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Putin Pushes South Stream In Belgrade, Milan
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visits to Belgrade and Milan allowed the Kremlin leader to push the planned South Stream gas pipeline that would allow...
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Gazprom Neft Well-Prepared For US-EU Sanctions
Gazprom Neft has been well prepared to face Western sanctions, a source close to the company told New Europe on October 10. The oil...
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US, EU Sanctions Push Iran Toward Russia, China
RHODES, Greece – US and EU sanctions against Tehran are hurting the economic interests of Europe and Iran, leading the latter to forge closer...
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EU’s Cold War With Russia Worries German Business
RHODES, Greece – German business, including some major energy companies, are frustrated that “the political war” between EU and Russia has become an “economic war...
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Serbia Says Bets Off For South Stream
ATHENS - Serbia is concerned with the future of the Gazprom-driven South Stream gas pipeline following the deterioration of relations between Russia and the...
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Lifting US Oil Export Ban to Hurt Putin
The United States can squeeze Russia’s oil profits, increasing pressure on the Kremlin and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s policies in Ukraine while, at the...
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Former US Senators Lobby For Gazprom
It has never been the case that business and politics are separate, especially when it comes to Russia.Gazprombank, which is owned in part by...
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Putin to Ukraine: I’ll see you in court
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he cannot deal with a natural gas dispute between Moscow and Kiev because of pending court issues.The Ukrainian...
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Needing Russian Gas, Italy Puts On EU’s Kid Gloves
ATHENS – Italy, which recently assumed the rotating six-month Presidency of the European Union, will try to restore a partnership approach with Russia given that the latter is...
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Bulgaria Claims South Stream Deal Doesn’t Bypass EU Law
The Bulgarian government reportedly said in a statement it did not breach EU law when it signed deals for the construction of the Russian-backed South Stream...
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Russia Says Serbia Linked In To South Stream
The Russian-backed South Stream gas pipeline received a boost from Belgrade this week after Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic told his Russian counterpart Sergei...
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The Price of War: Iraqi Oil Soars
THESSALONIKI – The outbreak of violence involving militant groups who seized two cities in Iraq and have pledged to march on Baghdad added to...
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Scotland, Crimea, East Ukraine Eye Energy On Independence
North Sea oil and natural gas reserves are expected to become a major financial asset for Scotland on independence, Scottish Finance Secretary John Swinney said late...
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Poland Spearheads EU Quest For Energy Independence
WROCLAW, Poland – Lower Silesia is concerned with Poland’s reliance on oil and gas imports from the east and hailed the latest initiative by...
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Putin: “Dasvidaniya” EU, “Ni Hao” China
Cornered by western sanctions, Russian President Vladimir Putin oversaw the signing of a massive 30-year deal between Gazprom and China's CNPC on 21 May that...
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EU Leaders Not Ready To Break With Putin
BRATISLAVA – The Hungarian government supports the Russian-led South Stream project, Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban told New Europe on 15 May, noting that...
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Israel Eyes Egyptian Conduit For EU Gas
The owners of an Israeli gas field have reached an agreement to export natural gas through Egypt, an economically lucrative deal that could also...
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Limp US Sanctions Bypass Russia’s Energy Majors
The US Treasury blacklisted Rosneft Chairman Igor Sechin but Russia’s top oil producer itself was not placed on the black list. Sechin, an oil...
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Malta Bets On Oil, Gas: Six, Two And Even
VALLETTA, Malta - My car driver, Heathcliff, points to a large oil rig docked in the Valletta Harbour as he takes me to the...
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Putin’s Slick Iranian Oil Deal Upsets Sanctions
Iran and six world powers discussed in Vienna this week concrete steps towards a deal meant to result in long-term curbs on Tehran’s nuclear...
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No End in Sight for Kashagan Oilfield Woes
It’s one of the world’s largest but also most challenging oil fields, still plagued by technical difficulties, mistakes and delays. It is unclear when...
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Timchenko – South Stream’s Achilles’ Heel
A consortium led by Russia’s Stroitransgaz is reportedly a shoo-in to win a €3.5 billion deal to build a section of the South Stream natural gas pipeline across Bulgaria. Stroitransgaz...
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Russian Energy Exempt From EU Sanctions
At the European Council meeting on 20-21 March, the Crimea crisis was discussed by EU leaders. However, the EU sanctions imposed on individuals over...
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EU’s Gas Lifelines TAP, TANAP Coming
ATHENS - Both the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) and the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) will be completed in time for gas from the Caspian...
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Road To South Stream Is Paved With Good Intentions
The reason an EU-Russia task force on the South Stream gas pipeline project was formed is not to renegotiate the Inter-Governmental Agreements between the countries concerned and...
