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: Stockholm Arbitration Institute completes oral hearing in Gazprom-Lithuania case; Polish state-owned PGNiG gains controlling stake in EuroPolGaz, operator of the Yamal-Europe pipeline in Poland, leaving Gazprom with minority stake; Greek Energy minister announces €2bn pipe dream project with Russia
• Nord Stream: Gazprom courts BASF and ENGIE (formerly GDF Suez) for Nord Stream II
• Turkish Stream: the 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 to Turkish Stream in Greece
• Ukraine: Naftogaz maintains suspension of gas imports from Russia; Gazprom softens its tone on gas transit via Ukraine after 2019; Gazprom remains locked in transit contracts with Slovakia and Bulgaria, regardless of its transit contract with Naftogaz
• Belarus: Gazprom to invest $2-2.5bn in Belarusian gas infrastructure by 2020; Gas transit via Belarus reached 11.1 bcm in Q1 2015 – exactly the same as in Q1 2014
• Asia: Gazprom turns to South Korean expertise for floating LNG terminal in Kaliningrad, and continues to promote its planned Baltic LNG terminal as a source of small-scale deliveries to Kaliningrad
• Other: Turkmenistan Oil and Gas Ministry criticises Gazprom for accruing debts for Turkmen gas in 2015; Gazprom’s gas production in H1 2015 falls 13 percent year-on-year

• August 5, 2015

Russia said on Tuesday it has resubmitted a claim to the United Nations for some 1.2 million square km of the Arctic shelf, a drive to secure more of the mineral-rich region where other countries have rival territorial interests.

• August 4, 2015

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem arrived in Tehran on Tuesday for talks with officials from allies Iran and Russia that are expected to focus on efforts to end the civil war in his country.

• August 4, 2015

The United States imposed further Russia and Ukraine-related sanctions on Thursday, adding associates of a billionaire Russian gas trader, Crimean port operators and former Ukrainian officials to its list of those it is penalizing in response to Russia's actions in Ukraine.

• July 30, 2015

China and Russia will hold joint naval and air defense drills in the Sea of Japan, China said on Thursday, the latest exercises between the two countries which could concern Japan, involved in a marine dispute with China to the south.

• July 30, 2015

Alexei Venediktov, one of Russia's most prominent journalists, does not go out without a bodyguard and does not answer mobile phone calls for fear of being tracked.

• July 30, 2015

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday he opposed the creation of an international tribunal to prosecute those who shot down a Malaysian airliner over eastern Ukraine, hours before a U.N. vote on such a proposal.

• July 29, 2015

A Chinese company has approached Lukoil (LKOH.MM) to start talks on buying the Russian firm's refinery in Romania, according to a letter obtained by Reuters, after Lukoil's unit there was accused of money laundering and tax evasion.

• July 20, 2015