Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
KYIV, May 11 (Xinhua) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday proposed on social network X to Russian President Vladimir Putin to hold a personal meeting in Turkey on May 15 to resolve the Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict.
He expressed hope that official Moscow would accept his proposal.
V. Zelensky added that Ukraine also expects a complete and long-term ceasefire starting on May 12.
On Sunday night, V. Putin proposed that Ukraine resume direct peace talks between the two countries on May 15 in Istanbul. V. Zelensky called the Russian leader’s initiative “a good sign,” but noted that Kyiv is ready for dialogue provided that Russia agrees to the 30-day ceasefire proposed by Ukraine on Saturday, starting May 12. –0–
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael McCaul (10th District of Texas)
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) — chairman emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee — released the following statement on the signing of a historic economic partnership agreement between the U.S. and Ukraine.
“The signing of today’s long-awaited minerals deal is a proud moment for Americans, Ukrainians, and all peace-loving people around the world. The result of months of tireless work, this historic deal will strengthen the partnership between our two nations, help Ukraine rebuild and restore its communities, and ensure the American taxpayer benefits from the United States’ investment in freedom. It also telegraphs a strong message to the Kremlin that this administration is not messing around; Putin must stop his incessant attacks on Ukraine, come to the table, and work toward peace – today.”
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
ANKARA, May 11 (Xinhua) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday expressed the Turkish side’s readiness to host direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine after the Russian side proposed holding them in Istanbul.
According to a statement from R. T. Erdogan’s office, the corresponding statement was made during his separate telephone conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron.
During the conversation with V. Putin, the head of Turkey touched upon issues of Turkish-Russian relations, as well as broader regional and global issues. He welcomed the Russian leader’s recent proposal to resume peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15 and stated that “Türkiye is ready to accept talks aimed at achieving a long-term solution,” the chancellery specified.
R. T. Erdogan stressed that a window of opportunity has opened for achieving peace and noted that the establishment of a comprehensive ceasefire will create the necessary conditions for productive negotiations.
In a conversation with E. Macron, the Turkish president emphasized the importance of continuing cooperation on the issue of launching negotiations on permanent peace and supporting the process of restoring Ukraine.
Noting that a historic turning point has arrived on the path to ending the war between Ukraine and Russia and that this opportunity must be seized, R. T. Erdogan told E. Macron that Turkey is ready to make any contribution, including organizing negotiations, to achieve a ceasefire and lasting peace.
Speaking to reporters in the Kremlin earlier on Sunday, Putin proposed resuming direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15. The Russian leader stressed that Russia is committed to serious talks with Ukraine that are designed to address the root causes of the ongoing conflict and to establish a long-term, lasting peace in the historical perspective.
In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called it a good sign that Russia had begun to think about ending the war, but, according to him, the very first step towards this should be the beginning of a full, long-term and reliable ceasefire from May 12.
In 2022, Russian and Ukrainian negotiators held direct talks in Istanbul but failed to reach an agreement to halt hostilities. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Moscow, May 11 /Xinhua/ — Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday, the Kremlin press service reported.
“The Russian President’s initiative to resume direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations, which are proposed to be held in Istanbul starting on May 15, was discussed in detail,” the statement said.
“Recep Tayyip Erdogan fully supported this Russian proposal, emphasizing his readiness to provide the Istanbul platform. The Turkish side will provide all possible assistance in organizing and holding negotiations aimed at achieving sustainable peace,” the Kremlin noted.
In addition, according to the Kremlin, V. Putin shared his impressions of the results of the celebratory events held in Moscow in honor of the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War and the international contacts at the highest level that took place during these days.
According to the Kremlin, the leaders of the two countries also expressed mutual interest in further expanding trade and investment ties, including the implementation of joint strategic projects in the energy sector.
Earlier, V. Putin proposed resuming direct negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15.
Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said on Sunday that Russia’s proposed talks on the situation in Ukraine should take into account the results of the talks that were interrupted in 2022 and the situation “on the ground.” –0–
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi Representing the 12th District of California
Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi sat down with Politico Bureau Chief and Senior Political Columnist Jonathan Martin at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center to discuss the future of the United States’ relationship with NATO at POLITICO’s Securing Europe: NATO’s Next Steps Event.
“If we as the United States of America do not honor our commitments, I don’t know how we expect people to honor their commitments to us,” Speaker Emerita Pelosi said.
Read coverage of the event below:
Politico:Pelosi warns the US needs NATO too [Eric Bazail-Eimil, 5/7/25]
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Wednesday warned that the United States cannot afford to neglect its commitment to mutual defense to its NATO allies in the face of Russian provocations.
Speaking at a POLITICO event on the sidelines of the Munich Leaders Meeting in Washington, the former House speaker acknowledged that President Donald Trump has spoken “frivolously” about the alliance in the past. Yet the San Francisco Democrat insisted that the U.S. has to support the alliance — and the commitment to mutual defense enshrined in its Article 5 — because the U.S. also needs to know it will have help in future crises.
“If we as the United States of America do not honor our commitments. I don’t know how we expect people to honor their commitments to us,” Pelosi said.
She noted that NATO countries came to the United States’ defense following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, saying, “They didn’t ask us how much we were giving to NATO or anything else. They just honored Article 5.” Those attacks were the only time that the alliance has invoked Article 5.
In reference to Canada, Pelosi blasted Trump’s comments about mutual defense for countries that haven’t met the alliance’s 2 percent of GDP defense spending target. “I don’t think that the president of the United States should say to a NATO country, if you haven’t paid 2 percent, I say to Russia, have at them,” she said.
Pelosi also said that “I don’t think the door has been shut on” repairing ties between the U.S. and NATO member states.
Yet she also needled the White House in more humorous ways, striking a more sardonic tone for other Trump administration moves toward the alliance. Dismissing the Trump administration’s efforts to potentially annex Greenland, Pelosi quipped that there are “more people [who] think that Elvis Presley is alive in the United States than Greenlanders who think they want to be part of the United States.”
She also voiced some measured praise for more conciliatory comments from Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday regarding the transatlantic alliance and peace in Ukraine. Vance had shocked allies in a February speech to the Munich Security Conference — which also organized Wednesday’s meeting — where he assailed Europe for encroaching on free speech and being lackluster partners to the United States.
When he spoke to the group Wednesday, Vance instead insisted both Europe and the United States are on the “same civilizational team.” He added, “It’s completely ridiculous to think that you’re ever going to be able to drive a firm wedge between the United States and Europe.”
“It was a better approach,” Pelosi said about Vance’s comments. “I would say it was well received.”
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
KYIV, May 11 (Xinhua) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday called Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal to resume direct peace talks between the two countries a “good sign” in a Telegram post.
“It is a good sign that Russians are finally thinking about ending the war. Everyone in the world has been expecting this for a long time,” V. Zelensky wrote.
At the same time, he stressed that the first step to a real end to any armed conflict is a ceasefire. The Ukrainian President expressed hope that Russia would agree to the ceasefire proposed by Kiev on Saturday from May 12. After that, Ukraine will be ready to sit down at the negotiating table, V. Zelensky added.
On Sunday night, V. Putin proposed that Ukraine resume direct peace talks on May 15 in Istanbul without putting forward preconditions. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a press conference at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, May 11, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Kai)
Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed on Sunday the resumption of direct negotiations with Ukraine on May 15 in Istanbul.
In a statement to journalists at the Kremlin, Putin said Russia remains committed to serious negotiations with Ukraine to address the root causes of the ongoing conflict and lay the groundwork for a lasting and stable peace.
He noted that the possibility of a ceasefire agreement could be discussed during the proposed negotiations, but stressed that any such ceasefire must be genuine and observed by both parties.
On Saturday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that Kiev is ready for a “full and unconditional” 30-day ceasefire with Russia starting Monday.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
MOSCOW, May 11 (Xinhua) — Russia is ready to hold serious talks with Ukraine to eliminate the root causes of the conflict and establish long-term peace, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Sunday in a statement to reporters in the Kremlin.
“We are committed to serious negotiations with Ukraine. Their purpose is to eliminate the root causes of the conflict and to establish a long-term, durable peace in the historical perspective,” he said.
As the Russian leader noted, Moscow’s proposal for negotiations is on the table, and the decision is up to Kiev. In his opinion, those who want peace cannot but support this proposal from Russia. “There are military actions, a war, and we propose to resume negotiations that were interrupted by someone else. What’s wrong with that? Those who really want peace cannot but support this,” he emphasized.
V. Putin also expressed gratitude to foreign partners who are making efforts for a peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis. Among them, he named China, Brazil, African and Middle Eastern countries, and the new US administration. –0–
On April 24, 2025, Indonesia made a masterful geopolitical move. Jakarta granted Fiji US$6 million in financial aid and offered to cooperate with them on military training — a seemingly benign act of diplomacy that conceals a darker purpose.
“There’s no need to be burdened by debt,” declared Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka during the bilateral meeting at Jakarta’s Merdeka Palace.
More significantly, he pledged Fiji’s respect for Indonesian sovereignty — diplomatic code for abandoning West Papua’s struggle for self-determination.
This aligns perfectly with Indonesia’s Law No. 2 of 2023, which established frameworks for defence cooperation, including joint research, technology transfer, and military education, between the two nations.
This is not merely a partnership — it is ideological assimilation.
Indonesia’s financial generosity comes with unwritten expectations. By integrating Fijian forces into Indonesian military training programmes, Jakarta aims to export its “anti-separatist” doctrine, which frames Papuan resistance as a “criminal insurgency” rather than legitimate political expression.
The US $6 million is not aid — it’s a strategic investment in regional complicity.
Geopolitical chess in a fractured world Indonesia’s manoeuvres must be understood in the context of escalating global tensions.
The rivalry between the US and China has transformed the Indo-Pacific into a strategic battleground, leaving Pacific Island nations caught between competing spheres of influence.
Although Jakarta is officially “non-aligned,” it is playing both sides to secure its territorial ambitions.
Its aid to Fiji is one move in a comprehensive regional strategy to diplomatically isolate West Papua.
Flashback to West Papuan leader Benny Wenda (left) meeting Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka in Suva in February 2023 . . . At the time, Rabuka declared: “We will support them [ULMWP] because they are Melanesians.” Image: Fiji govt
By strengthening economic and military ties with strategically positioned nations, Indonesia is systematically undermining Papuan representation in important forums such as the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG), and the United Nations.
