Upon arrival at Doha International Airport, Kagame was received by Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi, and Ambassador of Rwanda to the State of Qatar, Igor Marara Kayinamura.
The visit comes months after Kagame travelled to Doha in November 2025 to attend the World Summit for Social Development. That trip was followed by a visit to Kigali later the same month by the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
In April 2026, President Kagame also sent a written message to Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The message was delivered by Rwanda’s Minister of Interior, Dr. Vincent Biruta, and received by Qatar’s Minister of Interior, Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, according to Qatar’s Ministry of Interior.
Rwanda and Qatar continue to deepen cooperation across several sectors, including investment, tourism, aviation, and infrastructure development.
The two countries have particularly strengthened ties in the aviation sector, where Qatar Airways is expected to acquire a 49 percent stake in RwandAir.
Qatar also holds a 60 percent stake in the Bugesera International Airport project, a major infrastructure development expected to position Rwanda as a regional aviation hub.
Upon arrival at Doha International Airport, Kagame was received by Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi, and Ambassador of Rwanda to the State of Qatar, Igor Marara Kayinamura.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the proposed agreement remained subject to final approval by the United States, Iran and several regional countries involved in the talks. He added that the deal would include the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route that has been at the centre of regional tensions in recent months.
“Final aspects and details of the deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly,” Trump wrote.
The announcement followed a series of calls between Trump and leaders from Gulf and Middle Eastern nations, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and other regional partners. Trump described the discussions as focused on a “Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to PEACE.”
The U.S. president also said he spoke separately with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, adding that the conversation “went very well.”
While Trump did not provide specific details about the framework under discussion, he has repeatedly insisted that any final agreement would prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Iranian officials also signalled cautious optimism over the state of negotiations. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told Iranian state television that the positions of Washington and Tehran had moved closer over the past week, although he warned that major differences remained unresolved.
Baqaei said discussions were centred around a proposed framework consisting of 14 points and described the current talks as an effort to finalise a memorandum of understanding that could pave the way for a comprehensive agreement within the coming months.
Regional governments involved in the diplomacy welcomed signs of progress. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised Trump’s efforts to pursue peace and said Islamabad hoped to host another round of talks soon. Pakistan has played a mediating role in recent negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also expressed support for the talks, saying any agreement that ensures free passage through the Strait of Hormuz would help stabilise the region and global trade routes.
The latest developments come after weeks of uncertainty surrounding the fragile ceasefire reached earlier this year. The United States and Israel launched large-scale strikes on Iran on February 28, triggering retaliatory attacks by Tehran against Israel and U.S.-aligned targets in the Gulf.
Although active fighting largely subsided after a ceasefire agreement in early April, tensions have remained high. The United States has continued a blockade of Iranian ports since mid-April, while Iran has asserted control over areas surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, demanding authorisation for ships transiting the waterway.
U.S. Central Command said Saturday that naval operations linked to the blockade had redirected around 100 vessels and allowed humanitarian shipments to pass while preventing commercial trade linked to Iran.
Despite the renewed diplomatic momentum, several contentious issues remain unresolved, including the future of Iran’s nuclear program, regional security arrangements, U.S. military presence in the Middle East and access to frozen Iranian assets.
Still, Trump’s comments marked the clearest indication yet that negotiators may be nearing a broader agreement aimed at preventing a return to open conflict in the region.
President Trump said the deal would include the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route that has been at the centre of regional tensions in recent months.
During the solemn ceremony, Ambassador Bakuramutsa conveyed greetings from President Paul Kagame, the Government, and the people of Rwanda to Pope Leo XIV.
She also reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to further strengthening the longstanding relations between Kigali and the Holy See through dialogue, cooperation, and shared values centered on peace, solidarity, and mutual respect.
Several other diplomats accredited to the Holy See also presented their Letters of Credence during the same ceremony, including ambassadors from Bangladesh, Chad, Mauritius, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, and Yemen.
In his address to the diplomatic representatives, Pope Leo XIV emphasized the importance of diplomacy rooted in dialogue, shared responsibility, mutual respect among nations, and the promotion of peace at a time when the international community continues to face numerous global challenges.
Ahead of the official ceremony, Ambassador Bakuramutsa held a series of diplomatic meetings with senior Holy See officials.
She met with His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, as well as Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, following the presentation of copies of her credentials.
She also held discussions with Archbishop Paolo Rudelli, Substitute of the Secretariat of State, and Monsignor Javier Fernández, Head of Protocol at the Vatican.
The meetings provided an opportunity to discuss the longstanding partnership between Rwanda and the Holy See, as well as avenues for strengthening cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
Rwanda and the Holy See share longstanding and cordial relations, supported in part by the continued contribution of the Catholic Church to Rwanda’s development, particularly in the fields of education, healthcare, social welfare, and community development.
During the solemn ceremony, Ambassador Bakuramutsa conveyed greetings from President Paul Kagame, the Government, and the people of Rwanda to Pope Leo XIV.Ambassador Bakuramutsa presenting credentials to Pope Leo XIV.
