We have a lot of Russian 2025 trade data this week, with Russian agricultural exports in particular showing significant increases of various products on a global basis. Of political note were important bilateral Presidential discussions with the UAE and Syria, while we provide a focus on Russia’s Middle East alternatives as concerns Iran. Strategically, Russia’s involvement in the Middle East is additionally designed to access markets in Africa. Russia also made substantial inroads into the Indian aviation market with the announcement of a JV to manufacture passenger jets. Russia is also increasing its gas supplies to China - we provide a comparison of household gas costs in China and the European Union. Russia also added 615 tonnes of gold to its reserves last year, worth in this commodity alone an estimated US$97 billion. Talks of the Russian economy imploding remain rhetoric as opposed to reality. With best regards; Russia’s Pivot To Asia