Europe

MADRID, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Europe should resist U.S. pressure to isolate China and remain independent in its decision making in the face of so-called security concerns, a Spanish expert has said.

"If the U.S. wants to include Europe in its 'anti-China' strategy because it does not want anyone to threaten its hegemony, the EU must bear in mind that China is not a threat to its security," said Xulio Rios, director of the Spanish Observatory of Chinese Politics in Spain, in an analysis titled Huawei and the Mantra of Security.

MOSCOW, July 21. /TASS/: Russia’s first vaccine against the novel coronavirus infection, which was created by military specialists and scientists of the Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, is ready, First Deputy Defense Minister Ruslan Tsalikov told Argumenty i Fakty newspaper.

MOSCOW, July 21. /TASS/: It will take about 18 months to develop a viable anti-coronavirus vaccine, Vladimir Nikoforov, the chief specialist in infectious diseases of the Russian Federal Medical Biological Agency and holder of chair in infectious diseases of the Pirogov Medical University, said on Tuesday.

"It typically takes at least 18 months to develop a really viable vaccine tested for efficacy and safety. That’s the reference point. When we have tested it, we will see if it is efficient," he said.

ST. PETERSBURG, July 21. /TASS/: The Project 22350 frigate Admiral Kasatonov has entered service with the Russian Navy, Navy Spokesman Captain 1st Rank Igor Dygalo announced on Tuesday.

"By order of Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov, the Project 22350 latest frigate Admiral Kasatonov has been accepted for service in the Navy," the spokesman said.

GROZNY, July 21. /TASS/: Head of Russia’s Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov responded to US Secretary of State’s statement regarding introduction of new sanctions against him by inviting to his home village in the mountain region of the republic to discuss who really violates human rights, according to the Grozny broadcast company.

MOSCOW, July 21. /TASS/: Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov hopes that the new report prepared by the Intelligence and Security Committee of the UK Parliament will not contain unfounded accusations and insinuations.

"We hope that at least this time, after so many investigations held by UK allies on [Russia’s] interference that led to negative results and did not confirm anything, there will be some documents that will not contain unfounded accusations or insinuations," the Kremlin spokesman said shortly before the document’s publication.

KIEV, July 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) – The Ukrainian-U.S. naval exercises, Sea Breeze 2020, started in the Black Sea, Ukrainian Defence Ministry said.

According to the ministry, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the drills will be limited to the maritime phase, and all joint events will be held in the Black Sea without personnel contact.

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece’s foreign minister on Tuesday said ‘illegal’ behaviour of Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean was threatening the cohesion of NATO and Ankara’s relations with the European Union.

Greece has long-running tensions with Turkey over a host of issues ranging from air and sea boundaries to ethnically-split Cyprus. Attempts by both Cyprus, a close ally of Greece, and Turkey at natural gas exploration in overlapping areas in the east Mediterranean have brought those disputes into sharper focus.

ATHENS (Reuters) - Turkey must stop drilling for natural resources in waters in the eastern Mediterranean if there is to be progress in EU-Turkey ties, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Tuesday.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said last week that Turkey would start seismic research and drilling operations in contested waters that are covered by an agreement between Ankara and Libya’s internationally recognised government.

KYIV (Reuters) - A man who said he was armed with weapons and explosives seized a bus in the western Ukrainian city of Lutsk on Tuesday and took a number of people on board hostage, police said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said “shots were heard, the bus was damaged”. Police blocked off the city centre.

Police identified the man as 44-year-old Maksym Kryvosh, born in Russia.

They said in a statement that he had said he was armed with explosives and weapons. Between 10 and 20 people were onboard the bus, they said.