Ukraine

German Economy Minister Katherina Riese stated on Friday that she could see both sides of the United States' decision to issue a 30-day waiver for purchases of Russian oil products. Reiche said at a press conference that he felt the domestic political pressure was very high in the United States. She stated that she is concerned with filling the war coffers of Russian President Vladimir Putin, but that the situation in South Korea, and Japan, are tense. "We have thankfully been spared these shortages," said?Reiche. She said that attacks on ships in Strait of Hormuz continue, and the International Energy...

The president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and 'Development, said 'on Thursday that the widening U.S. -Iran conflict is a threat... to economic growth. But the impact will depend on the length of the conflict. Odile Renaud Basso, EBRD President, said in an interview with the Istanbul press that conflict can "reduce risk capital" in the region. However, he added that the fallout has been contained so far - except for Lebanon. She said that the risk was on the downside. The EBRD estimated growth in the 41 countries that it covers as 3.6% this year, and 3.7% in...

Iraq's Oil Minister said that Chevron is in exclusive talks with Lukoil to take over the West Qurna 2 oilfield. Iraq is seeking to increase its oil and gas production. Oil majors are competing to expand their operations, after years of political insecurity. Hayan Abdel-Ghani, the Oil Minister of Iraq, told Kurdish TV Rudaw in an interview that production could increase to 750,000-800,000. bpd once Chevron took over operations. The U.S. The?U.S. Iraq, which is the second largest oil producer in the OPEC+ Group, comprising Organization?of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, including Russia, has plans to increase the...

Democrats in the Senate Banking Committee criticized President Donald Trump on Tuesday for not stepping up sanctions against Russia to force it to end the four-year war in Ukraine. They noted that the European Union had?designated nearly 900 targets by 2025, compared to only two?for?the?U.S. Democratic staff from the Republican-led panel released an analysis on the fourth anniversary. They identified hundreds of targets that Trump could have sanctioned during his first year as president. The war in Ukraine, Russia’s western neighbor, has caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people and ravaged large areas of Ukraine. They said that...

Saudi-backed Midad Energy signed a termsheet?to purchase Russia's sanctioned Lukoil?assets?in a high stakes competition against rivals, including?private equity giant Carlyle Group. The deal is contingent upon U.S. regulator approval, according three people with knowledge of the matter. The Russian energy giant is continuing to try to sell off overseas assets that are restricted by Western sanctions. It also highlights the growing interest of Middle Eastern countries in purchasing discounted global oil and refinery assets. Sources said that the agreement was signed late in January and covered all the assets. Midad agreed that it would place its?all-cash offer? in escrow, while...

According to correspondence seen by, the management of a Russian owned oil refinery located in Germany privately warned Berlin that U.S. Sanctions were hurting their business and threatened fuel supplies for the capital and region. In a letter sent to Katherina Reiche in January, the management of Rosneft's PCK Schwedt refinery made an "urgent" appeal to her to resolve the standoff between the United States and the refinery. The letter details the escalating issues at the refinery which supplies fuel to Brandenburg, eastern Germany, and nine out of ten cars in Berlin. It also supplies key chemicals and ingredients for...

India and the European Union have completed negotiations on a long-coveted deal which will be announced Tuesday, said?the South Asian nation’s trade secretary on Monday. Both sides hail this agreement as?historic in light of strained U.S. relations. The agreement paves way for the free exchange of goods between India and the 27 European nations, who together account for a quarter the world's Gross Domestic Product and have a combined market of over 2 billion consumers. "It's a deal that is balanced and forward-looking for better integration of the EU into the economy." "The deal will boost trade and investment between...

After meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggested that the European Union could sign a Free Trade Agreement with India as soon as this month. Merz, during a trip to Ahmedabad in western India, said that the presidents of the European Commission and European Council will travel to India to sign the agreement at the end 'January' if the deal is completed by then. Merz, who was visiting India for the first time since his appointment as chancellor, said that they would "in any case" take a major step to ensure this free-trade agreement is...

