What was it like covering
@SecBlinken
’s trip to
#China
? Aggressive surveillance: a guy who claimed he's from the hotel security tried to interrupt me while I’m taping a standup. He asked: how much longer? He has been standing there watching me from the beginning.
Americký ministr zahraničních věcí
@SecPompeo
ve středu 12. 8. v českém Senátu přednese veřejný projev a bude s předsedou
@Vystrcil_Milos
jednat o společných zájmech v zahraničně-politických otázkách.
"Our information indicates
#Russia
is creating a disinformation campaign by publicizing false reports about the widespread surrender of
#Ukrainian
troops,"
said a
@StateDept
spokesperson amid Russia's military invasion in Ukraine.
#UkraineUnderAttack
@VOANews
1/3
I made it clear to Wang Yi (王毅) that the presence of this surveillance balloon in US airspace is a clear violation of US sovereignty and international law..1/2
On whether or not the U.S. will help
#Taiwan
to participate in
@WHO
,
@SecBlinken
told
@YoungKimCA
"Absolutely. I share your view that
#Taiwan
is a strong democracy, a very strong technological power, and country that can contribute to the world.
#COVID
is a very good example."
The U.S. is offering a reward of "up to $10 million" for information leading to the identification, or location of any person who acting at the direction or under the control of a foreign government interferes with US elections, said
@SecPompeo
on
#Russia
#disinformation
.
Sec of
@StateDept
Tillerson enjoyed a cup of
#Ethiopian
#coffee
at US Embassy at
#Addisababa
, at a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony.
An Ethiopian woman in traditional dress is roasting coffee in a small pan over a charcoal brazier.
@VOANews
#Finland
and
#Sweden
are a long time established & stable democracies so conversations abt their
@NATO
membership would be different w/ those "making the transition to the democratic systems & dealing w/ intensive problems of corruption & economic reform," said
@UnderSecStateP
A senior
@StateDept
official has confirmed the death of
#ISIS
spokesperson Abu Hassan al-Muhajir."The demise of his [Abu Bakr al-
#Baghdadi
’s] number two, or one of his number twos, Abu Hassan al-Muhajir, in
#Aleppo
province, in
#Jarablus
" was also operation done "by U.S. forces."
Secretary of
@StateDept
Rex Tillerson statement on nerve agent attack in the U.K. , saying "there is never a justification for this type of attack" by
#Russia
in the attempted murder of a private citizen on the soil of a sovereign nation.
@VOANews
"We stand resolutely against terrorism," said
@SecBlinken
. "We stand with
#Israel
and will continue to do so," Blinken added as he's heading to Israel.
@SecBlinken
said the counter offensive in Southern and Northeast
#Ukraine
have been "very methodically planned out" with one clear purpose--"to take back the land that was seized by
#Russia
's aggression." It's also "benefited from significant support from the United States."
Ukraine informed
@iaeaorg
today that a nuclear research facility in the north-eastern city of Kharkiv had suffered additional damage when it came under renewed fire a few days ago, but its small amount of nuclear material remained intact.
@VP
is having a pull aside right now with Head of
#Taiwanese
delegation Morris Chang at the Pacific Explorer, the same ship on which VP delivered his speech.
@VOANews
#VPinAsia
"We commend the Ukrainian people for showing strength and determination in response to an unprovoked attack by a significantly larger military," said a U.S. official. 3/3
@VOANews
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived Beijing. A senior State Department official said both the U.S. and China recognize there’s a need to have senior-level channels of communication.
"We are concerned about the threat picture, and we are in constant contact through military, diplomatic & intelligence channels with the Saudis," said
@StateDeptSpox
. "We will not hesitate to act in the defense of our interests and partners in the region."
#Iran
#SaudiArabia
Today's response is in direct response to Russia's failure to keep their promise to guarantee the elimination of
#Syria
's chemical weapons. We hope
#Russia
and
#Iran
will join with civilized nations as a force for stability and peace.
@DerekJGrossman
@BonnieGlaser
The mandarin version of Wang Yi’s remarks at
#MSC2022
published by China’s MOFA has no mention of safeguarding Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.
