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On May 18, Kyrgyz President Sadil Japarov called on world leaders to vote for Kyrgyzstan as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council on June 3. Japarov emphasized, "Choosing Kyrgyzstan will reflect the world community's political will to restore historical justice and ensure that all countries are elected equally to the highest organs of the United Nations."

The UAE's nuclear regulator stated that no radioactive leaks occurred following the Barakah nuclear power plant incident, and there is no risk to the public.

On May 18, shipping giants CMA CGM and Hapag-Lloyd announced on Sunday that they had suspended all bookings to and from Cuba until further notice. Both companies cited a May 1 U.S. executive order, the latest blow to Cuba's crisis-ridden economy. Two sources said the temporary suspension of new orders by the world's two largest shipping companies could jeopardize up to 60% of Cuba's freight volume. This comes after the U.S. oil blockade severely restricted Cuba's fuel supply. The executive order signed by Trump on May 1 expanded existing U.S. sanctions on Cuban trade to include "any foreign person doing business in the energy, defense and related materials, metals and mining, financial services or security sectors of the Cuban economy, or any other sector of the Cuban economy."

The Saudi Ministry of Defense stated that it has intercepted three drones launched from Iraq, which were shot down after entering Saudi airspace. It reserves the right to respond at the appropriate time and place.

May 18 - A new poll released by Kyodo News shows that the approval rating for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's cabinet has dropped 2.5 percentage points from the previous survey to 61.3%. Among the respondents, 70.6% expressed concern about potential disruptions to the supply of naphtha, a petroleum derivative.

On May 18, the Liuzhou Earthquake Relief Headquarters in Guangxi issued a notice activating a Level III earthquake emergency response. The notice stated that a 5.2-magnitude earthquake occurred at 00:21 Beijing time on May 18, 2026, in Liunan District, Liuzhou City, Guangxi (24.38°N, 109.26°E), with a focal depth of 8 kilometers. The epicenter was located in Taiyangcun Town, Liunan District, 2 kilometers from the town center, 13 kilometers from the urban area of Liunan District, and 16 kilometers from the urban area of Liuzhou City. Significant tremors were felt in all areas. In accordance with the relevant provisions of the "Liuzhou Earthquake Emergency Plan," a Level III earthquake emergency response was activated from 01:00 on May 18. All relevant departments were required to enter emergency status and carry out earthquake relief work, including rescue and relief, emergency duty, information gathering, disaster investigation, and social stability maintenance.

According to Sputnik News, Gazprom announced that gas injection records from May 12 to 14 at underground gas storage facilities in Europe have hit a record low.

According to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Iranian Foreign Minister Araqchi, in a phone call with the South Korean Foreign Minister, stated that the insecurity in the region and its global consequences stem from the aggressive actions taken against Iran by the United States and the Zionist regime. The international community must hold them accountable for their violations of international law and the crimes they have committed.

According to Iran's Press TV, former Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander Mohsen Rezaei stated that the US attempted to reopen the Strait of Hormuz twice during the ceasefire, but both attempts failed; during one of these attempts, a US ship was severely damaged by an Iranian missile.

Cuban Foreign Minister: Cuba is committed to upholding peace, while remaining vigilant and prepared to resolutely resist all external aggression in accordance with its legitimate right to self-defense as recognized by the UN Charter.

According to Axios, US President Trump met with Vance, Witkov, and Rubio on Saturday to discuss the Iran issue.

On May 18, Al Jazeera reported that the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement condemning the latest drone attack in the UAE earlier today, which caused a fire at the Barakah nuclear power plant. The statement read, "The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues its strongest condemnation of the use of drones to attack the UAE."

On May 18, local time, the Lebanese Ministry of Health issued a statement saying that since March 2, Israeli attacks on Lebanon have resulted in 2,988 deaths and 9,210 injuries.

On May 18th, according to Al Jazeera, Iran stated that Trump's threatening rhetoric and pressure tactics are unacceptable and insisted that the United States should engage with Iran on the basis of mutual respect. Tehran responded to Washington's escalating rhetoric with the same determination, demonstrating the same level of readiness and military preparedness on both sides. Iran stated that it is prepared for any form of escalation, whether the situation is in the Strait of Hormuz or on its territory. Iranian Foreign Minister Araqchi stated that Iran's preparations are "currently" over 100%.

According to Axios, US President Trump stated that he still believes Iran wants a deal and that he is awaiting an updated proposal from Iran, hoping it will be better than the one presented a few days ago. He declined to give a specific timeframe for negotiations with Iran.

Saudi Foreign Ministry statement: Saudi Arabia condemns the drone attack on the Barakah nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates.

According to the UAE's national news agency, following the drone attack on the Barakah nuclear power plant, the UAE Foreign Minister spoke by phone with several regional counterparts, including the Saudi Foreign Minister.

Ukrainian President Zelensky: We also discussed Ukraine's European integration process. We are ready to launch the relevant negotiating groups, and we discussed the specific timetable and necessary communication arrangements.

Ukrainian President Zelensky: I briefed him on our recent contacts with European leaders and the United States. We agreed that Europe must participate in the negotiations.