Micronesian States Put Break from Pacific Bloc on Hold

It's not yet exactly clear why the president of the Federated States of Micronesia announced the pausing of the withdrawal from the PIF.(Pool Photo via AP: Jason Oxenham)
It's not yet exactly clear why the president of the Federated States of Micronesia announced the pausing of the withdrawal from the PIF.(Pool Photo via AP: Jason Oxenham)
TT
20

Micronesian States Put Break from Pacific Bloc on Hold

It's not yet exactly clear why the president of the Federated States of Micronesia announced the pausing of the withdrawal from the PIF.(Pool Photo via AP: Jason Oxenham)
It's not yet exactly clear why the president of the Federated States of Micronesia announced the pausing of the withdrawal from the PIF.(Pool Photo via AP: Jason Oxenham)

Five Micronesian nations suspended on Saturday breakaway plans from a crucial Pacific Islands political bloc as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in the region.

The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru and Palau "have agreed to temporarily rescind their withdrawal" from the Pacific Islands Forum, the FSM foreign ministry said in a statement.

The five territories announced a year ago they were quitting the group after their nominee lost the vote for a new forum secretary general, said AFP.

They said the majority decision by the 18-nation body to elect former Cook Islands prime minister Henry Puna had overridden an informal agreement that the position would be filled by Micronesia and had caused an irreparable rift.

However, in a statement the Micronesian leaders said they had discussed "specific substantive reforms of the Pacific Island Forum" and had given the forum until June for the reforms to materialize.

The announcement came as Blinken arrived in Fiji in a visit intended to highlight Washington's interest in the region where China has stepped up efforts to build footholds.

The Pacific Islands Forum was formed in 1971 to enhance the economic and social well-being of its 18 South Pacific islands nations which both the United States and China view as being in strategic locations.



Zelenskiy Says Ukraine Sending Delegation to London Talks on Settling War

20 April 2025, Ukraine, Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, wearing a traditional embroidered shirt known as a vyshyvanka, addresses the nation in front of St. Sophia Cathedral on Easter Sunday. (Ukraine Presidency/dpa)
20 April 2025, Ukraine, Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, wearing a traditional embroidered shirt known as a vyshyvanka, addresses the nation in front of St. Sophia Cathedral on Easter Sunday. (Ukraine Presidency/dpa)
TT
20

Zelenskiy Says Ukraine Sending Delegation to London Talks on Settling War

20 April 2025, Ukraine, Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, wearing a traditional embroidered shirt known as a vyshyvanka, addresses the nation in front of St. Sophia Cathedral on Easter Sunday. (Ukraine Presidency/dpa)
20 April 2025, Ukraine, Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, wearing a traditional embroidered shirt known as a vyshyvanka, addresses the nation in front of St. Sophia Cathedral on Easter Sunday. (Ukraine Presidency/dpa)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday that Kyiv was sending a delegation to talks in London on Wednesday with Western countries on finding a resolution to the more than three-year-old war with Russia.

"We are ready to move forward as constructively as possible, just as we have done before, to achieve an unconditional ceasefire, followed by the establishment of a real and lasting peace," Zelenskiy wrote on the X social media platform.

Zelenskiy said a 30-hour Easter truce proclaimed by Russia, which each side accused the other of violating, showed that it was Russia's actions "that are prolonging the war".

He also said he had a "good and detailed conversation" with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.