News Archives

It has been a momentous past week with US tariffs overshadowing two other regionally vital security issues involving Iran, and Africa’s Sahel region. We discuss the military aspects of the two latter developments, and anticipate China’s reaction to Trumps tariffs – which we see are likely to increase BRICS and Global South trade to the detriment of the US as China relocates its supply chains away. There has been a lot of Russian investment activity in Africa and LatAm this past few days while there are signs that some sanctions relaxation may be imminent with both Japan and Singapore easing up on their Russia attitudes. We have also published our new 2024 Guide to Latin America – essential reading for Russian traders and investors interested in South America. With best wishes! Russia’s Pivot To Asia

This week has given us some potentially globally changing issues, with Russia and China discussing new global architecture and a major blow for Brussels as concerns Eastern European energy supplies. Trump’s new sanctions on Russia will also impact global oil markets with China and India also likely to take reciprocal actions. April will be a chaotic month. Longer term, Putin’s Arctic speech outlines a great deal of Russia’s domestic and foreign policy, while the first Western corporates look to return. Trade and diplomatic developments in Asia and Africa complete the picture. With best wishes! Russia’s Pivot To Asia

In the main news of the week, there has been no breakthrough as yet concerning the opening of the Black Sea: we explain the issues at stake. Elsewhere, Russia-China logistics are undergoing significant developments to meet future trade targets, while the EU continues to bleed investors to Russian re-domiciliation – an unreported issue in the West. We examine the latest BRICS vs Eurozone PMI data, while there are updates on the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline and energy developments in Africa. We showcase Russia’s trade and investment interests in Central America and take a close look at the Russia-Mexico relations and Venezuela’s BRICS difficulties. As always, it’s been an eventful week with global trade implications. With best wishes! Russia’s Pivot To Asia

The Middle East, and especially Iran have been a focal point for Russia this past week, with Moscow arguably using its close ties with Tehran as a bargaining chip with the United States over Ukraine. Free Trade and Security matters have been extensively discussed and actioned between them. Elsewhere, warming ties with the United States even extend to Mars exploration, while Russia appears to have fully absorbed sanctions punishments – foreign trade was up nearly 5% in January. Less happy is Europe, with our views on the ‘Greater Eurasian Partnership’ as discussed by President Putin this week being less than optimistic. Elsewhere, Russia’s massive trade and investment efforts continue on a global basis – a highlight being Africa, where Russian trade is growing the fastest. Our latest 2025 Guide to Russia’s interest in West Africa has also been made available this week. With best wishes! Russia’s Pivot To Asia

While mechanisms roll on in Saudi Arabia involving the United States and Ukrainian officials, Russia has been carrying on regardless in developing its foreign trade policy. Over the past week Russia has been active in five continents, enhancing trade in all of them. It continues to be an extraordinary trade and diplomatic push no other country is currently undertaking. Also of note is an interesting speech made this past week by President Putin concerning Russia’s own future development policy, which was largely ignored in the West yet will shape global technological advances and dynamics in the years to come. New supply chains are being developed involving linking Central to South Asia, while the latest in our popular 2025 Russia’s Pivot To Asia Guides has also just been released, covering Russian trade, investment and diplomacy in Southern Africa. It is a unique read. With best wishes! Russia’s Pivot To Asia

Among all the noise about European security, Zelensky and Trump this week, the penny still doesn’t seem to have dropped in Brussels that Russia has moved on – it now trades 3.5 times more with Africa than it does with Germany. Russia’s moves further into alternative supply chains continue to be impressively active in the global arena, with infrastructure builds in Russia as well as the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America all part of Moscow’s own version of the Belt & Road Initiative – yet this remains relatively unnoticed in the West. A scroll down this week’s highlights illustrates how far this has developed while Europe remains mired in hesitation and no apparent need to change its mindset. The global trade and development emphasis however is thriving in Moscow. With best wishes! Russia’s Pivot To Asia