While the world focuses on superpower competition, Indonesia is quietly strengthening its position on what it considers an internal matter — effectively removing West Papua from international discourse.
The Russian connection: Shadow alliances Another significant yet less examined relationship is Indonesia’s growing partnership with Russia, particularly in defence technology, intelligence sharing, and energy cooperation
This relationship provides Jakarta with advanced military capabilities and reduces its dependence on Western powers and China.
Russia’s unwavering support for territorial integrity, as evidenced by its position on Crimea and Ukraine, makes it an ideal partner for Indonesia’s West Papua policy.
Moscow’s diplomatic support strengthens Jakarta’s argument that “separatist” movements are internal security issues rather than legitimate independence struggles.
This strategic triangulation — balancing relations with Washington, Beijing, and Moscow– allows Indonesia to pursue regional dominance with minimal international backlash. Each superpower, focused on countering the others’ influence, overlooks Indonesia’s systematic suppression of Papuan self-determination.
Institutionalising silence: Beyond diplomacy The practical consequence of Indonesia’s multidimensional strategy is the diplomatic isolation of West Papua. Historically positioned to advocate for Melanesian solidarity, Fiji now faces economic incentives to remain silent on Indonesian human rights abuses.
A similar pattern emerges across the Pacific as Jakarta extends these types of arrangements to other regional players.
It is not just about temporary diplomatic alignment; it is about the structural transformation of regional politics.
When Pacific nations integrate their security apparatuses with Indonesia’s, they inevitably adopt Jakarta’s security narratives. Resistance movements are labelled “terrorist threats,” independence advocates are branded “destabilising elements,” and human rights concerns are dismissed as “foreign interference”.
Most alarmingly, military cooperation provides Indonesia with channels to export its counterinsurgency techniques, which are frequently criticised by human rights organisations for their brutality.
Security forces in the Pacific trained in these approaches may eventually use them against their own Papuan advocacy groups.
The price of strategic loyalty For just US$6 million — a fraction of Indonesia’s defence budget — Jakarta purchases Fiji’s diplomatic loyalty, military alignment, and ideological compliance. This transaction exemplifies how economic incentives increasingly override moral considerations such as human rights, indigenous sovereignty, and decolonisation principles that once defined Pacific regionalism.
Indonesia’s approach represents a sophisticated evolution in its foreign policy. No longer defensive about West Papua, Jakarta is now aggressively consolidating regional support, methodically closing avenues for international intervention, and systematically delegitimising Papuan voices on the global stage.
Will the Pacific remember its soul? The path ahead for West Papua is becoming increasingly treacherous. Beyond domestic repression, the movement now faces waning international support as economic pragmatism supplants moral principle throughout the Pacific region.
Unless Pacific nations reconnect with their anti-colonial heritage and the values that secured their independence, West Papua’s struggle risks fading into obscurity, overwhelmed by geopolitical calculations and economic incentives.
The question facing the Pacific region is not simply about West Papua, but about regional identity itself. Will Pacific nations remain true to their foundational values of indigenous solidarity and decolonisation? Or will they sacrifice these principles on the altar of transactional diplomacy?
The date April 24, 2025, may one day be remembered not only as the day Indonesia gave Fiji US$6 million but also as the day the Pacific began trading its moral authority for economic expediency, abandoning West Papua to perpetual colonisation in exchange for short-term gains.
The Pacific is at a crossroads — it can either reclaim its voice or resign itself to becoming a theatre where greater powers dictate the fate of indigenous peoples. For West Papua, everything depends on which path is chosen.
Ali Mirin is a West Papuan from the Kimyal tribe of the highlands that share a border with the Star Mountain region of Papua New Guinea. He graduated with a Master of Arts in international relations from Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 10 — Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia has further consolidated the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era, led the world in jointly maintaining the postwar international order, and promoted the multi-polarization of the world and the reconstruction of the international political landscape, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Saturday.
At the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Xi paid a state visit to Russia and attended the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union’s Great Patriotic War from Wednesday to Saturday.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said during a press briefing that Xi’s visit has great historical significance.
During his visit, Xi and Putin had in-depth communication on issues of common concern for nearly 10 hours, Wang said, adding that the most important political outcome of the visit was the signing of a joint statement on deepening the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era by the two heads of state.
The two sides agreed to continue expanding cooperation and to consolidate the foundation of economic, trade and energy cooperation, Wang said, adding that the two sides signed a new version of the investments protection agreement, effectively countering the countercurrent of protectionism.
Regarding the Ukraine crisis, Xi noted that China welcomes all efforts conducive to peace, and believes it is important to accommodate the legitimate security concerns of all countries and eliminate the root causes of the crisis.
Xi’s attendance at the May 9 Victory Day celebrations once again demonstrated China’s commitment to working with other countries to uphold a correct historical perspective on World War II (WWII) and jointly safeguard the postwar international order, Wang said.
Amid a complex and turbulent international landscape, Xi said, China and Russia must firmly uphold the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law.
Wang said that Taiwan’s restoration to China is a victorious outcome of WWII and an integral part of the postwar international order.
No matter how the situation on the Taiwan island evolves or what troubles external forces may make, the historical trend toward China’s ultimate and inevitable reunification is unstoppable, Xi said.
During his visit, Xi also had extensive contacts with political leaders from various countries attending the celebrations and held bilateral meetings with several national leaders from three continents, reaching broad consensus on firmly supporting each other, defending multilateralism and opposing power politics and bullying.
During his meeting with Myanmar leader Min Aung Hlaing, Xi emphasized that the Chinese side supports Myanmar in safeguarding its sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national stability, and steadily advancing its domestic political agenda.
While meeting with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, respectively, Xi pointed out that Latin American and Caribbean States are sovereign and independent nations, not anyone’s backyard.
Diaz-Canel and Maduro spoke highly of Xi’s vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind as well as the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative. They expressed readiness to work with China in opposing unilateralism and protectionism.
In his meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, respectively, Xi emphasized that China and the EU should firmly pursue multilateralism, jointly oppose unilateral bullying, safeguard the achievements of economic globalization, and maintain the global free trade system and international economic and trade order.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 10 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia has further strengthened the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era, set a benchmark for the world’s joint efforts to safeguard the post-war international order, and promoted the transition to a multipolar world and the reconstruction of the international political architecture, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday.
At the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Russia from May 7 to 10 and took part in celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory in the Great Patriotic War.
As Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, noted during a briefing for journalists, Xi Jinping’s visit is of great historical significance.
The head of the Chinese Foreign Ministry pointed out that during the visit, Xi Jinping and V. Putin spent almost 10 hours in-depth communication on issues of mutual interest. The most important political outcome of the visit was the signing by the heads of the two states of a joint statement on further deepening Chinese-Russian relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction in the new era, Wang Yi stated.
The parties agreed to continue to expand cooperation and strengthen the foundation of trade, economic and energy cooperation, Wang Yi continued, adding that the parties signed an updated version of the investment protection agreement, thereby giving a powerful response to the regressive trend of protectionism.
Speaking about the crisis in Ukraine, Xi Jinping noted that China welcomes all efforts to promote peace and considers it necessary to take into account the legitimate security interests of all countries and eliminate the root causes of the crisis.
Xi Jinping’s presence at the Victory Day celebration on May 9 once again demonstrated China’s desire to work with other countries to promote a correct view of the history of World War II and jointly uphold the post-war international order, the head of the Chinese Foreign Ministry noted.
Xi Jinping said that in the face of a volatile and turbulent international situation, China and Russia should firmly uphold the international system with the UN at its core and the international order based on international law.
Wang Yi noted that the return of Taiwan to China is the result of the victory in World War II and an important integral part of the post-war international order.
No matter how the situation on Taiwan develops and no matter what problems external forces create, the historical trend of China’s inevitable and inevitable reunification is unstoppable, Xi Jinping pointed out.
During his visit, the Chinese leader also held extensive contacts with politicians from various countries who attended the celebrations, as well as bilateral meetings with a number of national leaders from three continents, reaching broad consensus on firm mutual support, upholding multilateralism and opposing power politics and bullying.
During his meeting with Myanmar leader Min Aung Hlaing, Xi Jinping stressed that China supports Myanmar in following a development path suited to its national conditions, safeguarding its sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national stability, and confidently advancing its domestic political agenda.
During separate meetings with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Xi Jinping noted that Latin American and Caribbean states are sovereign and independent nations, not someone’s “backyard.”
M. Diaz-Canel and N. Maduro praised Xi Jinping’s vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity, as well as the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative. They expressed their readiness to work with China to counter unilateralism and protectionism.
During meetings with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico, Xi Jinping stressed that China and the EU should firmly adhere to multilateralism, jointly oppose unilateral bullying, safeguard the achievements of economic globalization, and uphold the global free trade system and the international economic and trade order. –0–
Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, participated in a virtual meeting of the Coalition of the Willing.
The Coalition discussed ongoing efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and underlined their steadfast support for Ukraine’s long-term security. They committed to ensuring Ukraine’s ability to deter future Russian aggression and to continue exerting economic pressure on Russia. The leaders reaffirmed their support for U.S.-led peace efforts and the proposal of an unconditional 30-day ceasefire. If Russia chooses to reject or delay the ceasefire, the leaders will pursue further and stronger sanctions.
The meeting was hosted by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, co-chaired by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Sir Keir Starmer, and the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, and attended by many of Canada’s closest Allies and partners.
India and Pakistan have seen the scenario play out before: a terror attack in which Indians are killed leads to a succession of escalatory tit-fot-tat measures that put South Asia on the brink of all-out war. And then there is a de-escalation.
The broad contours of that pattern have played out in the most recent crisis, with the latest step being the announcement of a ceasefire on May 10, 2025.
But in another important way, the flare-up – which began on April 22 with a deadly attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir, in which 26 people were killed – represents significant departures from the past. It involved direct missile exchanges targeting sites inside both territories and the use of advanced missile systems and drones by the two nuclear rivals for the first time.
These changes have coincided with domestic political shifts in both countries. The pro-Hindu nationalism of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has heightened communal tensions in the country. Meanwhile Pakistan’s powerful army chief, Gen. Syed Asim Munir, has embraced the “two-nation theory,” which holds that Pakistan is a homeland for the subcontinent’s Muslims and India for Hindus.
