Sanctions

The European Union lowers the price cap on Russian crude oil and extends sanctions to vessels and entities involved in circumvention, as coordination with the United States remains pending.
Brazil adopts new rules allowing immediate commercial measures to counter the U.S. decision to impose an exceptional 50% customs tariff on all Brazilian exports, threatening stability in bilateral trade valued at billions of dollars.

European Commission Warns on Chinese Competition, International Agencies Respond

Several international agencies have echoed warnings by Teresa Ribera, Vice-President of the European Commission, about commercial risks related to Chinese competition, emphasizing the EU's refusal to engage in a price war.
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The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development lends €400 million to JSC Energocom to diversify Moldova's gas and electricity supply, historically dependent on Russian imports via Ukraine.
BRICS adopt a joint financial framework aimed at supporting emerging economies while criticizing European carbon border tax mechanisms, deemed discriminatory and risky for their strategic trade relations.

The European Union creates a strategic alliance to secure critical chemical supplies

The European Commission is launching an alliance with member states and industrial players to secure the supply of critical chemicals, amid growing competition from the United States and China.
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Trade between Russia and Saudi Arabia grew by over 60% in 2024 to surpass USD 3.8 billion, according to Russian Minister of Industry and Trade Anton Alikhanov, who outlined new avenues for industrial cooperation.
Meeting in Rio, BRICS nations urge global energy market stability, openly condemning Western sanctions and tariff mechanisms in a tense economic and geopolitical context.

Iran: Oil Dependence Limits Alliances with Moscow and Beijing

Despite strong ties, Iran's dependence on oil revenues limits its ability to secure substantial strategic support from Russia and China amid current international and regional crises, according to several experts.
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Egypt’s Electricity Minister engages in new talks with Envision Group, Windey, LONGi, China Energy, PowerChina, and ToNGWEI to boost local industry and attract investments in renewable energy.
The potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz places Gulf producers under intense pressure, highlighting their diplomatic and logistical limitations as a blockage threatens 20 million daily barrels of hydrocarbons destined for global markets.

Hungary and Slovakia jointly oppose European ban on Russian energy

Budapest and Bratislava jointly reject the European Commission's proposal to ban Russian energy supplies, highlighting significant economic risks and a direct threat to their energy security, days ahead of a key meeting.
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Libya officially contests Greece's allocation of offshore oil permits, exacerbating regional tensions over disputed maritime areas south of Crete, rich in hydrocarbons and contested by several Mediterranean states.
Hungary, supported by Slovakia, strongly expresses opposition to the European Commission's plan to phase out imports of Russian energy resources, citing major economic and energy impacts for Central Europe.

Israel strikes Natanz: underground facilities intact according to IAEA

Israeli military strikes on Iran's Natanz nuclear site destroyed critical electrical infrastructure but did not reach strategic underground facilities, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
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The French president travels to Nuuk on 15 June to support Greenlandic sovereignty, review energy projects and respond to recent US pressure, according to the Élysée.
Kazakhstan has selected Rosatom and China National Nuclear Corporation to build two nuclear power plants totaling 2.4 GW, a decision following a favorable referendum and coinciding with Xi Jinping’s upcoming strategic visit.

Israel strikes Iran, uncertainty over US nuclear negotiations in Oman

Israeli strikes against Iranian nuclear sites disrupt US-Iranian talks on the nuclear deal. Tehran now considers canceling the upcoming negotiation round in Oman, heightening regional economic concerns.
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Facing alarming breaches of uranium enrichment thresholds by Iran and explicit existential threats, Israel launches targeted military strikes against Iranian nuclear infrastructure, escalating regional tensions dramatically.
The Kremlin has confirmed that Vladimir Putin aims to help resolve the nuclear dispute between the United States and Iran, leveraging strengthened strategic ties with Tehran.
Faced with the heavy debts of emerging countries, China is shifting its strategy in Africa, reducing massive loans in favour of targeted commercial investments as Western competition intensifies around clean energy technologies.
Dan Jørgensen, European Commissioner for Energy, confirms that the EU will continue its ban on Russian gas imports, regardless of the outcome of peace negotiations in Ukraine, with legislative proposals expected in June.

New agreement to strengthen energy cooperation in the Baltic Sea region

On May 13, energy ministers from Baltic Sea countries signed a new memorandum of understanding to reinforce interconnections and energy security amid growing geopolitical tensions.
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Belgrade aims to retain favourable pricing terms for Russian gas imports as the current contract nears its May 31 deadline.
The US president begins a state visit to Saudi Arabia focused on an ambitious economic partnership, sidelining Saudi-Israeli normalisation due to the Gaza war.

Ukraine submits strategic mining agreement with the United States for parliamentary vote

An agreement covering the exploitation of 57 types of natural resources is set for ratification by the Ukrainian Parliament, establishing a bilateral fund with Washington with no explicit military guarantees.
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Russia positions itself as an active supporter of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States, advocating for a balanced legal framework in line with international law.
The French president hosts Turkmen leader Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov in Paris to finalise economic agreements amid geopolitical rivalries over Central Asian gas resources.

Indonesia and Japan Accelerate Energy Cooperation with Major Investments

Indonesia and Japan are strengthening their energy partnership through several strategic projects, notably within the JETP and AZEC initiatives, aiming to sustainably structure Indonesia’s energy mix and support its infrastructure.
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Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco are investing in submarine interconnections to export their renewable electricity to European markets amid growing energy demand.
Iran responded to threats of sanctions from the United States and France, denouncing what it sees as illegitimate political pressure and reaffirming its stance on the legality of its oil exports.

Washington and Kyiv seal energy deal on strategic mineral resources

The United States and Ukraine have established a joint fund to exploit Ukrainian natural resources, under a bilateral agreement with no explicit military commitments.
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The United States and Ukraine have signed a bilateral agreement establishing an investment fund aimed at financing reconstruction and natural resource extraction projects on Ukrainian territory.
Mark Carney, the frontrunner in the Canadian elections, will quickly have to manage delicate negotiations with the United States, a major trading partner, amid tariff uncertainties and American economic isolation.

Russia and Iran bet on a rise in trade with their free trade agreement

Russia and Iran anticipate a sharp acceleration in their trade relations with the entry into force of their free trade agreement in May, covering oil, gas and civil nuclear cooperation.
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During President Ilham Aliyev's official visit to China, six agreements were signed between Azerbaijan and Chinese partners to develop green energy projects, including solar power plants, an offshore wind farm, and energy storage systems.
Narendra Modi is on an official visit to Saudi Arabia to consolidate energy and trade ties between India and Riyadh, a key strategic supplier of crude oil to New Delhi.

Wood Mackenzie: US energy dominance could decline by 2040

The United States' dominance in oil and gas production may stagnate and even decline in the coming decades, according to a report from Wood Mackenzie. Technological challenges and the rise of low-carbon energies are key factors in this shift.
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Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar met his Nigerien counterpart in Niamey on April 16, 2025, to discuss economic cooperation and security amidst ongoing political tensions and terrorist threats.
As nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States continue, European countries find themselves sidelined, despite their central role in the 2015 agreement.