Russia
COMMENT: Political, economic and security headaches Trump Europe’s mounting problems
The re-election of Donald Trump as US President could become a major headache for Europe that is already struggling to keep its head above recessionary water.
COMMENT: Will the renewal of the Serbia-Russia gas deal prolong Moscow's energy dominance in Europe?
Gazprom’s gas supply contract with Serbia is due to expire in 2025.
Erdogan urges full inclusion of Turkey in EU defence efforts
With second largest land forces in Nato, Ankara may have an ace in efforts to join European bloc if Trump takes US on isolationist path.
Lukoil denies plans to sell Bulgarian refinery to Qatari-UK consortium
Lukoil denies reports of talks with UK-Qatari consortium, but says it is "considering various options" regarding its Bulgarian business.
KYIV BLOG: Trump 2.0 is good news for Putin, bad news for Zelenskiy
Trump is back. That is bad news for Zelenskiy but good news for Putin. It makes a ceasefire more likely as while Biden was dedicated to supporting Ukraine, Trump’s “America First” mantra means he is likely to disengage.
Russia to mine Bitcoin in BRICS countries
In mid-October, during the BRICS Business Forum in Moscow, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) partnered with domestic data centre operator BitRiver to construct Bitcoin mining and AI computing facilities for BRICS nations.
US financial sanctions on Russia are working, but yet to affect trade volumes significantly
Since December 2023, the US administration has been intensifying its pressure on Russia's financial system with its so-called strangulation sanctions, making it progressively more difficult for the latter to finance its imports.
Russian service sector PMI up to 51.6 in October as inflationary pressures resurface
Russian service providers reported continued growth in October 2024, with a rise in both output and new orders, according to the latest PMI survey from S&P Global released on November 6.
Ukraine war fuelling a manufacturing and FDI boom in the CIS
The war in Ukraine is fuelling a FDI and manufacturing boom in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) as local entrepreneurs rush to fill the gaping holes left in Russia’s supply chains by departing Western firms, reports Oxford Economics.
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COMMENT: How Trump’s return to White House could affect India-Russia ties
A second Trump administration in the US could become a test for India’s historically strong ties with Russia. With increasing pressure from the US on defence and energy, India may face difficult decisions about its alliances
MOSCOW BLOG: The EU loses its appeal
One of the salient points is that would-be members have never been interested in the “values” part of the deal and see the need to adhere to them simply as an annoyance that has to be tolerated if you want access to the transformation grants.
Russia warns against 'hasty' Armenia-Azerbaijan peace deal promoted by West
Lavrov cautions that a premature peace deal, which Western allies are advocating, risks reigniting regional tensions rather than establishing stability.
MOSCOW BLOG: The EU loses its appeal
After the collapse of the Soviet Union the only thing almost all the former republics and vassal states wanted to do was join the European Union. It was a no brainer. Not any more. A growing number of countries have cooled on joining the EU.