Trade
Interviews
Azerbaijan Railways emerges as a neutral and reliable bridge between East and West
After a recent trip to Baku, NE Global Media interviewed Azerbaijan Railways (ADY) Chairman Rovshan Rustamov, focusing on his organization's critical strategic role regarding...
Europe & Eurasia
U.S. and Central Asia agree to extend and deepen economic ties
U.S. President Donald Trump presided over a historic meeting with five Central Asian leaders on November 6 at the White House in a period...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Serbia’s energy dilemma: How to break from Russia and save its stability
Serbia’s energy “decoupling” from Russia seems to be on the horizon. The Southeast European nation, long heavily dependent on Russian gas -- and, to...
Interviews
EU-Uzbekistan agreement to boost trade, regional integration
After the historic visit to Brussels of the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, NE Global discussed with Eldor Tulyakov, Executive Director at the Development...
Connectivity
Three elements of EU cooperation with Kazakhstan: connectivity, sustainability and partnership
The European Union views Kazakhstan as an important partner in Central Asia linking East and West, advancing interregional connectivity as Brussels and Astana expand...
IMO
The IMO gets a taste of Trump’s “America First” foreign policy
After failing to reach consensus on an emissions reduction measure amid strong U.S. pressure, a majority of countries at the UN’s International Maritime Organization...
Disasters and Reconstruction Initiatives
Washington kickstarts the U.S. – Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund
The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) announced on September 17 a $75 million equity commitment to the U.S.- Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund that...
China
Symbolic optics from China or movement toward a new global order?
With the UN General Assembly in New York less than a month away, China’s leadership was able to grab global attention for many days...
Invasion of Ukraine
Alaska summit hands Putin formal recognition but yields few results
U.S. President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin met for the first time in six years to discuss peace for Ukraine in...
Trade
Trump trade deal leaves some in EU unhinged
U.S. President Donald Trump completed his five-day “private visit” to Scotland on July 25-29, which beyond his golf course visits included a number of...
Energy
UN Secretary‑General: The world has passed the point of no return in shift to renewables
Ahead of COP30, UN Secretary‑General António Guterres said the world has passed the point of no return in shifting to renewables, urging governments to...
Russia Sanctions
EU finally clears the roadblocks, adopts new Russia sanctions package
On July 18, the EU finally adopted its long-delayed 18th package of sanctions on Russia, focusing heavily on the oil trade, but which also...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Moldova: Engaging neighbors, not just Global powers
In this era of Great Power competition, or Cold War 2.0, there are a plethora of analyses and commentaries about evolving geopolitical affairs, including...
Major Projects
U.S. – Africa Business Summit generates $2.5 billion in commitments and agreements
This year, 12 of the world’s 20 fastest-growing economies are in Africa, making it the second-fastest-growing region globally - trailing only Asia.
For decades, U.S....
Canada
Alberta G7 Summit – forgotten before it ended?
One song that will never be associated with the June 15-18 Alberta G7 Summit is Nat King Cole’s “Unforgettable."
While this year’s Canada-hosted G7 Summit...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
How the arrest of a French politician carries lessons for Brussels
A French senator caught smuggling 22 kilos of tobacco in her suitcase should be a wake-up call for Brussels. But so far, the European...
Democracy & Human Rights
U.S. – Venezuela standoff continues amid growing pressure
The standoff between the U.S. and Venezuela over a number of open issues is slowly reaching the boiling point, while Secretary of State Marco...
Trade
Terrific or Terrible Tariffs with the Sorcerer’s Apprentice
There is a very good chance that most of you will have seen the Walt Disney’s animation film Fantasia, which came out in 1940,...
The Middle East
In search of jobs and treasure: Trump’s first overseas jaunt takes a distinctly commercial angle
U.S. President Donald Trump completed a four-day tour of the Middle East on May 13-16, visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates....
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
The Geoeconomic Repercussions of Trump’s Tariff Pause: A Balkan Perspective
On April 2, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs under the banner of “Liberation Day”—a dramatic economic maneuver that reintroduced a 10...
Global Energy Supplies
U.S.-China tariff struggle, Iran issue affect energy demand, oil prices
International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director Fatih Birol said on April 23 oil prices may decline further this year due to slow demand growth...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Back to the 1970s: Flared trousers and tank tops. Is this the result of Trump’s tariff tantrums?
There are somewhere some dreadful photographs of this author wearing what we all once thought were the height of fashion and style. Generally, that...
Economy & Business
Doom, gloom or boom?
While it is an almost painful daily task to ascertain where the Trump administration is positioned on the question of tariff policy, and traders...
Sanctions and related policies
Ahead of nuclear talks, Trump administration orders new sanctions on Iran’s shadow fleet and Chinese refiners
Washington’s sanctions campaign of “maximum pressure on Iran” is intensifying, despite the start of initial discussions between the U.S. and Iran over nuclear issues...
