Israel president expresses ‘solidarity’ with Ukraine in Zelensky call
The Straits Times
Israeli President Isaac Herzog expressed “heartfelt condolences” four years after Russia’s invasion. Read more at straitstimes.com.
JERUSALEM - Israeli President Isaac Herzog held a phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky on Feb 26, his office said, expressing “heartfelt condolences and solidarity” four years after Russia’s invasion.
Hundreds of thousands of people have died since Russia invaded its neighbour on Feb 24, 2022, unleashing the deadliest war on European soil since World War II.
Talks between the two sides, relaunched in 2025 by the United States, have so far failed to halt the fighting, which has devastated the country and left it facing a mammoth reconstruction task.
“President Herzog sent his deepest condolences to President Zelensky and the Ukrainian people for the devastating loss of life and offered prayers for all those wounded in body and spirit,” a statement from Mr Herzog’s office said.
“During the call, President Herzog mentioned Israel’s support for Ukraine in the recent vote at the UN General Assembly, as well as Israel’s ongoing efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to those impacted by the war,” the statement added.
Mr Herzog’s office said the Israeli president and Zelensky “also discussed the significant international efforts led by (US) President (Donald) Trump to bring about the end of the war and the terrible suffering and loss of life”. AFP
BERLIN, March 23 - The leaders of Germany's centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) said on Monday the party needed to push ahead with promised reforms to tax and social welfare following the \"catastrophic\" loss in the state election in Rhineland-Palatinate at the weekend. Read more at straitstimes.com.
BUDAPEST, March 23 - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban ordered a probe on Monday into what he called a wiretapping of his foreign minister as his government sought to deal with the fallout from a media report about its links to Russia before an April election. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Explore how China leverages AI and digital innovation to enhance its soft power through cultural exports like video games and online literature. Read more at straitstimes.com.
The policy could save 20 per cent on fuel purchases, which has spiked since the Middle East war. Read more at straitstimes.com.
COPENHAGEN, March 23 - Denmark holds an election on Tuesday, with opinion polls showing a narrow lead for Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen's centre-left bloc, boosted by her defiant stand against U.S. President Donald Trump's push to take control of Greenland. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Anyone who fails to comply faces a year in prison and a fine of HK$100,000 (S$16,400). Read more at straitstimes.com.
LJUBLJANA, March 23 - Slovenia's political parties looked set for urgent coalition talks on Monday after no clear winner emerged from an election that could sway the Alpine country's domestic and foreign agenda. Read more at straitstimes.com.
MOSCOW, March 23 - U.S.-Israeli strikes near the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran are extremely dangerous and Russia has shared its concerns with the United States, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday. Read more at straitstimes.com.
LONDON, March 23 - When Sarah Mullally is enthroned as the Church of England's first female Archbishop of Canterbury on Wednesday, she will inherit a task that has eluded her predecessors: uniting a divided 85-million-strong global Anglican Communion. Read more at straitstimes.com.
There are indications that the Arab stance against the Islamic republic is hardening. Read more at straitstimes.com.
PARIS, March 23 - Lionel Jospin, Socialist prime minister of France from 1997 to 2002, has died. Read more at straitstimes.com.
DUBAI, March 23 - At least five people have died in Oman over the past 24 hours after vehicles were swept away by floodwaters, authorities said on Monday. Read more at straitstimes.com.
About 6,700 police officers, 10,000 public officials and 4,800 safety personnel were deployed. Read more at straitstimes.com.