India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is set to attend the oath-taking ceremony of US President-elect Donald Trump on January 20. The invitation for his attendance was extended by the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee, with the aim of strengthening diplomatic ties between India and the US as the new administration begins its tenure. During this visit, Jaishankar will also meet with the new US administration and other global leaders to further solidify bilateral relations.
https://indiatoday.in/india/story/external-affairs-minister-s-jaishankar-attend-us-president-elect-donald-trumps-swearing-in-on-january-20-2663521-2025-01-12India's External Affairs Minister Jaishankar is set to visit the US and hold meetings with officials from the incoming administration of President Donald Trump. The interactions will focus on exploring opportunities for deepening economic ties between India and the US, which are beneficial to both sides. Specifically, the discussions will center around leveraging technical expertise provided by skilled professionals, as well as the possibility of hosting President Trump in India during the upcoming Quad leaders summit, which is scheduled to be held this year with India as the host country.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/external-affairs-minister-jaishankar-to-represent-india-at-trump-inauguration/article69091401.eceThe Indian government has announced that Minister of State for External Affairs, Jaishankar, will represent India at the inauguration ceremony of US President-elect Donald Trump. This comes as a response to an invitation extended by the US government.
https://www.firstpost.com/sports/r-vaishali-subbaraman-vijayalakshmi-opposing-views-womens-chess-titles-reactions-13852043.htmlJapan has imposed new sanctions on Russia, targeting 143 oil tankers that handled over 530 million barrels of Russian crude last year. The majority of this crude was shipped to China and India, with the latter becoming the biggest exporter of fuel to the EU. The sanctions will significantly reduce the fleet of ships available to deliver crude from Russia in the short term, pushing freight rates higher. As a result, China and India are expected to seek alternative oil supplies from the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas. Indian refiners may turn to Middle Eastern or US oil as alternatives, while China is likely to increase its imports of Canadian crude from the Trans-Mountain pipeline.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/tougher-us-sanctions-to-curb-russian-oil-supply-to-china-and-india-says-analysts/article69091704.eceCanadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly stated that in order to improve the relationship between Canada and the US, there needs to be a coordinated effort from both countries. This comes as she faces criticism for her handling of issues such as Trump's rhetoric on making Canada the 51st state.
https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/everything-is-on-the-table-joly-won-t-rule-out-cutting-off-energy-exports-to-u-s-in-face-of-trump-tariff-threat-1.7172631Retired Lieutenant-General Kellogg, who is set to serve as Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, stated that pressure on Iran must be applied through economic and diplomatic means in addition to military force. He believes there is an opportunity to improve the situation in Iran but it will not last forever. The Iranian foreign ministry has criticized France for hosting a terrorist group, referring to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), which Kellogg spoke at on January 15. The NCRI's President-elect Maryam Rajavi stated that the regional balance of power has shifted against Iran and called for Western governments to support the Iranian people.
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40342302/trumps-ukraine-envoy-says-world-must-reinstate-maximum-pressure-on-iranJapanese officials are working to arrange a meeting between Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and US President Donald Trump before mid-February, according to reports from Mainichi Japan on January 12, 2025. The potential meeting is expected to take place in the United States.
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20250112/p2g/00m/0na/052000cRussian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has expressed dissatisfaction with a reported peace deal floated by Donald Trump's team, stating that he is "not happy" about it. This comes as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues, with both sides suffering significant losses. According to a senior U.S. defense official, Russia has had over 600,000 casualties since 2022, including more than 12,300 civilians, including over 650 children, killed in Ukraine since the onset of the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed his desire for the conflict to end within six months, while Trump has said he would like to see it resolved within 24 hours if elected president.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/trumps-designated-special-envoy-ukraine-russia-sets-longer-timetable-than-24-hours-ending-warJapanese officials from the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition partner Komeito are set to visit Beijing for a three-day trip, where they will meet with members of China's ruling Communist Party. The delegation, led by LDP secretary general Hiroshi Moriyama and his counterpart Makoto Nishida, aims to discuss several issues that have strained ties between the two countries, including Japan's request for China to resume imports of Japanese seafood and concerns over the safety of Japanese nationals living in China. The trip follows a visit by Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya in December and marks the first time the dialogue has been held since 2018.
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20250112/p2g/00m/0in/054000c