This religious framing was even seen in the naming of the two countries’ military operations. For India, it is “Operation Sindoor” – a reference to the red vermilion used by married Hindu women, and a provocative nod to the widows of the Kashmir attack. Pakistan called its counter-operation “Bunyan-un-Marsoos” – an Arabic phrase from the Quran meaning “a solid structure.”
The role of Washington
The India-Pakistan rivalry has cost tens of thousands of lives across multiple wars in 1947-48, 1965 and 1971. But since the late 1990s, whenever India and Pakistan approached the brink of war, a familiar de-escalation playbook unfolded: intense diplomacy, often led by the United States, would help defuse tensions.
In 1999, President Bill Clinton’s direct mediation ended the Kargil conflict – a limited war triggered by Pakistani forces crossing the Line of Control into Indian-administered Kashmir – by pressing Pakistan for a withdrawal.
Similarly, after the 2001 attack inside the Indian Parliament by terrorists allegedly linked to Pakistan-based groups Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage engaged in intense shuttle diplomacy between Islamabad and New Delhi, averting war.
And after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which saw 166 people killed by terrorists linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, rapid and high-level American diplomatic involvement helped restrain India’s response and reduced the risk of an escalating conflict.
As recently as 2019, during the Balakot crisis – which followed a suicide bombing in Pulwama, Kashmir, that killed 40 Indian security personnel – it was American diplomatic pressure that helped contain hostilities. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo later wrote in his memoirs, “I do not think the world properly knows just how close the India-Pakistan rivalry came to spilling over into a nuclear conflagration in February 2019.”
A diplomatic void?
Washington as peacemaker made sense: It had influence and a vested interest.
During the Cold War, the U.S. formed a close alliance with Pakistan to counter India’s links with the Soviet Union. And after the 9/11 terror attacks, the U.S. poured tens of billions of dollars in military assistance into Pakistan as a frontline partner in the “war on terror.”
Simultaneously, beginning in the early 2000s, the U.S. began cultivating India as a strategic partner.
A stable Pakistan was a crucial partner in the U.S. war in Afghanistan; a friendly India was a strategic counterbalance to China. And this gave the U.S. both the motivation and credibility to act as an effective mediator during moments of India-Pakistan crisis.
Today, however, America’s diplomatic attention has shifted significantly away from South Asia. The process began with the end of the Cold War, but accelerated dramatically after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. More recently, the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East have consumed Washington’s diplomatic efforts.
Since President Donald Trump took office in January 2025, the U.S. has not appointed an ambassador in New Delhi or Islamabad, nor confirmed an assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian Affairs – factors that must have hampered any mediating role for the United States.
And while Trump said the May 10 ceasefire followed a “long night of talks mediated by the United States,” statements from India and Pakistan appeared to downplay U.S. involvement, focusing instead on the direct bilateral nature of negotiations.
Should it transpire that Washington’s role as a mediator between Pakistan and India has been diminished, it is not immediately obvious who, if anyone, will fill the void. China, which has been trying to cultivate a role of mediator elsewhere, is not seen as a neutral mediator due to its close alliance with Pakistan and past border conflicts with India. Other regional powers like Iran and Saudi Arabia tried to step in during the latest crisis, but both lack the power clout of the U.S. or China.
This absence of external mediation is not, of course, a problem in itself. Historically, foreign interference – particularly U.S. support for Pakistan during the Cold War – often complicated dynamics in South Asia by creating military imbalances and reinforcing hardline positions. But the past has shown external pressure – especially from Washington – can be effective.
Breaking the norms
The recent escalation unfolded against the backdrop of another dynamic: the erosion of international norms since the end of the Cold War and accelerating after 2001.
More recently, Israel’s operations in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria have drawn widespread criticism for violations of international humanitarian law – but have resulted in limited consequences.
In short, geopolitical norms have been ebbed away and military actions that were once deemed red lines are crossed with little accountability.
For India and Pakistan, this environment creates both opportunity and risk. Both can point to behaviors elsewhere to justify assertive actions that they have undertaken that, in previous years, would have been deemed a step too far – such as attacks on places of worship and sovereignty violations.
Multi-domain warfare
But what truly distinguished the latest crisis from those of the past is, I believe, its multi-domain nature. The conflict is no longer confined to conventional military exchanges along the line of control – as it was for the first five decades of the Kashmir question.
Both countries largely respected the line of control as a de facto boundary for military operations until the 2019 crisis. Since then, there has been a dangerous progression: first to cross-border airstrikes into each other’s territories, and now to a conflict that spans conventional military, cyber and information spheres simultaneously.
Reports indicate Chinese-made Pakistani J-10 fighter jets shot down multiple Indian aircraft, including advanced French Rafale jets. This confrontation between Chinese and Western weapons represents not just a bilateral conflict but a proxy test of rival global military technologies – adding another layer of great-power competition to the crisis.
In addition, the use of loitering drones designed to attack radar systems represents a significant escalation in the technological sophistication of cross-border attacks compared to years past.
The conflict has also expanded dramatically into the cyber domain. Pakistani hackers, claiming to be the “Pakistan Cyber Force,” report breaching several Indian defense institutions, potentially compromising personnel data and login credentials.
Simultaneously, social media and a new right-wing media in India have become a critical battlefront. Ultranationalist voices in India incited violence against Muslims and Kashmiris; in Pakistan, anti-India rhetoric similarly intensified online.
Cooler voices prevailing … for now
These shifts have created multiple escalation pathways that traditional crisis management approaches weren’t designed to address.
Particularly concerning is the nuclear dimension. Pakistan’s nuclear doctrine is that it will use nuclear weapons if its existence is threatened, and it has developed short-range tactical nuclear weapons intended to counter Indian conventional advantages. Meanwhile, India has informally dialed back its historic no-first-use stance, creating ambiguity about its operational doctrine.
Thankfully, as the ceasefire announcement indicates, mediating voices appear to have prevailed this time around. But eroding norms, diminished great power diplomacy and the advent of multi-domain warfare, I argue, made this latest flare-up a dangerous turning point.
What happens next will tell us much about how nuclear rivals manage, or fail to manage, the spiral of conflict in this dangerous new landscape.
Farah N. Jan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
KYIV, May 10 (Xinhua) — Ukraine and its allies are ready for a 30-day ceasefire with Russia starting May 12, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said on Saturday.
“Ukraine and all allies are ready for a complete, unconditional ceasefire on land, in the air and at sea for at least 30 days, starting on Monday,” A. Sybiga wrote on the social network X after the meeting of the leaders of the “Coalition of the Willing” in Kyiv.
He stressed that with Russia’s consent and effective monitoring, a long-term ceasefire could be a step towards the start of peace negotiations.
Earlier on Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met in Kyiv with the leaders of the “Coalition of the Willing”: French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
According to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, the leaders of the five countries also held “productive telephone talks” with US President Donald Trump, focusing on efforts to establish peace. -0-
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
PM remarks at press conference in Kyiv: 10 May 2025
The Prime Minister’s remarks at today’s press conference in Kyiv.
Volodymyr, friends, it is a real pleasure to be here in Kyiv with you all. With Emmanuel, with Friedrich, and with Donald.
This is Europe, stepping up, showing our solidarity with Ukraine, and also showing during this week when we mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day that we understand the lessons of history.
The lesson that any veteran of Normandy, of North Africa or any other campaign will tell you but that Putin has not yet grasped:
There is no glory in aggression and conquest – glory comes from fighting for your country, defending your people, and winning the peace.
And that is the message of this moment.
Volodymyr, we stand with you to secure the just and lasting peace that Ukraine deserves.
It’s almost two months now since you agreed to an immediate 30-day ceasefire. In that time Russia has launched some of the most deadly attacks on civilians of the entire war. Including here in Kyiv.
Normal lives, homes, families destroyed.
This is what Russia offers in place of peace along with delays and smokescreens – like the current 72 hour ceasefire.
And so all of us here – together with the US – are calling Putin out.
If he’s serious about peace then he has a chance to show it now – by extending the VE Day pause into a full, unconditional 30-day ceasefire with negotiations to follow immediately, once a ceasefire is agreed.
No more ifs and buts. No more conditions and delays. Putin didn’t need conditions when he wanted a ceasefire to have a parade. And he doesn’t need them now.
Ukraine has shown their willingness to engage again and again. But again and again Putin has refused.
So we are clear – all five leaders here, all the leaders of the meeting we just had with the Coalition of the Willing – an unconditional ceasefire rejecting Putin’s conditions. And clear that if he turns his back on peace, we will respond.
Working with President Trump, with all our partners, we will ramp up sanctions and increase our military aid for Ukraine’s defence to pressure Russia back to the table.
And that’s what we have been discussing today – as well as securing Ukraine’s future for the longer term.
Convening the latest meeting of the Coalition of the Willing with partners joining virtually from around Europe and across the world – lining up to support Ukraine’s future strength and security, discussing operational plans and making concrete commitments of support across land, air and sea.
We want to help Ukraine look to the future with confidence – so we’re working to boost Ukraine’s economy.
And as a vital step, I’m pleased that UK experts have been on the ground leading work to support the resumption of flights into Ukraine, once a ceasefire is achieved.
It will take time – but this will be a huge moment in reconnecting Ukraine’s economy, boosting investor confidence, and helping to reunite families separated by this war.
Ukraine secure and thriving – that is what we all want to see.
With our 100-year partnership, the Critical Minerals deal with the US, and our Coalition of the Willing, we are building the framework for peace in Ukraine to support a better future for the Ukrainian people.
And to pledge once again, in our all interests, and on this anniversary, that aggression will never prevail on our continent.
The South African government has called for a de-escalation in the brewing tensions between India and Pakistan.
This according to Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola, who delivered remarks at the Solidarity Conference on Women, Peace and Security held in Tshwane, on Friday.
The India-Pakistan tensions – which have seen both sides launching attacks – stems from a terrorist attack, which killed some 26 people in an India-controlled part of Kashmir, last month.
“The South African government expresses concern over the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. We call for de-escalation and restraint.
“All efforts should be taken to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure while ensuring that there are concerted efforts from both parties to negotiate a peaceful settlement to the rising conflict,” Lamola said.
