Russia expands economic sanctions against Ukraine; Trump sets conditions for US government to reopen

Russia expands economic sanctions against Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. Photo: Reuters

AFP news agency quoted Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev's decree on December 25 saying that the Russian government has added 245 individuals and 7 companies from Ukraine, mainly in the energy and defense sectors, to the list of sanctions imposed by Russia. On his Twitter account, Russian Prime Minister Medvedev said that these sanctions are aimed at "protecting the interests of the Russian government, businesses and people".

Thus, with the expansion of the sanctions, a total of 567 individuals and 75 companies of Ukraine are now facing economic sanctions from Russia. These organizations/individuals will have their assets in Russia frozen by the Russian authorities.

President Trump sets conditions for US government to reopen

US President Donald Trump announced that the government will shut down until the Senate passes a budget for the border wall. According to Reuters, President Trump made the statement in the Oval Office while chairing an online conference with the participation of US military forces abroad on December 25.

About 25% of the government has been shut down for days as Congress stalemates over President Trump’s proposal to spend $5 billion on a wall along the border with Mexico. “I can’t say when the government will reopen. I can say it won’t happen until we have a wall or a fence. That’s a barrier to people coming into our country,” he said.

Prime Minister Hun Sen threatens to jail Sam Rainsy if he returns to Cambodia

Mr. Sam Rainsy lives in exile in France after leaving Cambodia. Photo: AFP

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on December 26 that he had "prepared handcuffs" and would immediately jail opposition politician Sam Rainsy if he returned to Cambodia as he had recently announced. "I have prepared handcuffs and will immediately jail the person who is preparing to return to Cambodia if he dares to do as he said," Prime Minister Hun Sen emphasized during a rally with garment workers in Phnom Penh.

Sam Rainsy, who is in exile abroad, told supporters in Paris on December 16 that he would return next year and called on people to join forces to oppose the government. Sam Rainsy, who is in exile abroad, is the founder and former president of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP). The party was dissolved by a court ruling in 2017 after its president, Kem Sokha, was arrested on charges of treason.

Syrian government forces enter Kurdish-controlled Manbij area

Syrian government forces have entered Manbij, a northern border area controlled by Kurdish fighters. Trucks carrying Syrian government troops, equipment, two tanks and other armored vehicles arrived at the village of Arimah, located on the western outskirts of Manbij and 25km from the city center.

The move comes a day after Turkish-backed Syrian fighters reinforced their forces and armored vehicles at the Manbij frontline and just days after the US abruptly announced its withdrawal from Syria. Manbij is controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), led by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which Türkiye considers a terrorist group.

South Korea's Defense White Paper Will Drop Its Confrontational Stance on North Korea

Cover of the South Korean Defense White Papers of 2012, 2014 and 2016.

KBS reported on December 26 that the South Korean Ministry of National Defense's White Paper, scheduled to be released in January 2019, will remove phrases that are hostile to North Korea. On the same day, a South Korean government official also confirmed that the Defense White Paper will remove previously prescribed hostile words and expressions. Instead, it will include cooperative content between the two countries aimed at protecting each side's territory and national security.

This is the first time that a South Korean Defense White Paper has been released under President Moon Jae-in. Previously, the 2016 Defense White Paper strongly criticized North Korea's threats to South Korea's security, with its missile and nuclear development.

Hodeida ceasefire monitoring committee meets for the first time

Scenes of devastation after fighting in Hodeida, Yemen on December 17. Source: AFP/TTXVN

On December 26, the UN Ceasefire Monitoring Committee in the Yemeni city of Hodeida, including representatives of the warring parties in Yemen, met for the first time in the port city of this country. The Ceasefire Monitoring Committee, headed by retired Dutch General Patrick Cammaert, along with a number of Saudi Arabia-backed Yemeni government officials and representatives of the Houthi rebel group.

A Yemeni government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed hope that the two sides would achieve good results after this meeting. The ceasefire in the port city of Hodeida, through which 90% of Yemen's food imports pass, is one of the efforts to promote peace that is seen as the best chance to end the four-year conflict between Houthi rebels and government forces alongside a Saudi-led coalition.