Issue 6: May 2011

A Snapshot Of Key Developments In The External Relations Of The Russian Gas Sector

The President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, seems to be optimistic about the possibility of obtaining Russian credits to rescue the Belarusian economy. On May 17, he stated that Moscow was ready to lend Minsk $6 billion in 2011. However, the Kremlin responded by suggesting that it will only lend $1 billion and that even this amount will only be possible in combination with the sale of a number of Belarusian assets, notably a 50 percent stake in Beltransgas. Gazprom already holds a 50 percent stake in the company. READ MORE

• June 13, 2011

The 27th Russia-EU summit wrapped up Friday in this western Russian city, with Russian and European Union leaders discussing the recent dispute over Russia's ban on EU vegetables, its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and a long-awaited visa-free regime.

• June 11, 2011

The 27th Russia-EU summit officially kicked off Friday in the western Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod.

• June 10, 2011

The meeting of the NATO-Russia Council at the level of Defense Ministers in Brussels did not result in any mutual agreements. The representatives of the alliance rejected the Russian proposal to establish a common missile defense system (NMD) and refused to give Russia any written security guarantees.

• June 10, 2011

Russia's state-controlled power trader Inter RAO UES cut on Thursday electricity supplies to Belarus by 200 MW from the current 400-500 MW over delayed debt payments

• June 9, 2011

This week, on June 9 and 10, a regular meeting of the Latvian-Russian Intergovernmental Commission will take place in Liepaja. During the meeting, both countries will sign a declaration on modernization partnership. The declaration will be signed by Latvian Economy Minister Artis Kampars (Unity) and Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin.

• June 7, 2011

Russia has the most advanced atomic energy technologies and plans to sell them on its own or in cooperation with other leading countries, First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov said

• June 7, 2011

Ukraine may ship between 15 million and 18 million metric tons of cereals in the year starting July 1, up from around 12 million tons in the year-earlier period, Agriculture Minister Mykola Prysyazhnyuk said.

• June 3, 2011