Russian President Vladimir Putin has not made an agreement with Saudi Arabia to scale back support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in exchange for economic incentives including an arms deal, the Kremlin said on Friday.

• August 9, 2013

Two Russian oil barons have escalated a battle for influence in the lucrative energy sector by writing to President Vladimir Putin to complain about each other's policies, spotlighting a deepening rift between some members of his inner circle.

• August 8, 2013

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:

• Lietuvos Dujos prepares to extend its current gas supply contract with Gazprom in exchange for lower prices and offtake commitments; Gazprom to amend its gas supply contract with RWE following Vienna arbitration ruling; Edison is next in line for arbitration with Gazprom following the RWE ruling; Gazprom announces an upward revision of its 2013 gas export forecast and a 29 percent increase in gas exports to Europe in July 2013 versus the same period in 2012
• Gazprom and Naftogaz Ukraine reach agreement on reliable gas transit via Ukraine for winter 2013-14
• The Armenian government considers handing over its remaining stake in the country’s natural gas monopoly to Gazprom in exchange for lower prices; Gazprom acquires Kyrgyzstan’s natural gas monopoly, Kyrgyzgaz, and pledges substantial investment
• The Bulgarian section of South Stream faces delays over environmental reports and construction permits, but Gazprom remains adamant that the project will be completed on schedule; Macedonia to get South Stream branch
• Gazprom Germania decides against new UGSF in Triepkendorf, but continues to investigate the possibility of new gas storage facilities near Nord Stream’s landfall; Gazprom continues to press for full use of the OPAL pipeline in Germany; Nederlandse Gasunie complains about the quality of Russian gas delivered via Nord Stream
• Gazprom takes delivery of second LNG tanker for the delivery of gas to the Asia-Pacific via the Northern Sea Route
• Rosneft increases gas production by 186 percent versus H1 2012, providing further competition for Gazprom in the Russian gas sector; The International Energy Agency (IEA) voices its support for a shift from oil-indexed to spot gas prices; Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering wins tender for up to 16 ice-class LNG tankers for the Yamal LNG project; Moscow hosts the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF)

• August 8, 2013

U.S. President Barack Obama has confirmed that he will attend a G20 summit in Russia but says he is "disappointed" that Moscow is sheltering fugitive U.S. intelligence-program leaker Edward Snowden.

• August 6, 2013

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has refuted reports that he had major disagreements with President Vladimir Putin over Russia's August 2008 war with Georgia.

• August 5, 2013

U.S. fugitive Edward Snowden seems assured of a warm welcome in Russia and may even achieve celebrity status in his new home, but history suggests he will no longer be master of his fate and a Moscow exile will bring some difficult challenges.

• August 4, 2013

Tajik President Emomali Rahmon said his country's parliament will ratify in the fall an agreement that extends Russia's military presence in Tajikistan until 2042.

• August 2, 2013

ISSUE # 24
07/15/2013
Ukraine is not ready at the moment to sign the association agreement with the EU, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius said on 8 July 2013. On 10 July, Linkevicius also stated that Lithuania questioned Ukraine's ability to meet the criteria put forward by the EU for signing the association agreement at the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius. READ MORE

• August 2, 2013