Russia’s Putin praises Abe, says late Japanese PM wanted peace treaty

Russia’s Putin praises Abe, says late Japanese PM wanted peace treaty

Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomes Akie Abe, wife of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, on Thursday, May 29, 2025.

Putin paid tribute to former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, saying he knew the slain Japanese leader had dreamt of finally concluding a post-World War Two peace treaty.

No treaty was ever signed as the two countries could not resolve a dispute over the then-Soviet Union’s seizure at the end of the war of four islands in the Southern Kuril chain, known in Japan as the Northern Territories.

Please read full here:

https://www.reuters.com/world/russias-putin-praises-abe-says-late-japanese-pm-wanted-peace-treaty-2025-05-29/

The Abe Doctrine and Japan-Russia Relations

Shinzo Abe’s approach to Russia represented a convergence of personal mission and strategic thinking. His 27 meetings with Vladimir Putin during his tenure as Prime Minister were driven by dual motivations – to honour his father Shintaro Abe’s unfulfilled diplomatic legacy and to pursue a calculated strategy to weaken the Sino-Russian partnership, as Japan’s primary security concern in the region.

Please read full here:

https://www.newsx.com/editorial-opinion/the-abe-doctrine-and-japan-russia-relations/

Ursula von der Leyen, World Leader for Peace and Security, honored with award for contributions to European unity

Ursula von der Leyen, World Leader for Peace and Security, honored with award for contributions to European unity

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, 2020 World Leader for Peace and Security Award recipient, received the International Charlemagne Prize, an annual award for contributions to European unity, on Thursday as the 27-nation bloc confronts Russia’s war against Ukraine and security issues across the continent.

The European Union’s most high-profile political figure, von der Leyen was called “the embodiment of the European spirit” by King Felipe VI of Spain during Thursday’s ceremony in Aachen, Germany.

Last year, European Parliament lawmakers reelected her to a second five-year term as president of the EU’s powerful executive arm.

The commission proposes legislation for the EU’s 27 member countries — and its 450 million people — and ensures that the rules governing the world’s biggest trading bloc are respected. It’s made up of a College of Commissioners with a range of portfolios similar to those of government ministers, including agriculture, economic, competition, security and migration policy.

https://apnews.com/article/von-der-leyen-international-charlemagne-prize-europe-94c0960aa89bb598464157789e1e7d43

AIWS Global Blockchain Network (AGBN): The Backbone of the AIWS Bank and Finance Ecosystem Model

AIWS Global Blockchain Network (AGBN): The Backbone of the AIWS Bank and Finance Ecosystem Model

The AIWS Global Blockchain Network (AGBN) serves as the backbone of the AIWS Bank and Finance Ecosystem, transforming global finance with a decentralized, AI-optimized blockchain infrastructure. Launched on May 26, 2025, under the Boston Global Forum (BGF), AGBN aligns with the Boston Finance Accord’s 24/7 AI Governance Vision (April 22, 2025), delivering ethical, transparent, and continuous financial services. Its goal is to span 30 countries by 2028, processing $5 trillion annually by 2030, and providing blockchain-verified digital identities for 500 million unbanked users. Leveraging Hyperledger Fabric, Polkadot interoperability, and a Universal Transaction Layer (UTL), AGBN automates 100 million daily smart contract transactions and ensures carbon-neutral operations by 2027, setting a new benchmark for financial inclusion and efficiency. These innovations will be explored at the Boston Plurality Summit Online on June 9, 2025.

Remarks by Governor Michael Dukakis on the Launch of the AIWS Bank and Finance Ecosystem Initiative Under the Boston Finance Accord

Remarks by Governor Michael Dukakis on the Launch of the AIWS Bank and Finance Ecosystem Initiative Under the Boston Finance Accord

May 27, 2025, 10:00 AM EDT, Boston, MA

Good morning, distinguished guests, colleagues, and friends from around the world,

It is with immense pride and optimism that I stand before you today, on behalf of the Michael Dukakis Institute, the Boston Global Forum, and AI World Society, to announce the launch of the AIWS Bank and Finance Ecosystem—a transformative initiative that marks a new era in global finance, rooted in ethical AI, blockchain innovation, and a deep commitment to humanity.

