European Union governments agreed on Thursday that new economic sanctions on Russia will take effect on Friday but held out the prospect of cancelling some or all of them next month if they believe a peace plan is working.

• September 11, 2014

The EU will offer Russia more time to adjust to a European trade pact with Ukraine, diplomats say, moving to ease bilateral tensions over an accord at the center of the crisis in Ukraine as a ceasefire there takes hold.

• September 11, 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:

• EU antitrust investigation into Gazprom – victim of the deterioration in EU-Russia relations?
• Nord Stream - Russian sources report imminent ruling from European Commission on OPAL pipeline
• South Stream - Bulgaria halts work on South Stream for a second time. Or does it?; Srbijagas announces that work is proceeding as scheduled, despite last month’s warning from the EU that the project should be halted
• Gazprom and Ukraine - Ukrainian Energy Ministry proposes ‘interim’ agreement with Gazprom, pending results of arbitration; Naftogaz opens pipeline from Slovakia; Ukrainian parliament votes to allow leasing of gas transmission system; Naftogaz returns $10m of ‘unused’ transit fees to Gazprom
• Asia-Pacific region - Gazprom launches construction of ‘Power of Siberia’ gas pipeline to China
• Gazprom takes delivery of its fifth LNG tanker, brings fleet capacity to 800,000 m3; Gazprom gas production in 2014 expected to fall vs. 2013

• September 11, 2014

Ukraine's president said on Wednesday Russia had removed the bulk of its forces from his country, raising hopes for a peace drive now underway after five months of conflict in which more than 3,000 people have been killed.

• September 10, 2014

Poland said on Wednesday it was receiving 20 percent less gas than normal from Russia and a German gas operator said its supplies of Russian gas were slightly reduced.

• September 10, 2014

President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday Russia must maintain its nuclear deterrence because of what he said were a growing number of possible security threats.

• September 10, 2014

The Kremlin's prized oil firm Rosneft is cutting staff and production and selling stakes in Siberian fields in the strongest evidence to date that Western sanctions are hurting what was the world's fastest growing oil firm in recent years.

• September 9, 2014

Five Ukrainian servicemen have been killed in the past four days, the military said on Tuesday, underscoring the strains in a ceasefire between government forces and pro-Russian separatists that officials insist is still broadly holding.

• September 9, 2014