Germany is looking to work more closely with India on security matters, in order to reduce India's dependence on Russia. On Merz's maiden visit to South Asia, Merz signed a memorandum to this effect, along with agreements on critical minerals and the health sector, as well as an artificial intelligence innovation center. "India and Germany?work together to build resilient, secure and trusted supply chains. Modi said at a joint news conference that the?MoUs signed today will give a new'strength and momentum to our cooperation. India is still closely involved in the security policy of Russia, from where it gets much...

As part of its efforts to increase pressure on Moscow over the conflict in Ukraine, Britain imposed sanctions Thursday on additional Russian oil companies and Canadian-Pakistani Murtaza Lakhaani. The government has targeted 24 individuals, entities and companies, including what they describe as Russia's biggest remaining un-sanctioned oil firms: Tatneft, Russneft, NNK-Oil, and Rusneftegaz. The latest measures aim to make it more difficult for Russia to sell its oil globally. In October, Britain sanctioned Rosneft and Lukoil, two of Russia's largest oil companies. On Thursday, the EU sanctioned?41 ships of Russia's?shadow fleet? that tries to circumvent Western trading restrictions. Russia dismissed...

The European Parliament approved Wednesday the plan to phase out Russian imports of gas by the end of 2027. This is the last legal hurdle that needs to be cleared before the ban can become law. The EU has agreed to legislation that will cut ties with Russia, Europe's former largest gas supplier. They had vowed to do this after Moscow's full-scale invasion in Ukraine 2022. The vote was 500 for, 120 against, and 32 abstained. The EU Ministers will still need to formally?approve the ban, which is expected in early?2019. Officials expect that countries will?approve the deal without any...

Three people with knowledge of the matter claim that Saudi Arabia's?Midad Energy?is one of the top contenders for the international assets of Russian?oil giant?Lukoil, taking advantage deep political ties between Moscow and Washington. Sources have confirmed that the assets, which are valued at around $22 billion, include oilfields, refineries, and thousands of fuel station worldwide. About a dozen investors have made bids for these assets, including U.S. major oil companies Exxon Mobil, Chevron, and private equity firm Carlyle. Lukoil wants to sell off its foreign operations, which were crippled by the U.S. sanctions that were imposed on October to pressure...

The head of Russia's nuclear energy corporation announced on Thursday that repair crews had restored the external line of the Russian-controlled?Zaporizhzhia nucleopower plant in southeast Ukraine, nearly a month after the facility was shut down. In a public statement, Alexei Likhachev, the director general of Rosatom said that repairs were completed on the Ferosplavna-1 power line, which connects the plant with the grid, late Thursday afternoon. He said that the repair work was completed "one day earlier than scheduled" at Europe's biggest nuclear plant with its six reactors. The plant was taken over by Russia shortly after the invasion of...

The company announced on Friday that ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine's largest steelmaker, is closing another division in Ukraine because of a 'deepening energy crises caused by Russia's continued attacks on Ukraine's energy system. Russia has stepped up its strikes against Ukraine's energy industry, targeting power plants and substations. This forced Kyiv into cutting off power to businesses, and increasing imports from Europe. The company, an ArcelorMittal SA subsidiary, announced in a press release that it will close its subsidiary Casting and Mechanical Plant. This plant is one of the largest enterprises in the country, and includes foundry equipment, thermal and...

A local ceasefire was declared near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in southeast Ukraine on Friday, to allow repairs of an external power line. The plant is the largest in Europe. Under Russian Control Since shortly after the beginning of the war, in 2022. The plant does not produce electricity and relies on outside power to maintain its nuclear material cool in order to avoid a catastrophic incident. Russia and Ukraine accuse each other frequently of putting the safety of the plant at risk by staging attacks near it. Last year, a similar 'local truce' was established when the power...

The U.N. nuclear watchdog reported on Thursday that the Russian-owned Zaporizhzhia?power station in southeast Ukraine was operating 'on its only remaining outside powerline after losing a backup line a little more than a week ago. Rafael Grossi said in a statement that the Ferrosplavna-1 electrical line was shut down on 10 February "apparently as a result" of military activity. He said that the plant, which is?Europe's biggest with six reactors?, now operates with only outside power?from Dniprovska, he added. The plant was captured by Russian forces in the first few weeks of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. It does not generate...

