U.S. President Barack Obama told Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday he wants U.S.-Chinese relations defined by more cooperation and a constructive management of differences during a phone call in which Iran and North Korea were discussed.

• July 15, 2014

A Snapshot of Key Developments in the External Relations of the Russian Gas Sector
By Jack Sharples, EGF Associate Researcher on the external dimensions of Russian gas

Key points:

• Lithuania’s competition authority fines Gazprom $48m for ‘failing to comply with merger conditions’ in relation to its shareholding in Lietuvos Dujos, thus stifling competition in Lithuania’s gas market
• Gazprom sells its stakes in Lietuvos Dujos and Amber Grid
• European gas companies negotiated an average discount of 20 percent in 2013-14, according to Cedigaz
• Gazprom implements prepayment in Ukraine, meaning that Naftogaz will only receive gas for which it has already paid. Given that Naftogaz failed to pay up front for its June gas supplies, the practical result was the suspension of Gazprom deliveries to Naftogaz
• Bulgaria halts construction of South Stream, pending EU concerns over the tender process for its construction on Bulgarian territory
• Gazprom and OMV confirm Austria’s entry into the South Stream project
• Gazprom expects $25bn pre-payment in China gas deal, but terms yet to be finalised
• Rosneft claims that a Gazprom monopoly on domestic pipelines in the Russian Far East would be illegal, and promises legal action to secure its right to supply Russian consumers in the region
• Results of Gazprom's Annual General Meeting of Shareholders

• July 15, 2014

The European Union targeted Ukrainian separatist leader Aleksandr Borodai and 10 other rebels with travel bans and asset freezes on Saturday, avoiding fresh sanctions on Russian business to avoid antagonizing its main energy supplier.

• July 12, 2014

Russian President Vladimir Putin begins a six-day tour of Latin America on Friday, seeking greater influence in the backyard of the United States while under pressure from the West to help restrain pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine.

• July 11, 2014

The European Union sought to reassure Russia on Friday that a free-trade pact with Ukraine was not aimed at hurting Moscow but rejected calls to postpone its implementation, offering more talks instead.

• July 11, 2014

European Central Bank President Mario Draghi urged euro zone states to respect their joint fiscal rules and extend their cooperation to economic reforms, telling governments they must "learn to govern together".

• July 11, 2014

U.S. and Chinese leaders have agreed that China will reduce its intervention in the currency market when conditions are ripe, reaching an understanding on a prickly issue that has hurt ties between the world's two biggest economies for years.

• July 10, 2014

Russia said on Thursday talks between world powers and Iran were "extremely difficult" but Moscow still hoped a long-term deal to end the standoff over Tehran's nuclear program could be reached by July 20.

• July 10, 2014