Russia
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Name Dispute: A week for summitry and skullduggery
In the context of the shrill NATO-US debate over President Donald J. Trump’s demands for higher European defence spending, the situation involving the potential...
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Trump vs Nord Stream-2
At an early breakfast meeting with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels on July 11, US President Donald J. Trump launched an attack on the...
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Russia resumes construction of TurkStream Line 2 for Europe
THESSALONIKI, Greece – Russia has resumed the pipelaying operations for the second string of the Turkish Stream or TurkStream offshore gas pipeline, which aims...
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Russia, Saudi push for OPEC oil supply increase while demand is strong
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC producers are seeking a compromise as Saudi Arabia and Russia are pushing the oil cartel...
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Putin in Austria as OMV and Gazprom extend deal, push Nord Stream-2
Amid the buzz of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to the Austrian capital of Vienna, OMV and Russia’s Gazprom signed an agreement to extend...
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EU urges Russia, Ukraine to resume trilateral gas talks
European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič said on May 23 that the time has come for another round of trilateral talks with Russia and...
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From Russia: Reactor will drive Finnish nuclear power plant
SOCHI, Russia –Finnish nuclear power company Fennovoima is expected to begin constructing the Hanhikivi 1 nuclear power plant in the northern part of Finland...
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Strange bedfellows: Iran sanctions, EU posturing and volatile oil markets
Oil prices remained near three and a half year highs on May 11 as the United States plans to reintroduce sanctions against Iran after...
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Trump pulling out of Iran nuclear deal risks fuel oil prices
As the US Administration of President Donald J. Trump mulls new sanctions against Iran, world oil prices remained high on May 4.“Iran is exactly...
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Nord Stream 2 gas project strives to fill EU’s import gap
DUSSELDORF – Ukraine can still be a transit gas country to Europe even after the Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia to Germany is...
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Israel, Cyprus, Greece to push EastMed gas pipeline to Europe at May summit
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on April 4 with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and “among the issues...
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Saudi Arabia, Russia may extend OPEC, non-OPEC oil output deal
Plans of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and other supplies, especially Russia, to possibly continue curbing oil production for the rest...
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Threatening to seize Gazprom’s assets, Ukraine raises the stakes for EU gas
As the gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine deepens, Kiev is reportedly planning to seize the Ukrainian assets of Russian gas monopoly Gazprom in...
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Oil markets nervous after Tillerson sacked, McMaster on his way out
The firing of US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and if President Donald Trump removes H.R. McMaster as national security adviser could impact major...
Cyprus
US political fireworks reach Delphi Economic Forum
The official American presence at the March 1-4 Delphi Economic Forum came close to being overshadowed by the academics, business people, and American political...
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Turkish pressure throws EU East Med energy projects into limbo
DELPHI, Greece – The Turkish diplomatic and military pressure in the Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) may affect...
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Gas drilling, Navtex fuel Turkey-Cyprus tensions in East Med
ATHENS – The tensions between Greece and Turkey after an incident in the eastern Aegean appear to have been defused, but the standoff between...
Albania
Former PM Letta: Italy to play increasing role as key EU energy hub
ATHENS – Italy can become an energy hub in the Mediterranean boosting European security of supply, Enrico Letta, former prime minister of Italy, told...
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Germany approves Nord Stream-2 as issue over Ukrainian transit lingers
Gazprom’s Nord Stream-2 received the first construction permit from Germany last week as Berlin sees a direct pipeline from Russia as a step towards...
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At Rome ‘Club Med’ summit, Greece gets a line on TAP gas to Italy
As heads of state and government of Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain, or so-called “Club Med,’ convened in Rome on January...
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Potential European market rivals, Russia’s Gazprom, Iran’s NIOC sign gas cooperation deals
Gazprom said that the Russian gas giant has signed a deal with Iran to implement integrated projects for hydrocarbon production, transmission and processing in...
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Saudi Arabia, Putin’s Russia lead OPEC oil output cut extension deal through end of 2018
In an effort to boost oil prices, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC members, including Russia, reached an agreement on November...
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Šefčovič, Pyatt say Greece can help boost EU energy security
PIRAEUS, Greece – Greece’s position as an energy hub that can help the European Union increase its energy security and diversification of supplies, reducing...
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Putin boosts ties with Cyprus, woos Greece, Italy for TurkStream to EU
Russia and Cyprus have always been close partners and cooperation between Moscow and Nicosia was reinforced following the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin...
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Iraqi-Kurdish battles send oil prices gushing, retreating
Oil prices surged from October 13 through October 18 as fighting between Iraqi and Kurdish forces intensified, threatening supplies from northern Iraq, while markets...
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Finland-Estonia gas pipe to diversify EU supplies away from Russia
HELSINKI – The BalticConnector, a EU-backed gas transmission project between Estonia and Finland, will become operational from the beginning of 2020, boosting EU energy...