On the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Lamola said the war has “become a flashpoint of global tensions”, with economic consequences that reach beyond Europe’s borders.
“This includes disruptions to global food supply chains and energy markets. South Africa has always contended that once a ceasefire is in place, everything must be discussed and that we need to continue to call for a ceasefire… that peace must be found on the negotiation table by both parties with the help of the international communities,” he said.
Turning to the Israel-Hamas conflict currently playing itself out in Gaza, Lamola said the war “poses a grave threat not only to local peace, but also to the broader regional stability”.
“It is a conflict that reverberates across international diplomatic corridors. It’s a conflict that is unfolding in the full glare of the world.
“South Africa’s decision to bring a case against Israel to the International Court of Justice was not taken lightly. It was grounded in the belief that pursuing justice is never without cost, that truth often challenges entrenched power and that moral leadership requires the courage to confront global injustice,” he said.
The Minister reiterated the South African government’s foreign policy grounded in elements including non-alignment, respect for international law, commitment to multilateralism, diplomacy and peaceful negotiations.
“In summary, we are anti-war. We are a peace-loving nation. These values are rooted in our own history of struggle against injustice and reflect our aspirations to contribute to a fairer and more peaceful international order.
“In a polarised world, South Africa has maintained open diplomatic channels. South Africa has long supported the peace process that aligns with its foreign policy principles of promoting peace, stability and development on the continent with a vision to build a better South Africa and better world,” Lamola said. – SAnews.gov.za
The President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, participated via video link in today’s leaders’ meeting on support for Ukraine and the ongoing efforts to reach a just and lasting peace, able to ensure its sovereignty and security.
The meeting provided an opportunity to reiterate the urgent need for a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire, reaffirming the expectation for Russia to respond positively to President Trump’s appeal and concretely demonstrate its willingness to build peace, as Ukraine has already done.
During the discussion, the importance of the major event in support of Kyiv that Italy will be hosting in July was also reiterated: the Ukraine Recovery Conference at the level of Heads of State and Government.
Source: ASEAN – Association of SouthEast Asian Nations
Jakarta, 5 May 2025 – ASEAN and the United States (U.S.) reaffirmed their shared commitment to continue strengthening the ASEAN-U.S. Comprehensive Strategic Partnership at the 16th Meeting of the ASEAN-U.S. Joint Cooperation Committee, held today at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat.
The Meeting welcomed the U.S.’ continued support for ASEAN Community-building efforts, ASEAN Centrality, and in promoting peace, security, and stability in the region through its participation in various ASEAN-led mechanisms. The Meeting commended the robust and full implementation of all measures in the Plan of Action to Implement the ASEAN-United States Strategic Partnership (2021-2025) and its Annex. The Meeting expressed its support for the U.S.’ proposal for an ASEAN-U.S. Leaders’ Joint Vision Statement which will serve as a guide to further advance partnership beyond 2025.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening existing cooperation and identified key areas for future collaboration, including defence; addressing transnational crime; maritime cooperation, humanitarian mine action, digital economy, artificial intelligence, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) development, tourism, environment and climate change, education, public health, biodiversity, energy, disaster preparedness, connectivity, and people-to-people exchanges. ASEAN encouraged the U.S. to support the forthcoming ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future, and enhance practical cooperation in the four priority areas under the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. ASEAN also encouraged the U.S. to further support the implementation the ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN) initiative and welcomed further collaboration with ASEAN centres of excellence.
Recognising close trade and investment ties between both sides, ASEAN reiterated its intention to engage the U.S. in a constructive dialogue to address trade-related concerns and maintain strong and mutually beneficial trade relations with the U.S. ASEAN is also committed to exploring avenues to work with the U.S., including through existing economic platforms such as the ASEAN-U.S. Trade and Investment Framework Arrangement as well as dialogue and engagement between ASEAN Economic Ministers and the U.S. Trade Representative to explore mutually acceptable solutions of common interest.
ASEAN appreciated the U.S. for its longstanding support for the ASEAN development agenda, including its contribution to the Initiative for ASEAN Integration as well as through sub-regional cooperation, including the Mekong-U.S. Partnership (MUSP). The Meeting also commended the U.S. for its commitment to continue supporting development cooperation to realise the goals across the three ASEAN Community pillars. The Meeting looked forward to continue strengthening people-to-people and cultural engagement, including through the Fulbright U.S.-ASEAN Visiting Scholar Program, Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) programmes, and International Visitors Leadership Program, as well as the activities and programmes of the ASEAN-U.S. Center in Washington, D.C.
The U.S. reiterated its commitment to ASEAN and highlighted ASEAN’s central role in the regional architecture and in shaping the region’s dynamics. The Meeting exchanged views on international and regional issues of common interest and concern, including the situation in South China Sea, Korean Peninsula, Middle East, and Ukraine. The Meeting looked forward to enhancing collaboration in addressing emerging challenges and promote peace, stability and prosperity in the region.
Permanent Representative of Cambodia to ASEAN, Heng Sarith, and Chargé d’Affaires a.i. at the U.S. Mission to ASEAN, Kate Rebholz, co-chaired the Meeting. Permanent Representatives to ASEAN or their representatives and representatives of the ASEAN Secretariat were in attendance. Ambassador of Timor-Leste to ASEAN attended as Observer.
European Commission Press release Lviv, 09 May 2025 On Europe Day, the Commission, represented by Commissioner Michael McGrath, High Representative Kaja Kallas, the Council of Europe, the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal, and representatives of 38 other states gathered in Lviv today to formally endorse the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.
The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination this afternoon closed its one hundred and fifteenth session, during which it reviewed the reports of Gabon, Kyrgyzstan, Mauritius, Republic of Korea and Ukraine.
Chinsung Chung, Committee Rapporteur, said that the Committee’s concluding observations for the five country reviews conducted during the session were available on the session’s webpage. The Committee thanked the State party delegations that participated in dialogues; the national human rights institutions of Ukraine and the Republic of Korea for submitting written reports and providing updates during the session; and the various civil society representatives who contributed essential information to the reviews.
Ms. Chung said that this year was the sixtieth anniversary of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. During the yearlong campaign, the Committee would highlight the achievements made in the last 60 years and identify effective and concrete ways to overcome structural and emerging challenges in making the Convention’s goal – a world free of racial discrimination – a reality. Information on the anniversary was available on the webpage for the campaign.
At the opening meeting of the session, Ms. Chung reported, Antti Korkeakivi, Representative of the Secretary-General and Chief of the Human Rights Treaties Branch of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, gave a speech highlighting the Committee’s important work and its contributions to promoting and protecting the human rights of all people without discrimination. He underlined that the sixtieth anniversary of the Convention was an opportunity to explore avenues to generate greater political will and concrete action to fight against racial discrimination.
Mr. Korkeakivi recognised the negative impact of the United Nations’ liquidity crisis on the planning and implementation of the work of all Committees, as the holding of the next sessions for this year was still uncertain. He confirmed that the Office of the High Commissioner was doing its utmost to ensure that the treaty bodies could implement their mandates. Nevertheless, all indications pointed to a continuation of the difficult liquidity situation for the foreseeable future.
During the one hundred and fifteenth session, Ms. Chung said, the Committee reviewed follow-up reports for Croatia, Germany, Morocco, Uruguay and Tajikistan. The Committee thanked these States parties for their reports and invited them to duly consider its recommendations and include the steps taken to implement them in their next periodic reports.
The Committee pursued its work toward the elaboration of its joint general recommendations 38 and 39 with the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families on eradicating xenophobia towards migrants and others perceived as such.
Ms. Chung said the Committee also discussed the development of a general recommendation on reparations for the injustices of the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans, their treatment as chattel, and the ongoing harms to people of African descent, holding a half-day of general discussion on 25 April 2025 as part of this process. Two expert panels examined legal frameworks for reparations and the lasting effects of slavery, including systemic racism and institutional responsibility. Drawing on these discussions and over 60 written submissions, the Committee would now begin drafting the general recommendation, which would be shared for public input before adoption. Further information was available on the Committee’s webpage.
Further, Ms. Chung reported, the Committee considered 16 submissions under its early warning and urgent action procedure and endorsed 13 letters to States parties assessed in this procedure. It also considered four cases under the individual complaints procedure. It declared admissible one case against Germany and discontinued three other cases.
Ms. Chung also provided an update on the follow-up procedure to the Ad-Hoc Conciliation Commission report published in August 2024 on the inter-State communication submitted by the State of Palestine against Israel under article 11 of the Convention. Today, 9 May, the Committee issued a statement on the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the occupied Palestinian territory, acting under its follow-up and early warning and urgent action procedure.
On 24 April, Ms. Chung said, the Committee held a meeting with States parties. The Committee thanked all States parties’ representatives who contributed to this event and appreciated that it was well attended. Earlier today, the Committee also held a meeting with civil society organizations. In addition, during the session, the Committee heard a report on follow-up to article 13 of the Convention and adopted an updated version of its Rules of Procedure, which would be made available shortly.
In closing remarks, Michal Balcerzak, Committee Chairperson, said this had been a very productive session. He thanked the Committee Experts, who had all contributed significantly to the Committee’s work throughout the session, and to working towards the Committee’s mandate of the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination wherever it occurred. He also thanked all other persons who had contributed to the smooth execution of the Committee’s work.
Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, while webcasts of the public meetings can be found here. Other documents related to the session can be found here.
Due to the current financial situation, the dates of the second sessions of some treaty bodies are not yet confirmed. The next session of the Committee is scheduled take place between 11 and 29 August 2025, with the reports of Burundi, Guatemala, Maldives, New Zealand, Sweden and Tunisia scheduled for review. All information, including the proposed programme of work, will be available on the session webpage.
___________
Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.
We’ve visited Ground Zero. Not once, but three times. But for generations, before these locations were designated as such, they were the ancestral home to the people of the Marshall Islands.
As part of a team of Greenpeace scientists and specialists from the Radiation Protection Advisers team, we have embarked on a six-week tour on board the Rainbow Warrior, sailing through one of the most disturbing chapters in human history: between 1946 and 1958, the United States detonated 67 nuclear bombs across the Marshall Islands — equivalent to 7200 Hiroshima explosions.
During this period, testing nuclear weapons at the expense of wonderful ocean nations like the Marshall Islands was considered an acceptable practice, or as the US put it, “for the good of mankind”.
