Latest updates, insights, and analysis.
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.
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.
Indian oil refiners are discussing with their government and with Russia the possibility of increasing imports of Russian oil due to potential shortages created by the problems in Iran. Russian supplies are not affected by difficulties in the Strait of Hormuz.
The situation in Iran is creating serious security and supply chain problems in Central Asia and the Caspian Sea regions. We examine the wider geopolitical and energy issues that stretch far beyond Iran. However, architecture is in place to push back against US pressures – we examine the potential collaborations between Russia and China as well as their regional allies.
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 […]
The Future Technologies Forum has been taking place in Moscow, a premium annual event that showcases and discusses the technologies of tomorrow, the impacts these may have and how to adapt to them. President Putin usually gives the Plenary speech, a signal of how important these issues are to Russia’s development. This year’s theme was […]
Russia’s Pivot To Asia has taken a tentative look back over its shoulder to the West as Norway appeared among the buyers of Russian margarine for the first time in 2025, according to the Russian Agroexport Federal Center. Margarine products worth more than 21 million krone (€1.86 million) were shipped to the Norwegian market, Agroexport […]
Russia’s AGR Holding and China’s Defetoo are expanding their joint venture and completing the technical refurbishment of the former United States-owned GM Motors auto plant in Shushary, St. Petersburg. The equipment has already been installed at the plant and will shortly begin the full production cycle. AGR acquired the GM facility in 2024, where the […]
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