inauguration, in a difficult position. Mark Sobel, US chair of the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum, an independent think tank, said Trump's trade policies, backing for right wing European movements, seeming preference for dealing with authoritarians and many of his other actions are alienating our G7 allies, even if the US president is correct that Europe needs to do more on defence. But even as other G7 leaders defuse any public disputes with Trump, the US president's vision for the world remains largely incompatible with they want. In short, behind the curtains, and notwithstanding whatever theatre, the Kananaskis summit will highlight a more fragmented G7 and an adrift global economy," Sobel said.
