Foreign Minister Penny Wong met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, expressing regret over the cancellation of a planned meeting between Trump and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese due to the Middle East crisis. The two discussed AUKUS, a defence pact, but Wong did not receive a guarantee that it would continue.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/wong-denies-australia-left-high-and-dry-on-aukus-20250702-p5mbte.htmlPakistan's former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto urged India to join Pakistan in combating terrorism and forge a historic partnership, calling for an end to disputes such as the Kashmir issue and Indus Waters Treaty. He emphasized that India should step down from its "high horse" and pursue peace with Pakistan, resolving outstanding issues to save a billion souls from extremism.
https://www.firstpost.com/world/pakistan-ready-to-forge-historic-phenomenal-partnership-with-india-says-bilawal-13902347.htmlThe Philippines has launched a "transparency initiative" in 2023 to publicly expose China's aggressive actions in disputed waters, with Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė stating that revealing these actions is crucial to shatter the illusion of China being a peaceful neighbor. The move comes after former Filipino senator Francis Tolentino was sanctioned by China for criticizing Beijing's aggression and supporting new laws demarcating Philippine territorial zones in the South China Sea. As a result, Šakalienė and her family have also been sanctioned and banned from entering China due to their strong criticisms of China's actions and human rights record.
https://www.manilatimes.net/2025/07/02/news/lithuanias-defense-chief-praises-philippine-campaign-exposing-chinas-aggression/2142455Vietnam has reached a deal with the US to address reciprocal tariff issues, with President Trump affirming that the US will significantly reduce tariffs on Vietnamese export goods. The agreement comes ahead of the threatened reimposition of steep tariffs on dozens of economies, including the European Union and Japan. A deal was also recently announced with Britain, where the US agreed to cut tariffs on cars from 27.5% to 10%, in exchange for further market access for US ethanol and beef.
https://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/nation/trump-says-vietnam-to-face-20-tariff-under-great-deal/article_c2516a0b-a9ba-5b9f-b76e-58331f63268d.htmlUkrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen signed a Letter of Intent, committing Denmark to export Ukrainian military technologies and establish production facilities abroad. The initiative aims to strengthen Ukraine's Defense Forces with the help of Denmark, which has already allocated 500 million DKK for launching Ukraine's defense production on its territory.
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-economy/4010183-danish-model-of-defense-industry-support-can-become-ukraines-competitive-advantage-ambassador.htmlThe European Union's Ambassador to Bangladesh, Michael Miller, has expressed hope for the restoration of democratic order and a free, fair, and credible national election in Bangladesh. The UN Human Rights High Commissioner, Volker Turk, has urged the interim government under Yunus to make meaningful advances on reforms to create an environment for inclusive elections. The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, also called for inclusive elections, emphasizing the need to consider the voices of women, youth, and minority communities.
https://www.lokmattimes.com/international/elections-in-bangladesh-will-be-held-early-next-year-yunus-tells-rubio/Laila Ghannam, governor of Ramallah and Al-Bireh, accused Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, of giving full political cover to settler militias. A European Union delegation, led by Alexandre Stutzmann, visited damaged homes and burned vehicles in Kafr Malik, expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people from a humanitarian perspective. The visit coincides with a surge in attacks by Israeli illegal settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, which have increased by 30% this year, according to Israeli data.
https://en.tempo.co/read/2023337/eu-diplomats-visit-palestines-west-bank-following-deadly-israeli-settlers-attackA coalition of countries, including France, Kenya and Barbados, is pushing for a global tax on plane tickets, including business-class travel and private jets, to raise funds for climate adaptation. The aim is to increase revenue for poorer countries and support "resilient investments" in the aviation sector. Greenpeace welcomes this move, calling it an "important step" towards making polluters pay. The proposed tax could generate up to €187 billion ($220 billion) if applied globally, with the funds going towards helping vulnerable developing countries adapt to climate change.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1325724-rich-flyers-may-foot-climate-bill-under-new-tax-push-by-80-nation-groupThe G7 top diplomats condemned threats against Rafael Grossi, head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, after a hardline Iranian newspaper called for his execution as an Israeli agent. The IAEA's Board of Governors declared Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in almost 20 years on June 12. Israel is believed to be the only Middle Eastern country with nuclear weapons and is fighting against Iran to prevent it from developing its own nuclear arsenal, despite being a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/g7-urges-talks-to-resume-for-deal-on-iran-nuclear-program/article69758195.ece