Instead, the radioactive fallout left a deep and complex legacy — one that is both scientific and profoundly human, with communities displaced for generations.
Between March and April, we travelled on the Greenpeace flagship vessel, the Rainbow Warrior, throughout the Marshall Islands, including to three northern atolls that bear the most severe scars of Cold War nuclear weapons testing:
Enewetak atoll, where, on Runit Island, stands a massive leaking concrete dome beneath which lies plutonium-contaminated waste, a result of a partial “clean-up” of some of the islands after the nuclear tests;
Bikini atoll, a place so beautiful, yet rendered uninhabitable by some of the most powerful nuclear detonations ever conducted; and
Rongelap atoll, where residents were exposed to radiation fallout and later convinced to return to contaminated land, part of what is now known as Project 4.1, a US medical experiment to test humans’ exposure to radiation.
This isn’t fiction, nor the distant past. It’s a chapter of history still alive through the environment, the health of communities, and the data we’re collecting today.
Each location we visit, each sample we take, adds to a clearer picture of some of the long-term impacts of nuclear testing—and highlights the importance of continuing to document, investigate, and attempt to understand and share these findings.
These are our field notes from a journey through places that hold important lessons for science, justice, and global accountability.
Our mission: why are we here? With the permission and support of the Marshallese government, a group of Greenpeace science and radiation experts, together with independent scientists, are in the island nation to assess, investigate, and document the long-term environmental and radiological consequences of nuclear weapons testing in the Marshall Islands.
Our mission is grounded in science. We’re conducting field sampling and radiological surveys to gather data on what radioactivity remains in the environment — isotopes such as caesium-137, strontium-90 and plutonium-239/240. These substances are released during nuclear explosions and can linger in the environment for decades, posing serious health risks, such as increased risk of cancers in organs and bones.
But this work is not only about radiation measurements, it is also about bearing witness.
We are here in solidarity with Marshallese communities who continue to live with the consequences of decisions made decades ago, without their consent and far from the public eye.
Stop 1: Enewetak Atoll — the dome that shouldn’t exist
At the far western edge of the Marshall Islands is Enewetak. The name might not ring a bell for many, but this atoll was the site of 43 US nuclear detonations. Today, it houses what may be one of the most radioactive places in the world — the Runit Dome.
Once a tropical paradise thick with coconut palms, Runit Island is capped by a massive concrete structure the size of a football field. Under this dome — cracked, weather-worn, and only 46 centimetres thick in some places — lies 85,000 cubic metres of radioactive waste. These substances are not only confined to the crater — they are also found across the island’s soil, rendering Runit Island uninhabitable for all time.
The contrast between what it once was and what it has become is staggering. We took samples near the dome’s base, where rising sea levels now routinely flood the area.
We collected coconut from the island, which will be processed and prepared in the Rainbow Warrior’s onboard laboratory. Crops such as coconut are a known vector for radioactive isotope transfer, and tracking levels in food sources is essential for understanding long-term environmental and health risks.
The local consequences of this simple fact are deeply unjust. While some atolls in the Marshall Islands can harvest and sell coconut products, the people of Enewetak are prohibited from doing so because of radioactive contamination.
They have lost not only their land and safety but also their ability to sustain themselves economically. The radioactive legacy has robbed them of income and opportunity.
One of the most alarming details about this dome is that there is no lining beneath the structure — it is in direct contact with the environment, while containing some of the most hazardous long-lived substances ever to exist on planet Earth. It was never built to withstand flooding, sea level rise, and climate change.
The scientific questions are urgent: how much of this material is already leaking into the lagoon? What are the exposure risks to marine ecosystems and local communities?
We are here to help answer questions with new, independent data, but still, being in the craters and walking on this ground where nuclear Armageddon was unleashed is an emotional and surreal journey.
Stop 2: Bikini — a nuclear catastrophe, labelled ‘for the good of mankind’
Unlike Chernobyl or Fukushima, where communities were devastated by catastrophic accidents, Bikini tells a different story. This was not an accident.
The nuclear destruction of Bikini was deliberate, calculated, and executed with full knowledge that entire ways of life were going to be destroyed.
Bikini Atoll is incredibly beautiful and would look idyllic on any postcard. But we know what lies beneath: the site of 23 nuclear detonations, including Castle Bravo, the largest ever nuclear weapons test conducted by the United States.
Castle Bravo alone released more than 1000 times the explosive yield of the Hiroshima bomb. The radioactive fallout massively contaminated nearby islands and their populations, together with thousands of US military personnel.
Bikini’s former residents were forcibly relocated in 1946 before nuclear testing began, with promises of a safe return. But the atoll is still uninhabited, and most of the new generations of Bikinians have never seen their home island.
As we stood deep in the forest next to a massive concrete blast bunker, reality hit hard — behind its narrow lead-glass viewing window, US military personnel once watched the evaporation of Bikini lagoon.
On our visit, we noticed there’s a spectral quality to Bikini. The homes of the Bikini islanders are long gone. In its place now stand a scattering of buildings left by the US Department of Energy: rusting canteens, rotting offices, sleeping quarters with peeling walls, and traces of the scientific experiments conducted here after the bombs fell.
On dusty desks, we found radiation reports, notes detailing crop trials, and a notebook meticulously tracking the application of potassium to test plots of corn, alfalfa, lime, and native foods like coconut, pandanus, and banana. The potassium was intended to block the uptake of caesium-137, a radioactive isotope, by plant roots.
The logic was simple: if these crops could be decontaminated, perhaps one day Bikini could be repopulated.
We collected samples of coconuts and soil — key indicators of internal exposure risk if humans were to return. Bikini raises a stark question: What does “safe” mean, and who gets to decide?
The US declared parts of Bikini habitable in 1970, only to evacuate people again eight years later after resettled families suffered from radiation exposure. The science is not abstract here. It is personal. It is human. It has real consequences.
The Rainbow Warrior arrived at the eastern side of Rongelap atoll, anchoring one mile from the centre of Rongelap Island, the church spire and roofs of “new” buildings reflecting the bright sun.
n 1954, fallout from the Castle Bravo nuclear detonation on Bikini blanketed this atoll in radioactive ash — fine, white powder that children played in, thinking it was snow. The US government waited three days to evacuate residents, despite knowing the risks. The US government declared it safe to return to Rongelap in 1957 — but it was a severely contaminated environment. The very significant radiation exposure to the Rongelap population caused severe health impacts: thyroid cancers, birth defects such as “jellyfish babies”, miscarriages, and much more.
In 1985, after a request to the US government to evacuate was dismissed, the Rongelap community asked Greenpeace to help relocate them from their ancestral lands. Using the first Rainbow Warrior, and over a period of 10 days and four trips, 350 residents collectively dismantled their homes, bringing everything with them — including livestock, and 100 metric tons of building material — where they resettled on the islands of Mejatto and Ebeye on Kwajalein atoll.
It is a part of history that lives on in the minds of the Marshallese people we meet in this ship voyage — in the gratitude they still express, the pride in keeping the fight for justice, and in the pain of still not having a permanent, safe home.
Now, once again, we are standing on their island of Rongelap, walking past abandoned buildings and rusting equipment, some of it dating from the 1980s and 1990s — a period when the US Department of Energy launched a push to encourage resettlement declaring that the island was safe — a declaration that this time, the population welcomed with mistrust, not having access to independent scientific data and remembering the deceitful relocation of some decades before.
Here, once again, we sample soil and fruits that could become food if people came back. It is essential to understand ongoing risks — especially for communities considering whether and how to return.
Our scientific mission is to take measurements, collect samples, and document contamination. But that’s not all we’re bringing back.
We carry with us the voices of the Marshallese who survived these tests and are still living with their consequences. We carry images of graves swallowed by tides near Runit Dome, stories of entire cultures displaced from their homelands, and measurements of radiation showing contamination still persists after many decades.
There are 9700 nuclear warheads still held by military powers around the world – mostly in the United States and Russian arsenals. The Marshall Islands was one of the first nations to suffer the consequences of nuclear weapons — and the legacy persists today.
We didn’t come to speak for the Marshallese. We came to listen, to bear witness, and to support their demand for justice. We plan to return next year, to follow up on our research and to make results available to the people of the Marshall Islands.
And we will keep telling these stories — until justice is more than just a word.
Kommol Tata (“thank you” in the beautiful Marshallese language) for following our journey.
Shaun Burnie is a senior nuclear specialist at Greenpeace Ukraine and was part of the Rainbow Warrior team in the Marshall Islands. This article was first published by Greenpeace Aotearoa and is republished with permission.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Moscow, May 9 (Xinhua) — China hopes to work with Slovakia and other countries to address challenges through unity and cooperation and uphold international fairness and justice, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Friday.
The Chinese leader expressed hope that Slovakia will play an active role in promoting the positive and progressive development of China-EU relations.
Xi Jinping made the relevant statements during a meeting with Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico on the sidelines of celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory in the Great Patriotic War.
The Chinese President pointed out that promoting the comprehensive, deep and high-level development of China-Slovakia relations meets the fundamental interests of the peoples of the two countries and is in line with the historical trend of open cooperation and mutual benefit.
Noting that the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries during R. Fico’s visit to China in November 2024 is being actively implemented, Xi Jinping stated that the Chinese-Slovak strategic partnership relations are entering the “fast lane”.
According to Xi Jinping, the two sides should consistently deepen traditional friendship, increase high-level exchanges, firmly support each other, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, promote high-quality cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road, and promote the sustainable and long-term development of China-Slovakia and China-Europe ties.
China welcomes Slovakia’s participation as a guest of honor at the 4th EXPO China – Central and Eastern European Countries and International Consumer Goods Fair, which will help increase the export of high-quality Slovak products to China, Xi Jinping noted. He added that China is pleased to see more Chinese enterprises investing in Slovakia and setting up business in the country.
R. Fico, for his part, assured that deepening the Slovak-Chinese strategic partnership is one of the main priorities of his country’s foreign policy.
According to him, Slovakia intends to firmly adhere to the one-China policy, actively promote friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation with China, expand trade and investment cooperation, strengthen cultural and humanitarian exchanges, contributing to new progress in bilateral relations.
Noting that healthy and stable relations between the European Union and China are in the common interests of both sides, R. Fico stressed that Slovakia seeks to promote the development of European-Chinese relations.