In an interview published on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov?said any new U.S. attack on Iran would have serious consequences. He called for restraint in order to find a solution that will allow Iran to pursue a peaceful nuclear programme. Lavrov's interview with Saudi Arabia's Al-Arabiya TV was broadcast a day after U.S. negotiators and Iranian negotiators met in Geneva for indirect talks to avert a new crisis between Washington, D.C. and Tehran. "The consequences of this are bad." Already, there have been attacks on Iran's nuclear sites under the control the International Atomic Energy Agency. Lavrov stated in...

Rosatom, the state-owned nuclear corporation of Russia, rejected on Thursday a Ukrainian claim that Russia did not have the necessary equipment or components to operate the nuclear power station built by the Soviets in Zaaporizhzhia. In?2022, Russia assumed control of Europe's largest nuclear power plant from Ukraine. Currently, all six of the?VVER 1000 pressurised-water reactors designed by the Soviet Union are in a state known as "cold shut down". Both Moscow and Kyiv want to run the plant, which is a major issue in negotiations on ending war. Pavlo Kovtoniuk is the head of Ukrainian nuclear company Energoatom. He told...

Denys Shmyhal, Minister of Energy in Ukraine, said that senior Ukrainian officials agreed on Wednesday to increase air defence capabilities around the capital Kyiv. This is to counter any possible future Russian air attacks against energy infrastructure. The 'fresh' preparations follow the attacks in Kyiv, where officials are scrambling to repair damages to heating and electricity networks that has left thousands of people in darkness and cold. "Most information will not be made public." In the context of?potential further Russian attacks?, we discussed strengthening Kyiv?s active air defense, especially for?energy facilities?, Shmyhal wrote after a military staff meeting on Telegram....

Ukraine's Energy Minister warned Ukrainian households on Wednesday of the possibility that blackouts planned for the coming days could become worse and Russian forces may?launch another air attack in order to further disable power networks and heating systems. Denys Shmyhal reported that more than 200 "emergency" crews were working in the capital to restore heating in apartment buildings following a series mass Russian attacks on January. Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, said that over 1,100 buildings were still without heat on Tuesday. "The energy situation remains very difficult." "There is a danger that the timetables for electricity cuts could...

Analyst ExPro reported on Monday that Ukraine's imports of electricity jumped by 40% between December 2025 and January 2026, to a new record?894 Gigawatt Hours. This was due to the constant Russian attacks against Ukraine's energy system. This is the highest amount of imports during the full-scale war. Hungary still accounts for the biggest share, 45%. The consultancy reported that overall, the supply increased in all directions except Moldova. Russia's attacks on Ukraine’s energy sector have intensified in recent months. Power stations, energy distribution systems, and gas sector installations are all being targeted. consecutive attacks On the generating and thermo...

ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih is Ukraine's biggest steelmaker. It announced on Monday that it will close one production unit?in the 2nd quarter. The company cited EU environmental policies and high local power prices due to Russian attacks on energy infrastructure. The plant in Ukraine's south-east, approximately 70 km from the frontline, will close its blooming mill. This mill produces?billets to be used by the small-gauge mills and wire mills of the enterprise. The company stated that the introduction of the Carbon Border adjustment Mechanism by the European Union on?January 1, effectively closed the market for a significant part of Ukrainian metallurgical...

The European Union has sent emergency generators to Ukraine. They claim that a million Ukrainians are without heat and power due to Russian bombings. Meanwhile, France is planning to issue a call for international help to assist Ukrainians who have been exposed to extreme temperatures. Since Russia intensified its attacks on Ukraine's power grid during a recent cold snap, which reached temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius (4 F), electrical engineers have worked around the clock under hazardous conditions. In a statement issued on Friday, the?European Commission announced that it would send 447 generators for 3.7 million euro...

Russia intensified its attacks against Ukraine's energy systems, which rely almost exclusively on electricity generated by nuclear power stations and have already lost half their generating capacity. What do nuclear power plants mean for Ukraine? According to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Russia plans to strike substations which?supply consumers with nuclear energy? and plunge the country into complete blackout. Ukraine operates three nuclear plants with a combined capacity of 7.7 gigawatts. The largest nuclear power plant in Europe, Zaporizhzhia, is currently occupied by Russia. Currently, the country is experiencing a 10 gigawatt deficit, which can only be partially offset by imports. This...