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 Kristall Distillery is importing and then bottling premium Mexican tequila for the domestic market. Russians are drinking less vodka and a variety of other alcohols as market tastes shift.
The Eurasian Economic Union, which includes Russia, is set to hold discussions with Tunisia over signing a negotiated Free Trade Agreement. This can be expected to replace certain Tunisia-EU trade flows as Eurasian-North African dynamics begin to align.
Bahrain is not a major energy play in the Middle East but is becoming important in grain transhipment. We look at the latest bilateral discussions between President Putin and the King of Bahrain.
Russian pharma has both generic and state of the art pharmaceuticals and is exporting these to North Korea in medicines largely attributed to dealing with an aging population as the DPRK populations begins to retain a better and longer quality of life.
Russia has ratified a bilateral free trade agreement with the UAE, making it possible for investors from either country to set up 100% owned companies in each others countries in moves especially pertiment to the services sector. With bilateral trade already over US$12 billion, the move is a strong boost to the UAE business sector during difficult times in the Middle East and is illustrative of Russian longer-term investment planning.
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Russia has ratified the free trade agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union and Indonesia, paving the way for a substantial increase of the bilateral US$4.8 billion in trade but also linking fellow Muslim markets in Central Asia to Southeast Asia.
China has released a comprehensive daft of its new 2026-2030 Five Year Plan. We take a thorough look and examine where Russia, China’s largest neighbouring country, fits into this. The plan suggests numerous opportunities fo Russian businesses to become involved in.
Russia and India have signed important rare earth development agreements at the RedMet 2026 congress in Moscow. These focus on the development of rare earth magnets, a crucial part of the global new-tech industry with applications in computing, smart phones, electric batteries and beyond. Both Russia and India have significant rare earth reserves, as does China, Kazakhstan, Vietnam and Brazil.
The largest railway crossing between Russia and China, between Zabaikalsk and Manzhouli, is being further developed by the addition of new track. The route, which lies on the Beijing-Moscow main line, sees Zabaikalsk become the largest Russian land border crossing and now surpasses any of the earlier European routes.
Russia’s grain exports to Egypt have increased by 15% this year to date, while the two countries are also discussing the creation of a grain exchange and developing a food security export hub for countries in Africa and the Middle East.
Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Mikhail Mishuston, had met with the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, in Ashgabat to discuss significant bilateral trade and investment issues. Both are also attending the CIS Annual Heads of Government Meetings. Russia-Turkmenistan developments are being sped up due to the need to create alternative trade routes with Iran.
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