Over the past week, international affairs have been marked by renewed tensions across multiple regions. On 1 June 2025, environmental activist Greta Thunberg and 11 fellow campaigners departed from the Port of Catania aboard the vessel Madleen, sailing toward Gaza in an attempt to break Israel’s blockade and deliver humanitarian aid, while also calling for greater global attention to the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
In Eastern Europe, Poland’s National Electoral Commission on 2 June officially confirmed Karol Nawrocki as the country’s next president following two rounds of voting. Nawrocki, a Catholic nationalist, has expressed firm opposition to what he views as undue influence from Russia, Ukraine, and the European Union over Poland’s domestic affairs—signaling a potential shift in the country’s foreign policy direction.
In East Asia, South Korea’s 3 June presidential election brought Lee Jae-myung to office as the country’s 14th president, succeeding Yoon Suk-yeol, who was impeached. Lee’s victory, however, is clouded by ongoing legal cases that may test the stability of his early administration.
Meanwhile, in the United States, President Donald Trump on 4 June signed a renewed entry ban targeting citizens of 12 Muslim-majority and African countries, citing national security concerns. The administration described the policy as a defensive measure against “foreign terrorists” and other perceived threats. The full ban applies to Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen, while partial restrictions were imposed on Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
A day later, on 5 June, Russian drone strikes hit the Ukrainian city of Pryluky, killing five civilians—including a one-year-old child—just hours after Trump held a phone call with President Vladimir Putin, underscoring the stagnation of peace efforts that have persisted for more than three years.
Closing the week, on 6 June, Trump also held a 1.5-hour phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping amid ongoing trade tensions. Both sides described the discussion as positive and agreed to pursue an in-person meeting, though China stressed the need for substantive improvements in bilateral relations. On the same day, Israel launched airstrikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon on the eve of Eid al-Adha, forcing thousands of civilians to flee. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the attack, accusing Israel of violating an existing ceasefire agreement.
Sources:
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CNN Indonesia. “Trump-Xi Jinping Teleponan 1,5 Jam di Tengah ‘Teror’ Perang Tarif.” CNN Indonesia. 6 June 2025. https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/russian-strike-kills-5-including-1-year-hours-122522293.
Mason, Jeff, dan Nandita Bose. “Trump reinstates US travel ban, bars citizen of 12 countries.” Reuters. 6 June 2025. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/trump-signs-proclamation-banning-travel-12-countries-cbs-news-reports-2025-06-04/.
Nababan, Helena Fransisca. “Aktivis Greta Thunberg Ikut Berlayar ke Gaza, Kirim Bantuan dan Dobrak Blokade Israel.” Kompas. 2 June 2025. https://www.kompas.id/artikel/aktivis-greta-thunberg-bergabung-dalam-pelayaran-ke-gaza-kirim-bantuan-dan-dobrak-blokade-israel.
Noviansah, Wildan. “Israel Serang Beirut Jelang Hari Raya Idul Adha, Presiden Lebanon Mengecam.” detikNews. 6 June 2025. https://news.detik.com/internasional/d-7951379/israel-serang-beirut-jelang-hari-raya-idul-adha-presiden-lebanon-mengecam.
Santosa, Iwan. “Karol Nawrocki, Tokoh Nasionalis Katolik, Jadi Presiden Polandia.” Kompas. 2 June 2025. https://www.kompas.id/artikel/tokoh-anti-uni-eropa-menangi-pilpres-polandia?utm_campaign=tpd_-_ios_traffic&utm_medium=shared&utm_source=link.
Stepanenko, Vasilisa. “Russian strike kills 5 in Ukraine, including a 1 year old.” ABC News. 5 June 2025. https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/russian-strike-kills-5-including-1-year-hours-122522293.