Clémence Guetté, first vice-president of the National Assembly of France, on NATO:

Trump’s United States kidnaps a head of state in Venezuela.

Trump’s United States supports and militarily backs a genocide in Palestine.

Trump’s United States threatens Greenland with armed annexation.

Trump’s United States bombs peoples in total violation of international law.

More than ever, the question of France’s participation in NATO, a military alliance led by and serving the United States, is being raised.

I am submitting a resolution to plan France’s exit from NATO, starting with its integrated command.

Turkish Defence Minister Yaşar Güler on Syria:

The Syrian government, acting on the principle of equality for all ethnic groups, has launched a counterterrorism operation in Aleppo to ensure public order and the safety of its citizens.

This operation targeting all terrorist groups has been welcomed by us.

We see Syria’s security as our own and reiterate our support for its fight against terrorist organizations based on Syria’s unity and territorial integrity, in line with the “one state, one army” principle.

Italy's Meloni on Russia:

The only way to guarantee peace is deterrence...

Deterrence comes from the Latin 'de' - via da - e 'terrere', to scare.

You must be strong enough to make the enemy desist from the possibility of attacking you.

It is strength that builds peace, not weakness.

WATCH: U.S. forces apprehending Motor/Tanker Olina in the Caribbean Sea.

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Italy's Meloni:

Geopolitics is not gossip.

What should we do? Should we close American bases?Should we break trade relations?

Should we storm McDonald’s?

I don't know what we should do.

Italy's Meloni on Greenland:

I continue not to believe in the hypothesis that the United States would launch military action to take control of Greenland, an option that I clearly would not share.

I believe would not benefit anyone, including the United States.

The message the U.S. wants to give is that they will not accept excessive interference from other foreign actors in an area so strategic for their security.

Italy's Meloni:

I do not consider the sending of Italian soldiers to Ukraine necessary; the main instrument to build security guarantees is an ‘Article 5-like’ system.

I do not consider it necessary, also because of how many troops would be needed to deter an army of about 1.5 million in Russia?

NEW: Syrian Army Operations Command declares Sheikh Maqsoud a closed military zone, imposes a full curfew from 6:30 p.m., and urges civilians to stay away from windows and move to lower floors.

U.S. officials are closely reassessing whether the latest wave of protests in Iran could pose a real threat to the regime, after unrest intensified and spread across the country.

Earlier intelligence assessments suggested the demonstrations lacked the momentum to destabilize the system, but that view is now under review following larger and more aggressive protests.

Source: Axios

Mexican President Sheinbaum:

We’re strengthening communication and coordination with the United States. That’s why I asked Secretary Juan Ramón de la Fuente to meet with the U.S. Secretary of State if needed.

We have a joint working group, and we’re sharing full information—such as data on seized laboratories—to further strengthen coordination within our existing framework.

Italy's Meloni:

Unlike what I was saying about Ukraine, where I do not see a major difference being made by an Italian military presence, in Gaza it is possible to truly make a significant difference.

Clearly, this would depend on security conditions and on the decision of Parliament, because it is not a choice I can make on my own.

But I believe that Italy objectively should not rule out any form of possible participation within this framework.

NEW: A US State Department team traveled to Caracas on Friday for the first time since Maduro’s ouster, marking an initial step toward possibly reopening the US embassy in Venezuela.

Diplomatic and security personnel conducted a preliminary assessment to determine whether operations could resume in phases.

Officials say reopening would depend on security conditions and the state of the embassy building.

Source: CNN

Reza Pahlavi to Trump:

Please be prepared to intervene to help the people of Iran.

Adam Kadyrov, son of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, said he would “find and bring” Zelensky to Grozny if ordered by Putin or by his father.

Writing on social media, Adam Kadyrov threatened to seize Zelensky “like an unwanted object” and deliver him as a “war criminal,” not as a president.

France has postponed this year’s G7 summit by one day to avoid overlapping with a major UFC fight planned at the White House on June 14, which also falls on U.S. Flag Day and President Trump’s 80th birthday.

The summit, originally set for June 14–16 in Evian-les-Bains, will now run from June 15–17.

Source: POLITICO

Turkish President Erdogan on Gaza:

We’re saying let’s send containers; we’re involving the UN and the West, but that pharaoh Netanyahu is never interested in such matters anyway, and they don’t accept it.

BIG: Delcy Rodríguez has requested permission to travel to Washington next Tuesday, including a possible visit to the White House.

The request is under preliminary review and would require a temporary sanctions waiver from the U.S. Treasury, as Rodríguez is sanctioned for human rights abuses.

The request coincides with María Corina Machado’s announced visit to Washington next week.

Source: ABC Internacional

China’s refiners, cut off from discounted Venezuelan crude after the Trump administration tightened pressure on Venezuela and seized Maduro, are turning to Canadian heavy oil as the closest substitute.

Shipments via the expanded Trans Mountain Pipeline now flow mostly to China, welcomed by Alberta and Ottawa seeking to diversify beyond the US.

Source: Bloomberg

Netanyahu:

You’ve seen these pictures of people cutting open the chest of an enemy — these Islamists — tearing out the heart. The person is still alive and eating the heart. That tells you something.

Now that mentality, that fanaticism has to be confronted. It will move and invade your countries and it will destroy them.

Netanyahu claims that “radical Islam” poses a greater global threat than communism or China.

Netanyahu:

If Britain was invaded and, in one day, about 8,000 Brits were murdered, mutilated, raped, and kidnapped near London, what would you do?

We know what Britain did in World War II. I don’t hold Churchill, the British government, or the British people responsible.

You bombed the living daylights out of German cities and French cities that were in your way. We didn’t do that. We went in with ground forces. We didn’t carpet bomb Gaza.