Europe & Eurasia
Kallas reiterates close cooperation ahead of EU-Central Asia summit
Ahead of the first summit between the leaders of the European Union and the five countries of Central Asia in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on April...
Sanctions and related policies
Ignoring Russia, latest Trump administration Iran sanctions increase pressure on an old enemy
On March 13, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned (“designated” in OFAC language) Iran’s Minister of Petroleum, Mohsen...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Weaning Europe off its Russian gas addiction
The Viking hero Ragnar Lodbrok once said “don't waste your time looking back. You're not going that way.” The words of the former king...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Regional Water Forum in Brussels seeks sustainable solutions in the Turkic region
The Regional Water Forum - Brussels 2025, organized by the Drought Prevention Institute (DPI) of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) and the Hungarian...
Kazakhstan
EU-Kazakhstan boost cooperation in energy, raw materials, transport, sustainability
The European Union and Kazakhstan have discussed at a meeting in Brussels the successful implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Central Asian...
Yemen
Washington targets Houthi leaders for terrorism, Russia ties and weapons procurement
Under U.S. President Donald Trump, there is no ambivalence in Washington regarding the Houthis. Handling all of the statutory requirements required to press the...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Tashkent’s busy diplomatic agenda
In the coming months, Uzbekistan will host high-profile summits between Central Asia with the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council. As global geopolitics...
Trade
T is for tariffs
If the quick freeze and attempted shut down of American foreign assistance through USAID was not enough, on February 10 U.S. President Donald Trump...
Sanctions and related policies
Trump administration unleashes first sanctions on Iranian shadow fleet
On February 6, the Department of the Treasury unleashed the first wave of the new Trump administration’s economic sanctions using the tried-and-true U.S. Government/Treasury...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Tariff Trouble in Trump Town
President Trump has had many a cartoon about him as a child throwing toys and anything to hand out of the playpen. Now, of...
Economy & Business
Global reaction to Trump tariffs only reinforces his use of this tired and risky strategy
True to form, U.S. President Donald Trump disrupted global markets with a three-day surge of tariff announcements, border security negotiations and ultimately a 30-day...
USA
Donald Trump is inaugurated amidst promises of security, stability and prosperity
After storming a frigid Washington D.C. during his extended inauguration festivities on January 20, Donald J Trump, America’s 47th and 45th President, launched a...
Russia Sanctions
Stringent new energy sector sanctions on Russia announced
On January 10, the U.S. Government released a massive new listing of over 200 entities and individuals involved in Russia’s energy sector for Ukraine-related...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Transforming Central Asia from a frontier market to a stable investment
Central Asia is considered a frontier market. However, at least two of the five countries that constitute this region, namely Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, are...
EU Institutions
Bulgaria and Romania become full Schengen area countries
As from January 1, 2025, travel will become possible without land border controls to and between Bulgaria and Romania. This follows a unanimous decision...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
A Christmas Carol for the new European Commission
In the novel “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens it is noted that “there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter...
EU Institutions
Facing mounting challenges, new EU Commission takes office
Amidst global geopolitical turmoil, the European Commission of Ursula von der Leyen officially took office on December 1 with the President pledging that over...
Zero Tolerance
Lula’s G20 Rio Summit: Forgettable but not inconsequential
Seen from the perspective of a week after the November 19-20 Rio de Janeiro Summit, but before the event has completely receded into the...
Interviews
Addressing Caspian Sea shrinkage requires a collective response
Protecting the Caspian Sea is critical. As the UN’s annual climate conference (COP29) approaches, the gradual drop of the Caspian Sea's water level is...
Energy
EU-GCC to expand cooperation on green energy, minerals, and bringing peace to Ukraine
The EU heads of state and government and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) held their first summit on October 16 in Brussels under the...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
The complex politics of Caspian gas
For the countries bordering the Caspian Sea, gas has always been a major economic resource and, in most cases, one of the biggest contributors...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Supplying Russia and Iran, Armenia emerges as a new sanctions black hole
For the past two years, Armenia has been attempting to demonstrate its shift towards the West, all the while maintaining its geopolitical role as...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Living on the Fulcrum Point
In the summer of 2024, we are on a fulcrum point, namely, the key balancing point of a vital situation, and if we were...
International Organizations
Astana SCO Summit reaffirms its growing geopolitical role
The 24th summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), chaired by Kazakhstan, took place on July 4...
Invasion of Ukraine
G7 Summit focuses on Ukraine support and shattering Russia’s wartime economy
Despite last week’s expert punditry (itself almost indistinguishable from AI) on the latest G7 decisions as exhibited by the “instant experts” on global issues...
Africa
Washington orders new sanctions against Russia’s Wagner Group in Africa
On May 30, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ordered new sanctions measures to counter Russia’s destabilizing activities in...
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