India, US hold talks on FATF coordination
Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met US Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender in Washington from May 27–29 to discuss deepening economic ties and coordination on upcoming Financial Action Task Force (FATF) processes, the Ministry of External Affairs said.
The conversations were part of a larger effort to improve the India-US COMPACT project, which focuses on defense, trade, and technological collaboration, according to Firstpost.
The talks come as India prepares to advocate for Pakistan's removal from the FATF grey list, claiming substantial proof of its support for cross-border terrorism following the recent Pahalgam incident in Jammu and Kashmir.
India is also expected to highlight Pakistan’s increasing defence spending amid economic crisis, raising concerns over misuse of international financial aid, Firstpost reported.
UN Security Council renews sanctions against South Sudan
The UN Security Council passed Resolution 2781 on Friday, extending the arms embargo on South Sudan and targeted sanctions such as travel bans and asset freezes, until May 31, 2026. Algeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia, China, Pakistan, and Russia voted nine times in support of the resolution, with six abstentions.
The Council also extended the mandate of the Panel of Experts assisting the South Sudan Sanctions Committee until July 1, 2026. The resolution emphasizes the Council's readiness to revisit sanctions based on progress made toward benchmarks outlined in Resolution 2577 (2021), according to Xinhua.
It urges South Sudanese authorities to make additional progress and asks both the UN Secretary-General and South Sudan to provide progress reports by April 15, 2026.
Vietnam, Hungary to boost comprehensive partnership
Vietnam and Hungary have agreed to strengthen their comprehensive partnership following talks between Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and President Tamas Sulyok.
Key areas of collaboration include boosting bilateral commerce to $2bn USD, financing development projects with Hungarian concessional loans, and strengthening relations in education, labor, nuclear energy, medicines, and climate response, Xinhua reported.
Both sides agreed to strengthen political coordination and international involvement. To mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2025, Vietnam and Hungary will organize joint cultural and people-to-people exchange activities.
EU, UAE begin free trade talks amid US tariff tensions
The EU and UAE have launched negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement, aiming to boost trade in goods, services, digital commerce, and strategic sectors like renewable energy. Talks will begin in June following a meeting in Dubai between EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic and UAE Minister Thani Al Zeyoudi, as reported by Xinhua.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, described the decision as a significant step toward improving EU-Gulf ties. The negotiations come as the EU aims to reduce its reliance on US trade, following US President Donald Trump's declaration of a 50 percent tax on EU exports, which has now been postponed until July 9. Trump welcomed the talks but warned of trade measures if no deal is reached.
