Executive Summary:  Russian LNG exports and production increased significantly in 2024. The export of hydrocarbons, including LNG, remains one key means by which Russia finances its war against Ukraine.  Other large LNG producers, such as the United States and Qatar, prefer to sell their energy... MORE

Executive Summary: Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka was named the winner of Belarus’s seventh presidential election for his seventh consecutive term. This election starkly contrasted with the last election, as it was relatively calm without mass protests. The Western response to the election was overwhelmingly negative,... MORE

Executive Summary: Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has signaled plans to pursue EU membership, which Moscow views as an attempt by Brussels and Washington D.C. to fully replace it. Armenia’s reliance on Russia for trade complicates the situation. The economic challenges posed by such a... MORE

Executive Summary:  Turkmenistan is rapidly expanding and modernizing its military to allow Ashgabat to defend itself against domestic challenges, threats from Afghanistan, and increasing competition on the Caspian, as well as to support its expanded political and economic activity internationally.  While it still lags militarily... MORE

Executive Summary: Moscow introduced a new accounting scheme enabling European buyers to pay for gas in rubles, circumventing U.S. sanctions and using intermediaries and currency exchanges to bypass restrictions.  Russia has expanded its shadow fleet and increased its oil tanker capacity by 70 percent, helping... MORE

Executive Summary: The beginning of U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration highlights contrasting views of Russia’s war in Ukraine. The West views it as a non-sensical distortion that should be stopped, and Russian President Vladimir Putin views it as a confrontation with the West. The state... MORE

Executive Summary: Russia remains at the forefront of global nuclear innovation, leveraging state-owned enterprise Rosatom to expand partnerships, build reactors, and strengthen relationships with non-Western nations. This gives Moscow more avenues to bolster its economy amid Western sanctions. Rosatom is currently conducting $200 billion in... MORE

Executive Summary: On January 6, the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) announced plans to invest in Türkiye’s energy sector, strengthening bilateral ties and allowing Baku to expand its influence in Europe and the Middle East. SOCAR is critical in meeting Türkiye’s... MORE

Executive Summary: U.S. President Donald Trump’s rhetoric on Greenland and Canada highlights the emerging strategic rivalry in the Arctic. Russian commentators present this as a new justification for its territorial expansionist ambitions in the Arctic and beyond. Russian experts see Trump’s focus on the Arctic... MORE

Executive Summary: Russian President Vladimir Putin’s autocratic regime faces global condemnation due to its war against Ukraine, suppression of the opposition, and increasing international isolation. These developments expose the regime’s corruption and deepen its global alienation. Russia’s influence is eroding in key regions, including the... MORE