According to the Prime Minister, Slovakia supports major initiatives put forward by China, such as the creation of a community with a shared future for mankind, and highly values China’s position and constructive role in issues such as Ukraine and the Middle East.
Slovakia expects to work together with China to uphold multilateralism, protect free trade rules, and safeguard the stability of global production and distribution chains, added R. Fico. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Xi says China ready to work with Slovakia to address challenges, safeguard int’l justice
Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union’s Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
MOSCOW, May 9 — Chinese President Xi Jinping said here on Friday that China stands ready to work with Slovakia and other countries to jointly address challenges through solidarity and cooperation, and safeguard international fairness and justice.
It is hoped that Slovakia will actively contribute to the steady development and progress of China-European Union (EU) relations, Xi said.
Xi made the remarks while meeting with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union’s Great Patriotic War.
Xi pointed out that promoting all-round, in-depth and high-level development of China-Slovakia relations serves the fundamental interests of the two peoples and aligns with the historical trend of open cooperation and mutual benefit.
Noting that the important consensus reached by the two leaders during Fico’s visit to China last November is being actively implemented, Xi said that the China-Slovakia strategic partnership is entering the “fast lane.”
Xi said the two sides should continue to deepen traditional friendship, maintain close high-level exchanges, firmly support each other, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and promote the steady and sustained growth of China-Slovakia and China-EU relations.
China welcomes Slovakia’s participation as the guest country of honor at the fourth China-Central and Eastern European Countries Expo & International Consumer Goods Fair, which will help boost exports of high-quality Slovak products to China, Xi said, adding that China is glad to see more Chinese enterprises invest and do business in Slovakia.
For his part, Fico said that deepening the Slovakia-China strategic partnership is among the top priorities of Slovakia’s foreign policy.
Slovakia will firmly adhere to the one-China policy, actively advance friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation with China, enhance trade and investment collaboration, strengthen people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and promote greater development of bilateral relations, he said.
Noting that a healthy and stable EU-China relationship serves the common interests of both sides, Fico said Slovakia is committed to promoting the development of EU-China relations.
Slovakia supports major initiatives proposed by China, such as building a community with a shared future for mankind, and appreciates China’s positions on and constructive role in issues related to Ukraine and the Middle East, he added.
The Slovak side stands ready to join efforts with China to uphold multilateralism, safeguard free trade rules, and maintain the stability of global industrial and supply chains, Fico said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union’s Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
European leaders set to travel to Kyiv as the US, France, Germany, Poland and the UK call for 30-day ceasefire
The leaders of France, Germany, Poland and the UK will be in Kyiv tomorrow as calls intensify for Russia to agree a ceasefire and come to the negotiating table.
The leaders of France, Germany, Poland and the UK will be in Kyiv tomorrow as calls intensify for Russia to agree a ceasefire and come to the negotiating table.
President Emmanuel Macron, Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Prime Minister Keir Starmer are expected to meet President Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Saturday morning, underlining their steadfast commitment to Ukraine.
The historic visit, which is the first time the leaders of the four countries have travelled together to Ukraine – and Chancellor Merz’ first visit to Ukraine as Germany’s new Chancellor – comes as they and President Trump call for Russia to agree to a 30-day ceasefire to allow for unfettered peace talks.
In a joint statement, the leaders said:
“We, the leaders of France, Germany, Poland the United Kingdom will stand in Kyiv in solidarity with Ukraine against Russia’s barbaric and illegal full-scale invasion.
“We reiterate our backing for President Trump’s calls for a peace deal and call on Russia to stop obstructing efforts to secure an enduring peace.
“Alongside the US, we call on Russia to agree a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace.
“We are ready to support peace talks as soon as possible, to discuss technical implementation of the ceasefire, and prepare for a full peace deal.
“We are clear the bloodshed must end, Russia must stop its illegal invasion, and Ukraine must be able to prosper as a safe, secure and sovereign nation within its internationally recognised borders for generations to come.
“We will continue to increase our support for Ukraine. Until Russia agrees to an enduring ceasefire, we will ratchet up pressure on Russia’s war machine.”
During the visit, the leaders are expected pay their respects to the fallen defenders and casualties of Russia’s war on the Maidan, where flags are placed by Ukrainians to remember those killed.
Later in the day, the leaders are expected to host a virtual meeting, alongside President Zelenskyy, to update leaders on the progress being made for a future coalition of an air, land, maritime and regeneration force that would help regenerate Ukraine’s armed forces after any peace deal and strengthen confidence in any future peace.
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Reliable, Long-Term Value Creation
Since Mark Lashier became President & CEO, Phillips 66 outperformed against relevant benchmarks,delivering total shareholder returns of 67%(compared to the S&P 500 Energy at 45%, and our Synthetic Proxy Peer Median1 at 42%).2
In under 3 years, the Companyreturned over$14 billion to shareholdersthrough share repurchases and dividends. We grew our dividend at a 15% CAGR since the spinoff3in 2012, and our annual dividend paidincreased every year.
While the Board recognizes the reliable returns we have provided for our shareholders,we are never satisfied and continuously review our portfolio with a sharp focus on long-term value creation.
Investors and analysts recognize the long-term potential inherent in the execution of our transformational strategy, which is in its early innings:
“PSX remains a Large Cap refining top pick. PSX’s management team is focused on delivering growth at attractive returns, and further diversification and improvements to refining uptime might combine to restore PSX’s premium positioning. We are Overweight rated.” (Wells Fargo (4/25/2025))4
Effective Board Governance
Elliott helped to select Bob Pease and he has proven to be a constructive challenger in the boardroom. As Bob has directly stated, he supports the Board because it is actively working to get to the right answer, not protecting any individual’s interests.
The Phillips 66 Board has demonstrated an ability to consistently refresh the boardroom. To ensure fresh and independent viewpoints, we have added five new independent directors in the past four years and two new nominees stand for election at this year’s Annual Meeting.
Our directors and nominees have unparallelled experience taking decisive and transformative action when it makes sense, and together they have overseen more than $300 B in breakup or major divestiture transactions.
“[Mark Lashier] stressed that the board has taken a look at strategic options in the past and continues to do so regularly. As such, questions surrounding the makeup of the portfolio have been asked inside the boardroom. And answered. He also added there are plenty of folks in the boardroom who have been involved in spinoffs elsewhere and they’d be the kind of people who’d be raising their hand if they thought this one made sense. Lastly, he pointed out that “incredible dis-synergies” and “massive tax burdens” would come from midstream monetization. In today’s deck, PSX claims these costs could amount to $28/share.”(Gordon Haskett (4/28/2025))4
Elliott’s Flawed Thesis to Separate Midstream and Sell CPChem
The Board has absolutely evaluated a breakup of Midstream and sale of CPChem, and following meaningful consideration, came to the conclusion that neither action is in the best interest of long-term shareholders at this time.
Simply put, Elliott’s analysis is based on speculative analysis and flawed assumptions:
Elliott’s $50 billion Midstream analysis ignores or significantly underestimates tax leakage, dis-synergies, buying power of potential buyers, among other factors that would destroy value uplift in a sale and/or spin scenario.
Elliott’s valuation of CPChem has appreciated by 50% to $15 billion since 2023, while Chemical peers have traded down 19%5during the same time frame.
We have carefully evaluated and disclosed important details around Elliott’s flawed analysis in our recent investor presentation, which outlines the facts around the costs and risks of a CPChem sale or Midstream spin and the long-term value of the integrated business.
We know the market recognizes Elliott’s analysis is based on speculative valuations and flawed assumptions:
“Sale of companies may not work as: 1) buyers for these large assets are limited, 2) tax leakage could be high, 3) standalone Refining multiple may suffer (PSX is trading at a premium to MPC on standalone Refining).” (Citi (3/14/2025))4
“We believe selling CPChem ahead of two large projects coming online and close to the bottom of the margin cycle may not be the right idea.” (Citi (2/13/2025)) 4
Refining Performance
Refining performance has been improving meaningfully, and we remain committed to continuously increasing margins in our Refining business.
As a result of optimizing our integrated value chain and cost reduction efforts, our R&M EBITDA outperforms our core peer group by $2.80 per barrel6in the Central Corridor and is in-line globally.
Between 2022 and 2024, Phillips 66 reduced refining adjusted controllable costs by $1.08 per barrel7, a 15% improvement and 44% above our original $0.75 per barrel target. These results surpassed both Marathon and Valero’s respective cost improvements over the same period.7
By 2027, we aim to further reduce refining adjusted controllable costs from $5.90 to $5.50 per barrel.8We expect that every $0.50 per barrel of cost reduction will improve adjusted EBITDA by roughly $315 million.9
We know the market sees the progress we are making:
“[We] recently analyzed PSX refining EBITDA per barrel on a like-for-like basis with peers, adjusting for Marketing, Midstream, and turnaround accounting. We found that PSX performs in-line with peers based on our analysis … This is better than the consensus view that PSX refining earnings lags peers.” (TD Cowen (4/27/2025)) 4
“Management highlighted the completion of its large turnaround program, which should support improved refining earnings through the remainder of the year. We note the company remains focused on improving operational execution and yields across its refining footprint though accretive capital investments.” (Goldman Sachs (5/1/2025)) 4
The Risk of Elliott’s Nominees
Elliott’s nominees, who have histories of value destruction, pose a risk to shareholders’ investments and have redundant experience relative to our more qualified nominees.
Sigmund Cornelius and Brian Coffman both hold concerning and poorly disclosed ties to Elliott and Gregory Goff (CEO of Amber Energy, an Elliott portfolio company, who is pursuing an acquisition of CITGO, our direct competitor), creating serious questions about their ability to act in the best interests of all Phillips 66 shareholders.
There are serious questions about Elliott’s expectation of director loyalty. Elliott’s attempt to replace Bob Pease while denying Phillips 66 access to interview and evaluate its nominees is a clear testament to the activist’s expectation of loyalty rather than true independence.
Phillips 66 Has the Right Nominees
John Lowe has over 30 years of experience in the energy sector and has created tangible value both in his executive and board positions at publicly traded energy companies.
Bob Pease, who we appointed with support from Elliott, has extensive refining and commercial experience from his over 39-year career, and his leadership overseeing major corporate transformations has made him a highly effective Director.
