East Asia bloc including US agrees on statement omitting Ukraine war

The leaders of the 18-nation East Asia Summit including the US, China and Russia agreed to adopt a statement that omits any mention of the war in Ukraine after a summit 

on Thursday.

The statement marks the first time in two years the leaders were able to agree on a text after a dispute over language between the US and Russia prevented them from coming up with one last year in Cambodia.

A statement by East Asia leaders “on Maintaining and Promoting the Region as an Epicentrum of Growth” was issued shortly after the summit concluded by Indonesia, this year’s chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The leaders of the 18-nation bloc agreed to “promote peace, stability, maritime safety and security, freedom of navigation and overflight, other internationally lawful uses of the seas and unimpeded lawful maritime commerce.”

Russia holds polls in occupied regions

Russian authorities are holding local elections this weekend in occupied parts of Ukraine in an effort to tighten their grip on territories Moscow illegally annexed a year ago and still does not fully 

control.

The voting for Russian-installed legislatures in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions begins Friday and concludes Sunday. 

Meanwhile, NATO on Friday condemned Russia for conducting “so-called elections”. “They are a sham, illegitimate, and another violation of international law,” NATO spokesperson Dylan White said 

on X. agencies