Russia’s total trade reached about US$745 billion during 2025, also showcasing a significant, albeit shifting, trade surplus of about US$120 billion. In this section we cover all news concerning Russian trade developments, with Russian exporters increasingly reaching out into new markets on a global basis as it pivots away from the West. This is the definitive source on Russian trade. Get the latest data, analysis, and news on Russia’s import/export activities, trade agreements, and increasing commercial partnerships with the Global South.
Russia’s President and Foreign Minister have conducted twelve high Ministerial level discussions over the few days with regional Middle Eastern players, and another four with other global actors. In constrast, the United States and European Union have held none. We discuss what was said, the emerging global south position, and international diplomatic efforts at the United Nations.
The first Chinese container shipping services are set to re-commence along the Northern Sea Route to Murmansk in early summer. Usage of this passage hit record volumes last year.
Landlocked Belarus, rubbing up against political and security barriers to the West and South, is looking North and East as it wishes to continue to develop its own Pivot to Asia. This includes a specific Belorussian container terminal dedicated to Belarus imports and exports at Murmansk port in the Russian Arctic.
Russia and Azerbaijan have been discussing increasing their bilateral trade, and specifically within the International North-South Transport Corridor. Mutual trade has been increasing yet both sides wish to accelerate this.
Russia’s EkoNiva has been expanding its exports and selling non-fat dried milk products to Algeria for the first time. Russian exporters have been increasingly active in reaching out to new markets, and especially in the MENA region.
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Russia’s President Putin has held discussions with the leaders of Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE concerning the immediate situation in Iran and responses to the current attacks and counterattacks going on in the Middle Eastern region.
As readers will be well aware from reports elsewhere, the United States, in conjunction with Israel, has attacked Iran. We will make some initial observations, but generally speaking will not be focusing on this conflict (as is also the case with Ukraine) for the following reasons: We can however make some initial observations as regards […]
Russia’s Altai Republic has sent a first shipment of almost 2,000 tonnes of flour to Hong Kong, the regional branch of the Federal Agricultural Product Safety and Quality Center has said. Experts from the Center’s Altai branch determined the organoleptic indicators, quality characteristics, and physical and chemical properties of the product. In addition, the customer […]
The relaunch of railway transport along the Skovorodino-Reynovo railway line is scheduled for 2026, according to Alexey Mestnikov, the Deputy General Director for Strategic Development of Yakutia Railways. This railway line leads to the Dzhalinda mixed checkpoint on the border with China and was mothballed in the early 2000s due to low freight traffic. Now […]
The Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak and Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar have been discussing additional prospects for cooperation in their bilateral oil and gas, as well as the development of nuclear energy, at meetings held in Istanbul. Novak stressed Türkiye’s important role as a transit country for oil and gas […]
The Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Vietnamese Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung in Moscow on Tuesday (February 24), stating that “Our bilateral relations have been developing positively, and trade has been growing. We have substantive, candid dialogue on every issue, including political dimensions.” Vietnam has a free trade agreement with Russia via the Eurasian […]
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