For decades, we at the Boston Global Forum have worked tirelessly to harness technology for the greater good. From the Social Contract for the AI Age to the AIWS Cinema Summit: Top 100, our mission has been to unite humanity through innovation that is compassionate, transparent, and equitable. Today, we take a monumental step forward with the AIWS Bank and Finance Ecosystem, a global standard financial ecosystem that surpasses existing models in digital and AI-driven finance.

This ecosystem is built on five pioneering components, enhanced by cutting-edge bank features:

  • The AIWS AI-Finance Platform (AIFP), which uses quantum AI to ensure financial access for the underserved by 2029. Its blockchain platform meets the standards of top banks, and it introduces open banking APIs, allowing seamless integration with third-party fintechs for personalized financial products, alongside AI-driven virtual assistants for 24/7 customer support.
  • The AIWS Global Blockchain Network (AGBN), a decentralized network spanning countries worldwide by 2028. The AGBN meets top blockchain standards and offers embedded finance solutions, integrating financial services into non-financial platforms like AIWS City, with real-time transaction monitoring via AI.
  • The AIWS Ethical Finance Charter (AEFC), which ensures fairness in AI decisions and mandates carbon-neutral crypto operations by 2027, embodying our principles of transparency and equity, and now includes green banking initiatives with eco-friendly loans and biodiversity credits.
  • The AIWS Digital Asset and Crypto Hub (ADACH), a marketplace for Bitcoin, CBDCs, and NFTs, enhanced by tokenized securities for social impact investments.
  • The AIWS Investor and Innovation Network (AIIN), connecting global investors with projects, now featuring a platformization model where partners co-create financial and non-financial services, reducing development cycles significantly.

I am particularly proud to remind everyone of the Boston Finance Accord for AI Governance 24/7, a cornerstone of our work at BGF, which ensures that AI in finance operates with ethical oversight around the clock. The AIWS Bank fully integrates this accord, ensuring that every transaction, decision, and innovation aligns with our commitment to ethical governance, protecting users worldwide while fostering trust and inclusion.

Our leadership team, co-chaired by myself and Nguyen Anh Tuan, with many others, alongside our colleagues at BGF, AIWS, and the Boston Finance Accord for AI Governance 24/7. Together, we will steer this ecosystem to establish AIWS Bank as the foremost leader in digital and AI-driven finance.

We invite you to join us at the AIWS Cinema Summit: Top 100 on January 9, 2026, in Boston and Nha Trang, to witness our progress and explore partnership opportunities. This is not just a financial ecosystem—it is a movement to ensure that technology serves humanity with compassion, integrity, and innovation.

Thank you for joining us on this historic day. Together, let us build a future where finance unites us all.

French President Macron hopes for defence, energy and tech deals as he starts Asia trip

French President Macron hopes for defence, energy and tech deals as he starts Asia trip

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday that he hoped to strike deals for France in areas such as defence, energy and tech innovation, as he arrived in Vietnam for the start of a roughly week-long trip in Asia.

Macron arrived in Hanoi on Sunday, marking the first trip to Vietnam by a French president in nearly a decade.

After Vietnam, Macron will then go to Indonesia and finish up in Singapore, where he will speak at the annual Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s top defence conference.

The Boston Global Forum (BGF) honored President Emmanuel Macron with the 2024 World Leader for Peace and Security Award and presented a special tribute titled “Creating a New Paris of Enlightenment” to President Macron and the people of France—a strategic initiative to position France at the forefront of the AI era—at the AI Action Summit in Paris, held on February 10–11, 2025.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/french-president-macron-hopes-defence-energy-tech-deals-he-starts-asia-trip-2025-05-25/