“The government withdraws Hungary’s intention to leave the International Criminal Court and bans the import of agricultural products from Ukraine,” Magyar wrote in a post on the social media platform X.
According to a government decree published in the official gazette on Friday, Hungary is banning imports of a broad range of Ukrainian products, including meat, eggs, honey, vegetables, grain crops, flour, sunflower seeds, cooking oil and wine.
Szabolcs Bona, minister of agriculture and food economy, wrote on social media Thursday that the government “will not allow imports from Ukraine or other countries to threaten the livelihoods of Hungarian farmers or the supply of safe food to Hungarian consumers.”
Hungary had previously moved toward withdrawing from the ICC. In April 2025, Gergely Gulyas, then head of the Prime Minister’s Office, said the government would initiate the withdrawal process, citing concerns over the court’s politicization. The Hungarian National Assembly later approved the withdrawal.
Hungary signed the ICC’s Rome Statute in 1999 and ratified it in 2001.
Hungary’s Prime Minister, Péter Magyar announced the ban of imports from Ukraine
The announcement was made late Friday by government secretary general Oumar Samba Ba, who confirmed that Sonko’s dismissal also resulted in the resignation and dissolution of the entire government.
The two leaders rose to power together under the Patriotes Africains du Sénégal pour le Travail, l’Éthique et la Fraternité (Pastef) party after defeating Senegal’s former ruling coalition in the March 2024 elections.
Their victory followed a strong opposition campaign against the Alliance pour la République, the party previously led by former President Macky Sall.
At the time, critics had accused Sall of seeking to extend his stay in power through constitutional changes introduced in 2016, allegations that fueled public debate and political tensions across the country.
Sonko’s removal now marks a major political shift within the ruling camp, ending months of visible disagreements between the country’s top two leaders.
Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has been sacked following months of tensions President Diomaye.
According to the Cuban government, more than 250,000 people attended the rally at the Jose Marti Anti-Imperialist Platform, an open area facing Havana’s seafront. The event was led by Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel and coincided with the country’s National Defense Day.
Gerardo Hernandez, national coordinator of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution, said the rally reflected popular rejection of what he called “a political provocation by Washington.”
He said the United States has neither legitimacy nor jurisdiction to bring charges against Castro, and argued that Washington had distorted the events surrounding the February 1996 shootdown of two planes operated by the Cuban-American exile group Brothers to the Rescue.
Hernandez said the aircraft had repeatedly violated Cuban airspace and that Cuba acted in self-defense after issuing warnings to Washington.
Lauren Luis, an official with Cuba’s Foreign Ministry, said she attended the rally to defend the Cuban Revolution and express support for Castro. She described the U.S. indictment as “unfounded and illegitimate,” saying Cuba had acted to defend its sovereignty.
Aleida Ramirez, a 65-year-old hairdresser, said she joined the rally to defend Cuba’s independence and socialist system. “We cannot allow (U.S. President Donald) Trump or anyone else to come and rule this country.”
University of Havana student Gian Marcos Suarez said Cuba is facing one of its most difficult periods in recent years due to the tightening of the U.S. embargo, adding that the country needs reforms driven by Cubans themselves rather than foreign intervention.
The U.S. Department of Justice has recently filed an indictment against Castro, accusing him of playing an alleged role in the downing of two Brothers to the Rescue aircraft in 1996.
Castro, 94, served as Cuba’s minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces at the time of the incident. Havana maintains that the aircraft were shot down in Cuban airspace and that the country acted in legitimate self-defense.
People wave Cuban national flags as they participate in a rally at the Anti-Imperialist Platform in Havana, capital of Cuba, on May 22, 2026. Thousands of Cubans rallied in Havana on Friday to condemn the U.S. indictment of Raul Castro and the decades-long U.S. embargo on Cuba, while expressing support for the country’s revolutionary process. (Photo by Joaquin Hernandez/Xinhua)
“There won’t be escalation. I don’t think there needs to be,” Trump told reporters. He also reiterated what he said before that the United States is “freeing up Cuba.”
Trump’s remarks also came after the U.S. Southern Command announced that the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, which includes the aircraft carrier, its carrier air wing, and at least one guided-missile destroyer, has arrived in the Caribbean.
“The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), the embarked Carrier Air Wing 17 (CVW-17), USS Gridley (DDG 101) and USNS Patuxent (T-AO 201) are the epitome of readiness and presence, unmatched reach and lethality, and strategic advantage,” the command said in a post on X Wednesday.
Earlier on Wednesday, a grand jury from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida indicted Raul Castro for his alleged role in ordering the striking down of two planes operated by a Cuban exile group in the United States named “Brothers to the Rescue” in 1996. Castro, born in June 1931, served as Cuba’s minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces at the time of the incident.
