A Snapshot of Key Developments in the External Relations of the Russian Gas Sector
By Dr Jack Sharples, EGF Associate Researcher on the external dimensions of Russian gas and Lecturer in Energy Politics at the European University of St Petersburg

• Gazprom and the EU: European Commission extends deadline for Gazprom’s response to the Statement of Objections to mid-September 2015; Gazprom and Gasunie sign framework agreement on small-scale LNG cooperation
• Nord Stream: Gazprom announces signing of Memorandum of Intent for third and fourth lines of Nord Stream; Russia opens up possibility of non-Gazprom exports via Nord Stream through gas export auctions
• Turkish Stream: Turkish government grants permission for Gazprom to conduct engineering surveys in its territorial waters and exclusive economic zone, but Gazprom and Botaş yet to reach agreement on gas price discount; Russia and Greece sign Memorandum on extension of Turkish Stream in Greece
• Ukraine: Naftogaz suspends gas imports from Russia on 1st of July, having failed to make pre-payment
• China: Gazprom and Shell sign Memorandum on adding third train to the Sakhalin-II LNG export project; Yamal LNG clinches two new LNG export deals as it seeks to pre-sell its export volumes; China officially launches construction of ‘Power of Siberia’ gas pipeline, as Gazprom and CNPC discuss possibility of Rouble-Yuan denominated contracts

• July 9, 2015

Russia vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution on Wednesday that would have condemned the Srebrenica massacre as a genocide to mark the 20th anniversary of the killing of 8,000 Muslim men and boys.

• July 8, 2015

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his government courted Beijing on Wednesday before a BRICS summit, playing down a stock market plunge in China and proposing better terms for investors from Beijing.

• July 8, 2015

A race to save Greece from bankruptcy and keep it in the euro gathered pace on Wednesday when Athens formally applied for a three-year loan and European authorities launched an accelerated review of the request.

• July 8, 2015

The Philippines argued at a closed hearing on Tuesday that an international court should intervene in its dispute with China over the right to exploit natural resources and fish in the South China Sea.

• July 7, 2015

"Today we need the Iron Chancellor," read the front-page headline in top-selling German newspaper Bild on Tuesday, next to a picture of Angela Merkel in a Prussian helmet.

• July 7, 2015

NATO is preparing for a long standoff with Russia, reluctantly accepting that the Ukraine conflict has fundamentally transformed Europe's security landscape and that it may have to abandon hope of a constructive relationship with Moscow.

• July 6, 2015

Russian President Vladimir Putin must be finding it hard to contain a wry smile as the European Union struggles with Greece's debt problems.

• July 4, 2015