It is the saddest moment in my tenure as the Secretary General of the
@UN
, said
@antonioguterres
during a press conference after tonight's
#UNSC
meeting. "President Putin, in the name of humanity, bring your troops back to
#Russia
. "
@VOANews
The U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary
@SecAzar
arrived
#Taiwan
, leading a U.S. delegation for a three-day visit during which he will meet Taiwan President
@iingwen
. This is the highest-level visit by an American official since 1979.
"Our information also indicates that Russia plans to threaten killing the family members of Ukrainian soldiers if they do not surrender," said the
@StateDept
. 2/3
Ji Seong-ho, a North Korean defector, was recognized by
@POTUS
during
#StateOfTheUnion
:"Today he lives in Seoul, where he rescues other defectors, and broadcasts into North Korea what the regime fears the most -- the truth."
Mongolia is a potential location for Trump's planned mtg with Kim Jong Un. Officials from the U.S., Japan, and Mongolia held a trilateral meeting in Tokyo on 4/26, a day before historical summit b/w
#NorthKorea
and South Korea. Coincidence?
We thank our allies for their contributions and support. We pray for our troops as they carry out their mission, for those suffering in
#Syria
and for the region to bring a future of dignity and peace.
In a hard-hitting speech on
#China
,
@SecPompeo
said the Communist Party is "truly hostile" to the U.S., adding for years the U.S. downplayed ideological differences, even after the
#Tiananmen
Square massacre and other gross
#humanrights
violations.
"It takes two to tango. And we have not seen any interest on the part of Vladimir
#Putin
and engaging in any kind of meaningful diplomatic initiative," said
@SecBlinken
when pressed if there's any meaningful negotiations going on to solve the
#Russia
-
#Ukraine
war diplomatically.
"The two leaders agreed that Secretary of State Blinken will visit China to follow up on their discussions," said the White House readout after
@POTUS
Xi meeting on the margins of G-20.
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
@SenateForeign
has passed the nomination of Antony Blinken
@ABlinken
as secretary of state, sending the vote to the Senate floor.
@RandPaul
voted against the nomination.
@VOANews
"When it comes to to
#Belarus
," said
@SecBlinken
, "here the idea that Belarus would weaponize migration is also profoundly objectionable." He is referring to irregular migration flows in the Belarus/Poland border.
@VOANews
The
#Afghan
Security Forces that the U.S. and international community have invested in for 20 years have proved incapable of defending its own country. "That did happen more rapidly than we anticipated," said
@SecBlinken
@VOANews
While
#Quad
is not a military alliance,
@CharlesEdel
told
@VOANews
that four democracies--all with a strong maritime presence and advanced military capabilities--are concerned by the increasingly aggressive approach
#China
takes with its neighbors.
Ahead of
@SecBlinken
's
#China
trip, US-China military officials spoke on Tues. US laid out its red line, warning China against security assistance to
#Russia
in Moscow’s war on
#Ukraine
. On potential
@SpeakerMcCarthy
's visit to
#Taiwan
, US cautioned China against mil escalation.
"Over the next 48 hours, we will have expanded our security presence to nearly 6,000 troops, with a mission focused solely on facilitating these efforts and will be taking over air traffic control," said
@StateDept
and
@DeptofDefense
on
#Afghanistan
.
The US joined its
@NATO
allies to issue a strong rebuke to “malicious hybrid and cyber” threats from the People's Republic of China, warning the “no-limits” partnership b/w
#China
and
#Russia
is undermining a rules-based international order. With
@jseldin
Sec of
@StateDept
Tillerson said it is a "positive step" and U.S. supports the agreement reached by
#Kenya
’s President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga on Friday, promising to unite the country after elections last year.
The U.S. concerns on a potential
#Russian
invasion in
#Ukraine
has not diminished, said
@StateDeptSpox
.
"It could take place tomorrow, it could take place next week. It could take place before the end of the Olympics, it can take place after the
#Olympics
."
South
#Korea
will suspend parts of a 2018 inter-Korean deal after North Korea said it launched its first spy satellite. Signed by the two Koreas on Sept 19, 2018, the Comprehensive Military Agreement outlined steps to ease military tensions and prevent unintended accidents.
I'm grateful to
@POTUS
for the honor to serve as our nation's 70th Secretary of State. So many matters of global importance demand our focus. I'm committed to putting the interests of the American people first and look forward to serving with the world's finest diplomatic corps.