Nigel Hearne has substantial international upstream and downstream operating experience and will provide valuable refining operations and HS&E expertise.
Howard Ungerleider holds over 30 years of chemicals leadership experience and oversaw the financial complexities of one of the largest and most complex mergers and spin-off transactions in recent history as CFO of DowDuPont.
Your Vote Matters
Phillips 66’s Board of Directors urges shareholders to use only the WHITE proxy card to vote:
“FOR” all four of the candidates proposed by the Company and not Elliott’s four nominees;
“FOR” management’s proposal to approve the declassification of the Board of Directors; and
“AGAINST” Elliott’s proposal requiring annual director resignations, which implementing would violate Delaware law and put your Board at significant legal and reputational risk
The Board strongly recommends that shareholders safeguard their investment in Phillips 66 by casting their vote as soon as possible, regardless of plans to attend the Annual Meeting virtually on May 21, 2025.
Shareholders may receive materials from Elliott Management that say “gold proxy card” or “gold voting instructions” or similar. Phillips 66 recommends that shareholders DISCARD any Gold voting materials they may receive from Elliott. Shareholders may cancel out any vote made using a Gold proxy card by voting again TODAY using the Company’s WHITE proxy card. Only the latest-dated vote will count.
About Phillips 66
Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX) is a leading integrated downstream energy provider that manufactures, transports and markets products that drive the global economy. The company’s portfolio includes Midstream, Chemicals, Refining, Marketing and Specialties, and Renewable Fuels businesses. Headquartered in Houston, Phillips 66 has employees around the globe who are committed to safely and reliably providing energy and improving lives while pursuing a lower-carbon future. For more information, visit phillips66.com or follow @Phillips66Co on LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws relating to Phillips 66’s operations, strategy and performance. Words such as “anticipated,” “committed,” “estimated,” “expected,” “planned,” “scheduled,” “targeted,” “believe,” “continue,” “intend,” “will,” “would,” “objective,” “goal,” “project,” “efforts,” “strategies” and similar expressions that convey the prospective nature of events or outcomes generally indicate forward-looking statements. However, the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements included in this news release are based on management’s expectations, estimates and projections as of the date they are made. These statements are not guarantees of future events or performance, and you should not unduly rely on them as they involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecast in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements include: changes in governmental policies or laws that relate to our operations, including regulations that seek to limit or restrict refining, marketing and midstream operations or regulate profits, pricing, or taxation of our products or feedstocks, or other regulations that restrict feedstock imports or product exports; our ability to timely obtain or maintain permits necessary for projects; fluctuations in NGL, crude oil, refined petroleum, renewable fuels and natural gas prices, and refining, marketing and petrochemical margins; the effects of any widespread public health crisis and its negative impact on commercial activity and demand for refined petroleum or renewable fuels products; changes to worldwide government policies relating to renewable fuels and greenhouse gas emissions that adversely affect programs including the renewable fuel standards program, low carbon fuel standards and tax credits for renewable fuels; potential liability from pending or future litigation; liability for remedial actions, including removal and reclamation obligations under existing or future environmental regulations; unexpected changes in costs for constructing, modifying or operating our facilities; our ability to successfully complete, or any material delay in the completion of, any asset disposition, acquisition, shutdown or conversion that we have announced or may pursue, including receipt of any necessary regulatory approvals or permits related thereto; unexpected difficulties in manufacturing, refining or transporting our products; the level and success of drilling and production volumes around our midstream assets; risks and uncertainties with respect to the actions of actual or potential competitive suppliers and transporters of refined petroleum products, renewable fuels or specialty products; lack of, or disruptions in, adequate and reliable transportation for our products; failure to complete construction of capital projects on time or within budget; our ability to comply with governmental regulations or make capital expenditures to maintain compliance with laws; limited access to capital or significantly higher cost of capital related to illiquidity or uncertainty in the domestic or international financial markets, which may also impact our ability to repurchase shares and declare and pay dividends; potential disruption of our operations due to accidents, weather events, including as a result of climate change, acts of terrorism or cyberattacks; general domestic and international economic and political developments, including armed hostilities (such as the Russia-Ukraine war), expropriation of assets, and other diplomatic developments; international monetary conditions and exchange controls; changes in estimates or projections used to assess fair value of intangible assets, goodwill and property and equipment and/or strategic decisions with respect to our asset portfolio that cause impairment charges; investments required, or reduced demand for products, as a result of environmental rules and regulations; changes in tax, environmental and other laws and regulations (including alternative energy mandates); political and societal concerns about climate change that could result in changes to our business or increase expenditures, including litigation-related expenses; the operation, financing and distribution decisions of equity affiliates we do not control; and other economic, business, competitive and/or regulatory factors affecting Phillips 66’s businesses generally as set forth in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Phillips 66 is under no obligation (and expressly disclaims any such obligation) to update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Additional Information
On April 8, 2025, Phillips 66 filed a definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A (the “Proxy Statement”) and accompanying WHITE proxy card with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) in connection with its 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “2025 Annual Meeting”) and its solicitation of proxies for Phillips 66’s director nominees and for other matters to be voted on. This communication is not a substitute for the Proxy Statement or any other document that Phillips 66 has filed or may file with the SEC in connection with any solicitation by Phillips 66. PHILLIPS 66 SHAREHOLDERS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT (AND ANY AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND ACCOMPANYING WHITE PROXY CARD AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT SOLICITATION MATERIALS FILED WITH THE SEC AS THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Shareholders may obtain copies of the Proxy Statement, any amendments or supplements to the Proxy Statement and other documents (including the WHITE proxy card) filed by Phillips 66 with the SEC without charge from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Copies of the documents filed by Phillips 66 with the SEC also may be obtained free of charge at Phillips 66’s investor relations website at https://investor.phillips66.com or upon written request sent to Phillips 66, 2331 CityWest Boulevard, Houston, TX 77042, Attention: Investor Relations.
Certain Information Regarding Participants
Phillips 66, its directors, its director nominees and certain of its executive officers and employees may be deemed to be participants in connection with the solicitation of proxies from Phillips 66 shareholders in connection with the matters to be considered at the 2025 Annual Meeting. Information regarding the names of such persons and their respective interests in Phillips 66, by securities holdings or otherwise, is available in the Proxy Statement, which was filed with the SEC on April 8, 2025, including in the sections captioned “Beneficial Ownership of Phillips 66 Securities” and “Appendix C: Supplemental Information Regarding Participants in the Solicitation.” To the extent that Phillips 66’s directors and executive officers who may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation have acquired or disposed of securities holdings since the applicable “as of” date disclosed in the Proxy Statement, such transactions have been or will be reflected on Statements of Changes in Ownership of Securities on Form 4 or Initial Statements of Beneficial Ownership of Securities on Form 3 filed with the SEC. These documents are or will be available free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information
Non-GAAP Measures—This news release includes non-GAAP financial measures, including, “adjusted EBITDA” and “refining adjusted controllable costs.” These are non-GAAP financial measures that are included to help facilitate comparisons of operating performance across periods and to help facilitate comparisons with other companies in our industry. Where applicable, these measures exclude items that do not reflect the core operating results of our businesses in the current period or other adjustments to reflect how management analyzes results. Reconciliations to, or further discussion of, the most comparable GAAP financial measures can be found within or at the end of the news release materials.
This news release also includes forward-looking non-GAAP financial measure estimates such as, but not limited to “adjusted EBITDA” and “refining adjusted controllable costs” which, as used in certain places herein, are forward looking non-GAAP financial measures. These forward-looking estimates or targets depend on future levels of revenues and/or expenses, including amounts that could be attributable to non-controlling interests or related joint ventures, which are not reasonably estimable at this time. Accordingly, reconciliations of these forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures to the nearest GAAP financial measure cannot be provided without unreasonable effort. Below are definitions of these non-GAAP measures and identification of the most directly comparable GAAP measure.
EBITDA is defined as estimated net income plus estimated net interest expense, income taxes, and depreciation and amortization. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as estimated EBITDA plus the proportional share of selected equity affiliates’ estimated net interest expense, income taxes, and depreciation and amortization less the portion of estimated adjusted EBITDA attributable to noncontrolling interests. Net income is the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure for the consolidated company and income before income taxes is the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure for operating segments. Refining adjusted controllable cost is the sum of operating and SG&A expenses for our Refining segment, plus our proportional share of operating and SG&A expenses of two refining equity affiliates that are reflected in equity earnings of affiliates. The per barrel amounts are based on total processed inputs, including our proportional share of processed inputs of an equity affiliate, for the respective period.
References in this news release to shareholder distributions and returns to shareholders refer to the sum of dividends paid to Phillips 66 stockholders and proceeds used by Phillips 66 to repurchase shares of its common stock. References in this news release to “synergies” or “dis-synergies” are supported by management’s estimates and assumptions. These estimates are derived from the Company’s internal projections and other relevant data. However, because these synergies or dis-synergies are not calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), they cannot be directly reconciled to GAAP measures. The Company believes that these non-GAAP measures provide valuable insight into optimization benefits but cautions that such synergies or dis-synergies may not be realized in full or at all.
Basis of News release—Effective April 1, 2024, we changed the internal financial information reviewed by our chief executive officer to evaluate performance and allocate resources to our operating segments. This included changes in the composition of our operating segments, as well as measurement changes for certain activities between our operating segments. The primary effects of this realignment included establishment of a Renewable Fuels operating segment, which includes renewable fuels activities and assets historically reported in our Refining, Marketing and Specialties (M&S), and Midstream segments; change in method of allocating results for certain Gulf Coast distillate export activities from our M&S segment to our Refining segment; reclassification of certain crude oil and international clean products trading activities between our M&S segment and our Refining segment; and change in reporting of our investment in NOVONIX from our Midstream segment to Corporate and Other. Accordingly, prior period results have been recast for comparability.
Calculated as the weighted average of Refining (CVI, DINO, DK, MPC, PBF, VLO), Midstream (OKE, TRGP, WMB), and Chemicals (DOW, LYB, WLK) Performance Proxy Peers’ TSR based on the weighting of consensus NTM EBITDA estimates for PSX’s segments.
Total Shareholder Return (“TSR”) calculated from June 30, 2022 to March 31, 2025.
Dividend CAGR calculated from initial dividend of $0.20 per share in 3Q 2012 to $1.15 per share in 4Q 2024.
