Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius said the country has evacuation plans in place amid threats from Russia but would resist any attack.

“If we are attacked, we will fight back... we will engage,” he told the BBC, adding: “We will not surrender.”

Xi is expected to press Trump at this week’s Washington summit to halt U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, citing the 1982 U.S.-China joint communiqué.

Beijing is also pushing Washington to stop deliveries of weapons Taiwan has already ordered. One source said Xi may argue that “Taiwan is the provocateur and the sole source of instability in U.S.-China relations.”

The U.S. said in 1982 that it intended to gradually reduce arms sales, but Ronald Reagan separately made that commitment “conditioned absolutely upon the continued commitment of China to the peaceful solution” of differences with Taiwan.

Trump has yet to approve a new $14 billion Taiwan arms package, which he previously described as a “very good negotiating chip.”

Source: Reuters

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi says Iran-backed militias will be disarmed by June 30, 2027, under a phased plan to bring armed groups under state control.

The plan would begin with a 90-day halt in militia attacks, during which U.S. forces would also refrain from attacking them, followed by the militias handing over their weapons. Some factions are pushing for until the end of 2027.

The effort faces strong resistance and could depend on whether the U.S.-Iran war ends, while Washington is pressing Baghdad to curb the Iran-aligned groups.

Source: NYT

Argentina's President Javier Milei on the Falkland Islands:

The Malvinas (Falkland Islands) are Argentine by history and by law, and that is perfectly documented.

They expelled the population of the Malvinas (Falkland Islands). They implanted a new population, new inhabitants.

So there is no question of indigenous rights or self-determination, because the original population was expelled and new populations were implanted.

Given the UK’s political, economic and demographic problems, it should seriously reconsider peacefully returning these islands to Argentina.

UN Secretary-General Guterres:

We condemned the barbaric attacks of Hamas on the 7th of October, and we condemn what has been the highest level of death and destruction that we have witnessed in my mandate happening in Gaza.

UN Secretary-General Guterres:

We have not much power. We have not much money. But we have two things.

We have a voice, and that voice is very important. That voice must be a reference of values in the world.

And second, we have some convening capacity, and we have shown that convening capacity in different moments, for instance recently in relation to artificial intelligence.

UN Secretary-General Guterres:

Killer robots should be forbidden. I don’t accept the idea that a machine can decide on the life or death of people.

Decisions related to the life or death of people need to be taken by humans.

UN Secretary-General Guterres on Africa:

Africa is a double victim of colonialism. First, because of colonialism itself and what colonialism has caused.

We can talk about the transatlantic slave trade and many other aspects in which the African continent has been sacrificed.

And then second reason why it’s a victim, because when the institutions that are today the multilateral institutions of global governance were created, the African countries, most of them, were still under colonial domination.

So they were not present and they were not taken into account, and so Africa is not effectively represented in the multilateral institutions that exist today. And that is something that is a scandal that needs to be corrected.

US Envoy to the UN Mike Waltz:

Even when we have civilian casualties — and I’m not saying that’s the case, I think it’s still under investigation by the Pentagon — but even when we have them, it’s unintentional and it’s incidental as part of a conflict.

Source: New York Post

Brazilian President Lula:

Trump was elected President of the United States. He has the right to govern the United States, but he does not have the right to govern other countries.

He does not have the right to impose his will.

We do not want interference. We want partnership.

Brazilian President Lula:

Trump’s behavior has a strong tendency toward unilateralism. That is very dangerous.

Because then the strongest may prevail: whoever has the biggest economy, the most weapons or the greatest technological power.

Trade has to be balanced. It has to be a two-way street: I buy and I sell.

There must be a certain balance to avoid major distortions, with one country running a very large deficit with another.

Brazilian President Lula on Venezuela:

Everything we read — the documents, the agreements — gives the impression that the United States is giving orders to Venezuela. In other words, the sovereignty of the country is over.

This is not good. It is not good for the United States, it is not good for Venezuela, and it is not good for democracy.

Brazilian President Lula on Trump:

He acts like an emperor. It is a way of governing that I do not agree with.

It is a way of governing where you say: “I am strong, I am bigger, I am richer, I can do anything, and everyone else has to obey.”

That is called the law of the strongest. I do not agree with that kind of law.

Brazilian President Lula:

The territorial security of countries no longer exists. Any country can invade another country now. We cannot live like this.

They killed many people on the boats in Venezuela, and so far they have not proven that any of them were traffickers.

They killed Saddam Hussein, and to this day they have not found any chemical weapons.

I keep asking myself: how long will the world remain subordinate to lies?

Brazilian President Lula:

The leaders with the biggest economies, technology, militaries and nuclear arsenals are the ones who should stop wars and make peace.

Instead, they keep fomenting confrontations. Where are we going to end up with this?

Brazilian President Lula:

The ideal thing is that a partnership is built with Venezuela so that it can develop.

If I were Delcy, I would call elections as quickly as possible so that the people could choose who is going to be the president of that country.

Because the way the United States treats Delcy gives the impression that the United States gives orders to Delcy.

Marco Rubio makes it clear that he is in charge in Venezuela — that oil money goes to the U.S., and the U.S. gives a little back to Venezuela.

Brazilian President Lula:

If Maduro committed a mistake, he has to be judged. He has to be tried. It has to be investigated.

A country cannot simply accuse.

I am tired of seeing this. Where are the chemical weapons that Saddam Hussein had?

Where is the nuclear bomb that Iran has?

Brazilian President Lula:

I have already told Trump "it is important that you do not interfere in Brazil’s elections, just as I do not interfere in yours."

Brazilian elections are the concern of the Brazilian people. American elections are the concern of the American people.

There are already signs of interference involving artificial intelligence.

I am very worried about Marco Rubio because Marco Rubio is very closely connected to Bolsonaro’s people, but for now it is only a suspicion.

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Lithuania is fortifying a key power substation near Russia’s Kaliningrad amid concerns that Moscow could target it with sabotage or a false flag attack to test NATO unity.

The Gizai substation will include anti-ram fencing, tunnel sensors, reinforced concrete protection for transformers and defenses against explosive drones.

Source: Reuters