Russia’s huge trade and diplomatic outreach into the global south has continued apace this past week, with significant developments in Africa: another 7 Russian embassies are to open, while trade in energy and fertilizers continues to boom. An interesting case study on the global negative impacts of EU sanctions can be examined in our piece on Ghana. Bilateral trade with China continues to rise, with Chinese auto manufacturers having taken full advantage of the EU auto manufacturers exit from Russia in what increasing appears to have been a significant strategic mistake. The INSTC rail network continues to make inroads into India and Pakistan, while Russia’s trade with ASEAN is also producing new supply chains and increasing trade. There have also been significant developments in Iran and Turkiye which we also discuss. The week has been an archetypal showcase of Russia’s moves away from the West and into markets throughout Asia and the Global South at speeds and in depths little understood elsewhere. With best wishes! Russia’s Pivot To Asia

The week has been dominated by the Russia-United States preliminary talks in Riyadh, for which we provide clarification of structure, roles and deliverables before the main event occurs: the Trump-Putin summit. We also take a look at the forthcoming EU Presidencies with eleven nations set to hold the role until 2030. Their opinions will dictate the future position of EU attitudes towards Russia as the geopolitical headwinds undergo significant changes. Elsewhere, we provide a unique, complimentary guide to Russia’s political and trade relations with East Africa, which is poised to become an extension of the North-South Corridor. That will be of interest to anyone in the Russia-Africa trade space. Russia has also signed an important defence pact with India, is engaging with the Indonesian Navy on exercises, is selling jet fighters in North Africa, and has a new Navy base in Sudan. These all illustrate that Moscow is more than capable of developing its military resources way beyond Europe. Our piece on the Tunisia-Oman corridor is a useful introduction. The world is changing fast, with Russia back at the top negotiating table. Russia’s Pivot To Asia helps keep you informed of these immense geopolitical and trade shifts to an organised multipolarity. With best wishes! Russia’s Pivot To Asia

There has been a lot of 2024 year end data released this week, much of which shows the Russian economy in expansion – although there are structural issues to address, which we discuss in several key articles. Russia’s moves into Brazil energy has shown weaknesses in US supply chains, while Russia and China are joining forces in key battery production. Russia also continues to make significant agriculture gains in Africa and South Asia, while the tourism sector is attracting foreign investment. The overall foreign investment and trade picture continues to look dynamic. With best wishes! Russia’s Pivot To Asia

While the world has been focusing on the activities of US President Trump, Russia has been steaming ahead with a significant number of international developments spanning five continents and multiple countries, most of it under the radar. In addition to this, significant infrastructure and trade development progress is being made in Russia itself – it’s been a truly diverse week. Of special note is our 2025 Guide to North Africa, as well as Russia’s 2025 shipbuilding plans, renewed participation in the Arctic Council, China’s repositioning to access CIS markets, and a study of US trade with BRICS – circling back to Trump and his tariffs threats. We live in rapidly changing, geopolitical times, and we provide the clues as to where future markets are trending.

Happy New Year of the Snake! There has been a lot of activity this past week, with much taking place and a great deal of conjecture over what Trump will bring - we examine how Ukraine settlement tactics may play out. We also provide an extensive Guide to East Asia, showcasing Russia’s geopolitical, trade and investment with Greater China, Japan, and North & South Korea. We see how Russian capital is now being invested into Russia rather than the West, and the volumes involved, plus detail the latest news from the BRICS, EAEU, SCO and CIS blocs. China’s ‘Deepseek’ has rattled the US tech markets – we look at Russian capabilities to do the same – a BRICS+ AI Alliance has already been created. Finally we look at Russia-ASEAN trade development prospects for 2025. With best wishes! Russia’s Pivot To Asia

Over the past week, amongst all the media noise about Trumps’s inauguration the most significant event was the signing of the 20 year Russia-Iran Strategic Partnership. We cover this from several angle including the prospects for Eurasian free trade, energy supplies and regional infrastructure development. The Russian and Chinese Presidents also spoke, indicative that the world is rather more than the United States and that Trump has a lot to do in improving relations with at least half of the global community. Elsewhere, Russia’s 2025 Foreign Policy was laid out in some detail by Russia’s Foreign Minister, while new tech is beating sanctions with Russian Fast Payment Systems network rolled out and proving popular, while there were considerable inroads made into Africa. BRICS and Eurasian Economic development also took place