Belgium and Rwanda announced, on Tuesday, their agreement to resume diplomatic relations between them, ending a dispute that began after Kigali severed its relations with the former colonial power last year.
The foreign ministries of the two countries said, in a joint statement: “The Kingdom of Belgium and the Republic of Rwanda decided, on September 22, 2026, to restore diplomatic relations. To this end, the embassies of the two countries will be reopened in the near future.”
Relations between the two countries deteriorated after Belgium criticized Rwanda against the backdrop of accusations of supporting the M23 armed movement in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Kigali severed its relations with Brussels in March 2025 and expelled Belgian diplomats, accusing Belgium of “continuously undermining” its position during the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The joint statement explained that the decision to resume relations came “after a series of informal meetings and communications between the two foreign ministers during the past months, during which a number of disagreements and misunderstandings were addressed in a constructive spirit.”
He added that the two sides affirmed their commitment to maintaining an “open, frank and transparent dialogue.”
The Rwandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs published a photo of Foreign Minister Olivier Ndohungirehi shaking hands with his Belgian counterpart, Maxime Prévot, outside the United Nations headquarters in New York.
Prevot said: “In a world witnessing increasing tensions, this step represents an important signal from New York, the city that hosts the United Nations, and embodies pluralism and dialogue despite our differences.”
For his part, Ndohongirihi considered that the resumption of relations “must open a new page of constructive dialogue, in a spirit of mutual respect.”
The head of the Albanian intelligence service, Flora Heseni, surrendered herself to the authorities, on Tuesday, after the Special Prosecution Office for Combating Corruption and Organized Crime issued an arrest warrant against her, as part of a corruption investigation that also includes prominent security officials.
The prosecution had previously announced the suspension of Hisini’s duties and her placing her under house arrest, on suspicion of leaking confidential information to people who were not authorized to access it.
Local media reported that Heseni was not present inside the country, before a police spokesman confirmed to Agence France-Presse that she had surrendered herself at the Morena border crossing between Albania and Kosovo.
Prosecutors said Hisini may have leaked confidential classified information linked to corruption investigations within the National Agency for the Information Society (AKSHI), which is responsible for managing digital services and IT infrastructure in Albania.
Over the past years, the case has witnessed the prosecution of a number of officials and businessmen on charges related to the misuse of public funds.
The prosecution announced the arrest of the head of one of the departments at the Scientific Police Institute in the context of the same case.
This case is the latest corruption scandal to affect the government of Prime Minister Edi Rama, who said on the “X” platform, “Everyone is innocent until a final ruling is issued, but no one is above the law, regardless of the reasons or circumstances.”
He added that the dismissal of the head of the intelligence service from her duties became effective immediately.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said yesterday (Tuesday) that he discussed with his American counterpart Donald Trump efforts aimed at ending the more than four-year-old war with Russia, including the possibility of reaching a bilateral ceasefire agreement that includes energy-related goals.
Speaking to the media after a 40-minute meeting with Trump at the United Nations headquarters in New York City, Zelensky said that Kiev was ready for any form of ceasefire in the energy sector with Moscow, but he made clear that there was no discussion about Ukraine stopping its unilateral attacks on Russian oil refineries.
Trump - whose approval ratings fell to a record low, amid rising gasoline prices ahead of the midterm congressional elections in November - expressed his concern about the severe damage to Russian oil refineries that were subjected to intense attacks by Ukrainian drones.
Zelensky reiterated his readiness to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in a tripartite meeting that includes Trump, adding that he hopes the United States will find a way to bring Moscow back to the negotiating table, after the collapse of the talks earlier this year. But he said he saw no indication that Putin was willing to negotiate.
Zelensky said: “I am ready for a tripartite meeting.” This means that I agree to end the war.” Before their meeting, Trump told reporters that he would discuss with Zelensky the Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries.
“It's a big blow to the Russians, but it's also a big blow to diesel prices,” Trump said. Pointing out that he will hold talks with Zelensky in order to find solutions to end the war that began with a large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
“I think it will happen,” Trump said.
Trump announced last week that Ukraine and Russia had agreed not to target energy facilities, but any semblance of a truce faded when Moscow bombed gas stations in Kiev the next day, and Ukraine bombed a Russian oil refinery.
The Ukrainian president said that Russia intends to launch a major attack again on his country, in statements published yesterday (Tuesday).
Zelensky wrote on the Telegram application, speaking about his meeting with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meetings, that Ukraine is in constant contact with its allies to obtain new air defense systems.
Zelensky said: “There is now intelligence information indicating that Russia is preparing to launch a new large-scale attack on Ukraine.”
He added that it is in no way possible to talk about easing the sanctions imposed on Russia “at a time when Ukrainians live daily under the threat of missile attacks and drone attacks.”
Russian forces have long launched large-scale night attacks using drones and missiles, but they have changed their methods over the past weeks, launching a continuous barrage of attacks throughout the day.
Over the past months, Moscow has also deployed drones powered by jet engines, which can fly at higher altitudes and evade air defenses, which has led to the disruption of commercial businesses, government services, and daily life on a much greater scale than before, during the war that has been going on for 4 and a half years.