Analysts here in the United States view the indictment as potentially laying the groundwork for a U.S. military intervention in Cuba, pointing to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who had already been indicted before U.S. forces raided Caracas and brought him to New York by force to stand trial.
The Trump administration has intensified sanctions on Cuba following the Jan. 3 capture of Maduro, restricting the island’s access to imported fuel as Cuba grapples with a worsening humanitarian and energy crisis marked by severe fuel shortages and prolonged nationwide blackouts.
Also, Trump has hinted recently that the next target of the U.S. military operations would be Cuba after the Iran war is over.
Responding to the U.S. indictment against Raul Castro, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said Wednesday that the U.S. charges are just a “political maneuver” with “no legal basis whatsoever.”
Any U.S. military attack on Cuba would cause “a bloodbath with incalculable consequences” and a devastating impact on peace and stability in Latin America and the Caribbean, he warned Monday.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that there “won’t be escalation” against Cuba, after U.S. federal prosecutors indicted Cuban Revolution leader Raul Castro and a U.S. aircraft carrier arrived in the Caribbean.
“We’re in the final stages of Iran,” Trump told reporters. “We’ll see what happens.”
“We’ll either have a deal or we’re going to do some things that are a little bit nasty. But hopefully that won’t happen,” he added.
The president claimed he is in “no hurry” to finalize a peace agreement with Iran, suggesting that he would not consider making a “limited deal” only focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
“We’re going to give this one shot,” Trump said of a potential deal, ruling out the idea of a partial compromise.
“I’m in no hurry. You never think, ‘Oh, the midterms, I’m in a hurry.’ I’m in no hurry,” Trump said.
The president added that he had a “very good” phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier on Wednesday. Türkiye is seen as one of key mediators during U.S.-Iran negotiations.
Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps on Wednesday warned that if the U.S. and Israeli aggression against the country is repeated, the war will extend beyond the West Asia region.
On the same day, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi warned in a post on X that returning to war with Iran will have many more surprises for the United States, citing a recent report by the U.S. Congress that acknowledged the loss of dozens of aircraft.
On Feb. 28, the United States and Israel launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, killing Iran’s then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded by launching waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israeli and U.S. bases and assets in the Middle East.
A ceasefire was reached between the warring parties on April 8, followed by one round of peace talks in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad on April 11 and 12, which failed to yield an agreement.
U.S. and Israeli officials have escalated threats of repeating military attacks against Iran over the past few days. Trump on Tuesday claimed Iran’s leaders were “begging” to make a deal, warning that a new U.S. attack could take place in the coming days if no agreement is reached.
The president claimed he is in “no hurry” to finalize a peace agreement with Iran, suggesting that he would not consider making a “limited deal” only focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
The strikes hit several towns in the South and Nabatieh governorates, targeting residential neighborhoods, areas near a government hospital, and a motorcycle on a road, the NNA said.
The deadliest bombardment struck a town in the Tyre district of South Governorate, near the Israeli border, killing 12 people, including a Syrian national, it reported.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah said its fighters clashed with Israeli forces near the southern Lebanese town of Haddatha and targeted Israeli troop gatherings in southern Lebanon.
Israeli forces also carried out a large demolition operation between the border villages of Blida and Mays al-Jabal, triggering a powerful blast.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said negotiations remain the only way to end the conflict and stressed that weapons should be under the exclusive control of state forces.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Israeli attacks since March 2 have killed 3,073 people and wounded 9,362 others.
A ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect in April and has been extended several times, but both sides have continued exchanging attacks.
Speaking Wednesday at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Lebanese Health Minister Rakan Nasreddine said ongoing Israeli attacks had severely damaged Lebanon’s health sector.
He said 116 healthcare workers had been killed, 16 hospitals damaged, 147 ambulances attacked, and 45 healthcare centers forced to close since March 2.
Rescuers search through the rubble for three people reported missing at the scene of an Israeli airstrike in Deir Qanoun En Nahr, near the southern Lebanese city of Tyre, on May 20, 2026. Israeli airstrikes across southern Lebanon overnight into Wednesday killed at least 29 people, including women and children, and wounded dozens more, according to the state-run National News Agency (NNA). (Photo by Ali Hashisho/Xinhua)
At least 54 ships transited the Strait of Hormuz between May 11 and 17, compared with only 25 during the previous week, the British shipping industry daily reported, citing vessel-tracking data.
The report said the increase came amid a surge in Iran-related trade activity. It also highlighted that a liquefied natural gas carrier owned by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company entered Gulf waters while operating with its automatic identification system switched off.
Data from London-headquartered maritime analytics company Windward showed that 19 vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, including nine inbound and 10 outbound ships.
Inbound traffic mainly consisted of cargo vessels flying the flags of countries including India and Sri Lanka. Outbound traffic included one tanker and nine cargo ships, five of which were flying the Iranian flag.
An Iranian-flagged cargo vessel Rayen is anchored on May 16, 2026 in the Strait of Hormuz near Larak Island, Iran. /VCG