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Merkel’s new coalition likely won’t sideline Nord Stream-2
Despite the outcome of the hard political negotiations to form a coalition government following the re-election of Germany’s Angela Merkel to a fourth-term in...
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Not impacted by sanctions, Russia, China ink Siberian exploration deal
Russian oil giant Rosneft and CEFC China Energy Company Limited signed a Strategic Cooperation Agreement to develop projects in Western and Eastern Siberia and...
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German foreign minister tells Tillerson US Russia sanctions rattle EU
German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel met for the third time with his counterpart Rex Tillerson on August 29, reportedly reiterating to the US Secretary...
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US’ Russia sanctions undercut Gazprom’s Ukraine tariffs
The new US sanctions against Russia reportedly create the risk of weakening Russian gas monopoly Gazprom’s position in talks with Ukraine on tariffs for...
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Turkish Stream eyes Balkan gas market, East Med hinges on prices
VOULIAGMENI, Athens – Gazprom is looking to supply the Balkans with Russian gas via Turkish Stream after 2019 when the contract with Ukraine expires,...
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Russia takes pass on Qatar conflict with Arab neighbours
MOSCOW – Russia, which has called for dialogue to tackle the political rift in the Arab world over Qatar, will not take sides in...
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Concordia Europe Summit: Joe Biden tries to contain Trump’s transatlantic shockwaves
Concordia’s June 6-7 inaugural Europe Summit in Athens covered a wide array of issues from the ongoing refugee crisis, Eurozone disputes, the UN’s Sustainable...
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ISIL’s cross-border oil smuggling days are over
BRATISLAVA – ISIL’s ability to smuggle oil across the Iraqi border and finance its jihadist activities from oil revenue has almost stopped, a German...
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OPEC, non-OPEC extend oil cut as cooperation with Russia improves
VIENNA - In an effort to reduce a global crude oil glut and boost prices, Members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and...
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US calls for relaxing Gazprom’s stranglehold on EU market
ATHENS – Several key energy projects currently underway in Greece will bring significant quantities of non-Russian gas to Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, and other regional...
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Iran election not to jeopardise nuclear deal, affect oil prices
When Iranians vote to elect a new president on May 19, traders and Mideast observers will be watching, but it is unlikely that Tehran,...
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Oversupply fears push oil prices to five-month lows
Fears of oversupply pushed oil prices to five-month lows on May 5 despite signals that Russia is ready to join the Organization of Petroleum...
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EU-Turkey energy partnership to continue after referendum
Even though a tightly contested referendum granting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wide new powers after a major overhaul of the country’s political system...
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Russia, Finland, Iceland warm up to Arctic cooperation
Arctic countries gathered in Arkhangelsk, Russia, to discuss current issues relating to the region. Russian President Vladimir Putin with his Finnish and Icelandic counterparts...
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US, NATO could play a role in East Med energy security
DELPHI, Greece - The United States and NATO will need to have a military presence in the East Mediterranean to protect the energy resources...
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Gazprom and the European Commission: What’s next?
After lengthy negotiations, the European Commission and Russian gas monopoly Gazprom have agreed on a list of commitments, which the Commission expects will most...
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US backs Greece’s efforts to build EU energy connections
DELPHI, Greece - The United States strongly supports Greece’s efforts to build its energy connections with Europe, US Ambassador to Athens Geoffrey Pyatt told...
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EU hesitation puts Arctic plans on ice
BRUSSELS – The European Union needs to play an active role in the Arctic instead of simply observing the developments in the region, European...
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Russian gas line through Ukraine EU peace pipe?
BRUSSELS - The Russian gas transit across Ukraine to Europe and business ties between Moscow and Kiev could ultimately help restore peace between Ukraine...
Albania
Ambassador Pyatt says US wants EU energy deal to block Russia
ATHENS – The United States will continue to work with the European Union to promote diversification of energy supplies and lessen dependence on Russia,...
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Russia’s Federation Council to rubberstamp Turkish Stream
A project spearheaded by Russian gas monopoly Gazprom to supply with gas the lucrative Turkish market and possibly Europe could be rubberstamped by Russia’s...
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Exxon keeps Russian Arctic assets frozen with an eye on Tillerson
Only a week to go until Donald Trump officially becomes US President, pundits are still trying to predict the policies of his administration, including...
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Russia to construct first gas pipe to Turkey, mulls second line to EU
Russian gas monopoly Gazprom moved ahead with plans to build the Turkish Stream gas pipeline with the first line to Turkey to be constructed...
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Arrest of Russia’s top economic official highlights power struggle
Russia’s Economic Development Minister Alexey Ulyukayev was detained earlier this week on suspicion of taking a $2 million bribe that allowed Russian oil giant...
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