Tag: summit

Biden sees unity on ‘substantive matters’ after summit criticism

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — US President Joe Biden insisted Thursday there was unity at an Americas summit, after the leaders of Argentina and Belize openly criticized him for excluding three leftist leaders. “Notwithstanding some of the disagreements relating to participation, on the substantive matters, what I heard was almost unity and uniformity,” Biden said. He said that he saw “almost total agreement” on issues such as managing migration and fighting climate change, and […]

Excluded from Americas Summit, Maduro visits Turkey

CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — US, diplomacy, Latin America, summit, Maduro, Venezuela, Turkey, Russia Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrived in Turkey on Tuesday for an official visit as other Latin American leaders gathered for a summit in Los Angeles, to which the United States did not invite him. The VTV state channel showed footage of Maduro arriving at the airport in Ankara, where he was received by senior officials of Turkey, an important ally of Venezuela. “I […]

At US border hole, asylum is still possible

by Paula Ramon Agence France-Presse YUMA, United States (AFP) — When a young Colombian man and his family arrived at the US border early one morning, they helped themselves to bananas and water, then sat down in the shade and waited for American patrol officers. Like dozens of others who enter the United States every day through this gap in the fence, they are not trying sneak into the country unnoticed. “We don’t want to cross […]

Mexico snub throws Americas’ summit into disarray

by Shaun Tandon Agence France-Presse LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — President Joe Biden’s plan to reboot US engagement with Latin America — especially on critical topics like migration — took a hit after key partner Mexico snubbed a regional summit opening Monday in Los Angeles to protest Washington’s exclusion of three far-left countries. What was meant to be a week-long showcase of cooperation risks becoming a display of division, underlining diminishing US clout over […]

EU struggles to clear Hungary’s block on Russian oil ban

by Alex PIGMAN EU ambassadors made a final push to persuade Hungary to accept a watered-down oil embargo against Russia before a summit on Monday, as European unity over the war in Ukraine showed cracks. Envoys from the 27 member states were meeting in an attempt to finalise a sixth package of sanctions against Moscow, but remain deadlocked over a proposed embargo on Russian oil. The meeting was held just hours before the start of […]

Global elites return to Davos under Ukraine storm

by Laurent Thomet © Agence France-Presse Davos, SWITZERLAND (AFP) — The Davos summit of global political and business elites returns Monday after a Covid-induced two-year break to face another momentous crisis: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The theme of the World Economic Forum, “History at a Turning Point”, sets the tone for the four-day meeting in the glitzy Swiss mountain resort that will be dominated by the political and economic fallout from the conflict. When the […]

UN chief warns of famine, urges Russia to free Ukrainian grain

UN chief Antonio Guterres warned Wednesday of years of mass hunger and famine if a growing global food crisis goes unchecked as he urged Russia to release Ukrainian grain. Speaking at a major United Nations summit in New York, Guterres said the war in Ukraine was compounding global food insecurity already worsened by warming temperatures and the coronavirus pandemic. Guterres said that in just two years, the number of severely food insecure people has doubled […]

US to host ASEAN leaders in mid-May

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Joe Biden will meet in mid-May with the leaders of Southeast Asian nations, with a likely focus on the rising power of China, the host country announced Saturday. The summit, originally scheduled for March, “will demonstrate the United States’ enduring commitment to ASEAN,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement, referring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. “It is a top priority for […]

EU to seek China rethink over Russia ties

by Julien GIRAULT with Patrick BAERT in Beijing © Agence France-Presse BRUSSELS, Belgium (AFP) — The EU holds a virtual summit with China on Friday amid increasing alarm over Beijing’s growing proximity with Moscow and its reluctance to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold the videoconference with EU leaders Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen, carrying through on an annual exercise that was skipped last year as tensions simmered. […]

UAE reaffirms OPEC+ commitment, says West must be ‘reasonable’

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AFP) — The United Arab Emirates on Monday urged Western countries to be “reasonable” in their expectations, underlining its commitment to the global OPEC+ energy alliance. The grouping of the 13 members of the Saudi-led Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and their 10 allies, including Russia, is an “alliance to stay”. “We always believe that whatever we do as countries, when it comes to production and this work, it […]

NATO invites Zelensky to address summit via videolink

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AFP) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been invited to address a special NATO summit Thursday discussing the Russian invasion of his country, an official said. “President Zelensky is invited to address the NATO summit via video link,” the NATO official said Tuesday. “This will be an opportunity for allied leaders to hear directly from President Zelensky about the dire situation facing the people of Ukraine because of Russia’s aggression,” the official added. […]

EU leaders dash Ukraine’s swift accession hopes

by Alex Pigman Agence France-Presse VERSAILLES, France (AFP) – EU leaders doused Ukraine’s hopes Thursday of quickly gaining European Union membership, as they met to urgently address the fallout of Russia’s invasion of its pro-Brussels neighbour. The meeting at the palace of Versailles was set to be the high point of France’s six-month EU presidency. But President Emmanuel Macron is instead leading a crisis summit following Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s invasion which has upended decades […]