Latest Articles about Economics
Russia Builds Alternative to SWIFT as Part of Digital Sovereignty Push
Executive Summary: Russia announced in early April that nearly all domestic financial transactions are now being conducted through the Financial Transaction System, which was created as an alternative to SWIFT. The development of new financial systems is part of a broader desire for greater independence... MORE
Arms Manufacturing in Russia: Q1 2024
Executive Summary: Russia’s State Statistics Service’s (Rosstat) newly published data on the military-industrial complex in Q1 2024 demonstrates limitations for arms production. The increase in some manufactured goods is in part due to Russia evading sanctions to continue importing electronic devices, demonstrating its dependence on... MORE
Russia Kowtows to China
Executive Summary: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made an official visit to China earlier this month to meet with Chinese President Xi Jin Ping and Foreign Ministry, laying the foundation for future cooperation. Lavrov underscored that Russia’s priority is to strengthen and consolidate relations with... MORE
Chinese Women from the Countryside: Views on Marriage
Executive Summary: Recent data from China shows a decline in fertility rates in the countryside as well as in the cities. This complicates hopes that rural women could alleviate the declining birthrate. Demographic decline is increasingly a concern for policymakers. The population was found to... MORE
Mongolia Considers Air Bridge With United Kingdom for Rare-Earth Exports
Executive Summary The Mongolian and British governments are engaged in talks on opening an “air bridge” to increase exports of Ulaanbaatar’s rare-earth elements (REEs) to the West. Mongolia possesses vast deposits of REES that play a critical role in the development and production of modern... MORE
Conflict Between Russia and the West Heating Up in Frozen North
Executive Summary: Tensions between Russia and the West in the Arctic have risen dramatically, as Moscow condemns both Washington’s claims on the Arctic and increased US military activity. The Kremlin is considering denouncing the 1990 Baker-Shevardnadze agreement and insisting on its own right to make... MORE
The Future of the Eurasian Economic Union
Executive Summary: The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) has attempted to increase its influence by creating a permanent free-trade zone with Iran, entering talks with India on a free-trade agreement, and encouraging Uzbekistan to become a member. The EAEU has served as a way for Moscow... MORE
Belarusian Economy Sees Growth Despite Hurdles
Executive Summary: The Belarusian economy experienced 3.9-percent growth in 2023, a positive outcome compared to the 4.7-percent decline in 2022. Minsk is expanding its trade partners, and Belarusian officials have developed numerous connections with their international counterparts in the Global South and elsewhere over the... MORE
Tightening Sanctions Will Further Compromise Russia’s War-Torn Economy
Executive Summary: The Kremlin is preparing to mobilize the Russian economy and population not only for the “long war” against Ukraine but also for a potential large-scale conflict with the West. Beyond providing Kyiv with the necessary arms and economic support, a more concerted effort... MORE
Belarus’s Diplomatic Activities Reflect a Non-Ideological Foreign Policy
Executive Summary: Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergei Aleinik’s recent visits to India and Mongolia highlight Minsk’s growing ambitions to court alternative economic partners to Russia and the West. These efforts reflect a non-ideological basis for Belarus’s foreign policy, as pragmatic economic considerations almost always trump ideological... MORE