RIDDLE: How Russia saved the 2023 budget

Putin crows to investors after successfully defying sanctions for a year

Russian President Vladimir Putin was in a good mood as he took to the podium at the annual VTB “Russia Calling!” investment conference, one of Russia’s flagship conferences run by the country’s second biggest bank.

Overheating Russian economy is increasing inequality

Real wages are up in Russia, but thanks to inflation and subsidised mortgages, the middle classes are getting richer, while the poor are getting poorer.

MOSCOW BLOG: Putin to run for president in an election where the voters don’t matter

Russian President Vladimir Putin ended months of speculation and officially declared his intention to run for re-election in 2024 on December 8.

Tiny Moldova stands up to Russia’s might

Moldova has tackled Russian hybrid attacks in the energy sector, the media and via the separatist Transnistria republic. The next battlefield will be the fight to control the parliament.

BOFIT: Russian inflationary pressures on the rise

Russia’s strong growth, driven by heavy military spending, has created growing inflationary pressure as the economy starts to overheat, the Bank of Finland institute for Emerging Economies (BOFIT) says in its weekly update.

Putin's trust rating holds steady at 78.5% in latest poll

In the most recent poll conducted by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VTsIOM), President Vladimir Putin's trust rating remained steady at 78.5%.

Hungary subtly turns down Kyiv proposal for Orban-Zelenskiy meeting, former foreign minister says

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has subtly rejected an offer from Kyiv for a meeting between President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Prime Minister Viktor Orban, according to first commentaries after the news broke on December 7.

COP28: A week in, and fossil fuels and finance dominate

The first week of COP28 has ended, and climate diplomats must now hammer out the final agreements.

Earth nears catastrophic climate tipping points, say scientists

Climate change has pushed the world into a precarious position concerning numerous planetary 'tipping points,' according to an extensive scientific evaluation completed by over 200 researchers.

This winter’s gas crisis in Europe is already over before it began

Europe went into this year’s heating season, which started on November 7, with its tanks full to bursting; the EU gas storage tanks were close to 100% full as the weather turned cold.

COP28 leader defends controversial remarks

Sultan al-Jaber, the oil executive who is leading the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, has rocked the conference with highly controversial remarks that there is “no science” that phasing out fossil fuels is necessary.

Moscow sees most snowfall in one day since records began

Moscow experienced an unprecedented snowfall on December 3, setting a record as the heaviest in the city's 145-year history of weather observations.

US vows to maintain pressure on Russian energy sector for decades to come

The US ambition is to halve Russia’s revenues from oil and gas by the end of the decade.

Zelenskiy video appeal to Congress for more help cancelled as Republicans present Biden with funding ultimatum

An appeal Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had been due to make to the US congress for more money via video link on December 5 was cancelled at the last minute as the Speaker of the House issued an ultimatum to US President Joe Biden

Western brands’ adverts fund Russian disinformation in Southeast Europe

Disinformation poses threats to stability and democracy and contributes to tensions and violence in the multi-ethnic communities of Bosnia and Kosovo, says report by Balkan Free Media Initiative and CRTA.

Lukoil mulls sale of Bulgarian refinery, petrol stations

Russian oil company to reassess its presence in Bulgaria and could sell its business after Bulgarian parliament banned imports of Russian oil from March 2024.

Transition risks for petrostates higher than ever, says report

Petrostates are currently confronted with significant challenges arising from the ongoing energy transition. The diminishing demand for oil and gas is exerting downward pressure on commodity prices, which in turn threatens future revenue streams.

Orban raises stakes on Ukraine's EU accession ahead of summit

Rejection of Ukrainian accession would deal a significant blow to the country's morale amidst the ongoing war with Russia, particularly given the hold-up in the US Congress to further US aid.

KSE: Financing Democracy – why and how donors should support Ukraine

The Working Paper #1 of the Economic Policy Advisory Council proposes how to structure the “deal” between the partners and Ukraine in a way that would build trust, and that would be most effective in helping to win the war.