Permission to use quotations was neither sought nor obtained.
Calculated as median of % change in price performance of Chemicals peers (DOW, LYB, WLK) between Elliott’s 2023 letter and Elliott’s 2025 letter.
Last three-year average (2022-2024). “Core Peers” calculated as average of MPC and VLO. “Other Peers” calculated as average of CVI, DINO, DK and PBF. R&M EBITDA calculated as regional net operating margin plus adjustments to reconcile with stated Adjusted Worldwide R&M Adjusted EBITDA. “R&M” includes PSX Refining + PSX Marketing & Specialties segments and is most comparable to MPC and VLO, which report their Refining and Marketing operations as a single segment. A combined Refining and Marketing & Specialties presentation of Adjusted EBITDA is shown for peer comparison only and is not reflective of how the Phillips 66 chief operating decision maker evaluates performance; rather, Refining and Marketing & Specialties are reviewed as two separate operating segments.
Excludes adjusted turnaround expenses; non-GAAP financial measure. Reconciliation to the nearest GAAP measure can be found in slide 78 of the “Investor Presentation”here. PSX and peers exclude turnaround expense to be comparable; however, peer disclosure on other items e.g., corporate allocations and SG&A, varies and is not directly comparable to PSX methodology, which is inclusive of these items. For further details, refer to pages 16 and 17 of the “Investor Presentation” foundhere.
Excluding adjusted turnaround expense, post-ceasing of operations at Los Angeles Refinery.
Based on 2024 Adjusted Total Processed Inputs which include our proportional share of processed inputs of equity affiliates adjusted for projected impacts of cessation of operations of Los Angeles Refinery assuming throughput of 139 MBD at 2024 West Coast region utilization (94%) (~630 MMbbls).
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
PM meeting with Prime Minister Støre of Norway: 9 May 2025
The Prime Minister met Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre of Norway this afternoon onboard a Norwegian coastguard vessel.
The Prime Minister met Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre of Norway this afternoon onboard a Norwegian coastguard vessel.
The Prime Minister began by thanking Prime Minister Støre for hosting the Joint Expeditionary Force summit today. It was a vital forum to address evolving defence and security issues, the leaders agreed.
Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to providing steadfast support to Ukraine and welcomed President Trump’s ongoing efforts to deliver a secure and lasting peace.
The leaders also discussed joint efforts between the UK and Norway to protect critical subsea infrastructure to safeguard economic security and working people at home. The Prime Minister updated on his visit to the Carrier Strike Group last month and thanked Prime Minister Støre for Norway’s vital contribution to the deployment.
Turning to the situation in Gaza, both agreed the situation on the ground was intolerable and more needed to be done to secure a lasting peace that delivered long-term security and stability for both Palestinians and Israelis.
The Prime Ministers also welcomed the signing of the Green Industrial Partnership by UK and Norwegian energy ministers earlier this week.
Source: France-Diplomatie – Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development
May 9 is Europe Day, an annual celebration of peace and unity on the continent. Through this event, the European Union reaffirms its founding values: unity, solidarity, democracy, human rights and shared prosperity. This year, 2025, also marks the 75th anniversary of Robert Shuman’s historic declaration.
Today Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs is taking part in an informal EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Lviv, at Ukraine’s invitation. On this occasion, the EU foreign ministers will reaffirm their unwavering support for Ukraine and its future within the EU. The Minister will also stress French and European support for the fight against impunity for crimes committed by Russia, and France’s contribution to the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.
The Quai d’Orsay will be opening its doors to the public from 2 p.m. to 6:30 pm; it will offer a selection of exhibits and performances, a round table, and the screening of an episode from France TV’s Parlement series, as well as a discussion with the series’ production team.
European Council President António Costa took part in the 75th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration in Luxembourg. In his statement, he recalled the historical significance of Schuman’s vision for peace and European unity, stressing the need for renewed efforts in the face of current challenges, notably the war in Ukraine.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Gabriele Abels, Jean Monnet Professor for Comparative Politics & European Integration, University of Tübingen
When the CDU/CSU and the SPD sealed their coalition agreement to form the next German government, the would-be chancellor Friedrich Merz proudly announced: “Germany is back on track”. Against a backdrop of considerable geopolitical and geoeconomic challenges, the partners wanted to send clear signal not only to the German public, but also to the European and international partners. After three years of intense government infighting, a new, stable administration was in charge in Germany.
However, a very different message was ultimately sent when a routine vote to confirm Merz as chancellor became an unprecedented fiasco.
Merz failed to gain enough support to be confirmed as chancellor, having lost votes from his own coalition. Merz did manage to secure the parliament’s nomination in a second round of voting, but there is now plenty of gossiping about who was responsible for this disaster. Who in his coalition was taking “revenge” by voting against him in this secret ballot – and on what grounds?
Merz will have to work to move beyond this early blow to his authority and implications in the domestic and international arena. His first action was to embark on a multi-capital tour to meet his fellow European leaders. This is a strong sign of his intentions as chancellor – to look outward, emphasising foreign policy.
Prioritising defence and consolidating power
For a long time, continuity has prevailed when it comes to Germany’s policy towards Europe. However, relations with neighbours are currently undergoing a period of transition due to a changing international environment. A big step came under former social democratic chancellor Olaf Scholz, who overturned post-war policy by announcing a €100 million investment in the military in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Merz now wants Germany to become a “leading medium-size power”. The coalition agreement signed between Merz’s CDU/CSU and the social democratic SPD, grants the chancellor a stronger role in order to achieve this aim.
The 144-page document, entitled “Responsibility for Germany” (Verantwortung für Deutschland), prioritises defence, deterrence and strengthening resilience — in military, economic, political and social terms.
EU partners expect leadership from the new German government and a stronger commitment from Merz in particular, because of his first-hand experience as a member of the European Parliament from 1989 to 1994. Merz is certainly committed to European integration and to the EU, which is mentioned in the coalition agreement as “a guarantor of freedom, peace, security and prosperity”.
The coalition agreement emphasises closing ranks with the European partners. Merz cemented this commitment by visiting Paris and Warsaw the day after taking office to announce a reboot of the “Weimar triangle” – a regional allegiance between France, Germany and Poland created in 1991 – as a commitment to what he sees as Germany’s two most important European partners.
There are strong elements of continuity between this government’s approach to Europe and that of its predecessor. There remains an unwavering commitment to the EU and NATO and comprehensive support for Ukraine. What is, however, new, is the strong emphasis on defence in the coalition agreement.
“We want to be able to defend ourselves, so that we don’t have to defend ourselves,” the document states.
With this in mind, a long-held conservative ambition is being realised — the creation of a national security council (Bundessicherheitsrat) within the federal chancellery. This gives the chancellor a stronger role in foreign policy.
In addition, the new minister for foreign affairs, Johann Wadephul, is a Merz loyalist from the CDU. Traditionally, this was a role held by the junior coalition partner. This new situation, in which the chancellor and minister for foreign affairs are from the same party, plus the new national security council, means that power is concentrated in the chancellery.
Further afield
Beyond the immediate neighbourhood, positioning Germany towards the US, China and Israel are high on the agenda. In line with the German “Staatsräson” – an element of foreign policy that recognises Israel’s right to exist and sees Israeli security as a German national interest.
Merz announced in February 2025 that he is willing to find “means and ways” to welcome the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Berlin. This despite the the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant against him. Such a visit would be a breach with the strong German tradition of rule of law and the respect for multilateral institutions.
Merz is also known to be a transatlanticist and his camp had already reached out to the US administration before taking office. Tariff wars are detrimental to the German economy given the strong dependence on exports to the US. It is similar for China, another important trading partner, but also a “systemic rival” which requires a sound “de-risking” strategy.
Yet, given the destructive Trump presidency and the insecurity when it comes to the US commitment to European security, a policy towards the US will be paramount. Strengthening relations with the UK in cooperation with the EU partners is meant to go some way to balancing the lack of US support, especially in relation to Ukraine.
Merz appears willing to take up these challenges and to focus his chancellorship on EU and foreign policy. It helps that the conservative European People’s Party (of which the CDU/CSU is a member) currently dominates the European Parliament and that the powerful position of European Commission president is currently held by a German, in the form of Ursula von der Leyen.
Yet the ballot fiasco in the national parliament shows that Merz is more vulnerable at home than he would like to be. This may end up frustrating his ambition to lead change in Europe.
Merz also still needs to win the trust of ordinary Germans, too. He is not a popular chancellor. Less than 40% Germans have trust in him and women especially dislike his style. In addition to efficient policymaking, he will need to improve on his pointed and polarising communicative style if he is to reach out to the people.
Gabriele Abels is a member of the Europa-Union Deutschland which belongs to the Union of European Federalists.
Statement by the President of the European Parliament, the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission on the 75th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration.
Today, in Luxembourg, the birthplace of Robert Schuman, we celebrate the historic declaration of 9 May 1950, which laid the foundations for the European Union as we know it today.
Seventy-five years ago, in a continent that was re-emerging from the devastation of the Second World War, visionary leaders decided to pool the production and markets for coal and steel to ensure lasting peace in Europe. Their simple yet ground-breaking endeavour – to replace historic rivalry with shared sovereignty, through economic and political integration – paved the way for an era of prosperity, peace, democracy, solidarity and cooperation in Europe.
Over time, more and more countries decided to join a common European project, testifying to the appeal of shared values, democracy and unity among the peoples of our continent.
Today, our work towards peace in Europe, the very essence of the Schuman declaration, is not finished. Europe is once again facing major challenges. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has brought war to our doorstep. Global tensions are on the rise. Climate change is affecting the lives of millions of people in Europe and around the world.
We reaffirm our deep commitment to a European project that unites our peoples, as well as to enlargement as the European Union’s best geopolitical investment. We are redoubling our efforts to ensure continued economic prosperity, enhanced economic competitiveness and social progress for European citizens. We are taking unprecedented steps to strengthen our security and defence and our strategic autonomy. We are determined to uphold a rules-based international order, to strengthen multilateralism and to act as a reliable global partner.
Europe is master of its own destiny. We support Ukraine in all its efforts towards a just and lasting peace. The spirit of the Schuman Declaration lives on. It will continue guiding us as we join forces to ensure peace, prosperity, solidarity, and cooperation in Europe.