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Ukraine Crisis Boon For South Stream?
The construction of the Russian-backed South Stream gas pipeline, bypassing Ukraine, may be accelerated if the situation in Ukraine deteriorates further. The pipeline is...
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Ukraine Violence Clouds Russia Gas Deal
Following lethal violence, Ukraine’s embattled President Viktor Yanukovich and opposition leaders have signed a breakthrough deal on ending the political crisis in the former...
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Lower Oil Prices Won’t Upset Slick Putin
Claims that $80 oil would lead to an economic crisis in Russia and an end to the presidency of Vladimir Putin are not true,...
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Shale Gas Fear Leaves UK Vulnerable
Cuadrilla Resources, one of the energy firms hoping to exploit the UK’s shale gas resources, has announced two new exploration sites in Lancashire. But...
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Gazprom Compromises To Avoid Losing Business
The Lithuanian Energy Ministry said on 30 January that shareholders of the Baltic state’s gas utility Lietuvos Dujos voted to initiate arbitration against Russian...
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Iran Yearns For The Return Of Western Capital
Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani delivered a message of “friendship, engagement, co-operation and peaceful coexistence” on 23 January, signaling his country’s intention to seek constructive...
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Commission to present climate targets for 2030
STRASBOURG – On 22 January, the European Commission will present the climate targets for 2030 although so far negotiations have proved difficult over the...
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Russia fills US’ Iraq oil vacuum
On 9 January, Russian energy company Gazprom Neft, operator of the Badra oilfield, Iraq, said its first volumes of oil were produced from the...
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Ukraine-Russia Lovefest Won’t Slow South Stream
The rapprochement between Moscow and Kiev, following a deal to provide Ukraine with a $15 billion loan and a gas price reduction from about...
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Putin’s Ukraine Deal Chills Gazprom
The Gazprom officials’ facial expression on Russian television says it all. Clearly they did not agree with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s political decision to slash...
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German Renewable Push Loses Steam
BERLIN – As the Lufthansa airplane made its final approach to land on a runway at Berlin’s Tegel airport, wind turbines appeared scattered across the landscape. Germany has been at the...
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Iraq Wants Control of Oil Riches
Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz and Iraqi deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs Hussain al-Shahristani have said they agreed that oil exports from Iraq...
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Libya, Iran pull oil prices in different directions
Unrest in Libya has raised supply worries fuelling oil prices while progress in settling the dispute over Tehran’s nuclear programme has raised traders’ hopes...
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Ukraine Edges Closer to Slovak Gas Imports
On 22 November, a European Commission official told New Europe that a Ukrainian deal with Slovakia allowing the former Soviet republic to import gas...
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Gazprom’s South Stream Moving Into Europe
Gazprom said construction of its South Stream natural gas pipeline through Europe “was advancing steadily”. On 14 November, the management committee of the Russian...
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Volatile Iraqi Oil Industry Won’t Catch Saudis
Iraq, which is heavily dependent on oil exports, is facing an uphill battle as the violence-torn country is seeking to dramatically ramp up its...
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Gas Ender’s Game
ATHENS – Fresh Gazprom demands for Kiev to pay its overdue bills have sparked fears the Russian gas monopoly may cut gas supplies to...
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Ukraine Wants To Be EU Gas Player
YALTA - Ukraine will still remain the main transit country for Russian gas supplies to Europe even if the South Stream and Nord Stream...
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EU Backs Polish, Greek Energy Projects
The European Commission on 16 October approved €465 million and €134 million in project financing “for natural gas pipelines and modernisation works” in Poland and Greece...
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Iran wants to ‘restart’ ties with Europe, US
BAKU – Iran is seeking to “restart” its relations with the European Union and the United States in an effort to get back into...
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European Commission toughens its stance against Gazprom
An EU probe against Gazprom is moving ahead as regulators are preparing to charge the Russian gas export monopoly with abusing its dominant position...
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Croatia: ‘Ionian Adriatic Pipeline is top priority’
ATHENS – The Ionian Adriatic Pipeline (IAP) is a top priority among all the regional pipeline projects for Croatia, the country’s deputy economy minister...
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Oil Falls As Geopolitical Tensions Ease
Oil prices have dropped as Libya’s output increased, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said he will provide international inspectors access to chemical weapons facilities and...
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Oettinger tells Gazprom the EU means business
STRASBOURG – European Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger reiterated that the EU and Gazprom do not see eye to eye on long-term gas contracts and questioned...
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Turkey’s BOTAS Eyes TAP Route To Europe
Turkey’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz reportedly said his country plans to buy a share of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) gas...
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