RUSSIA MONITOR MONTHLY 05/2021
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High Oil Prices Make Russian Production More Profitable
Russian Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin said oil extraction costs in Russia were unacceptable at the current price of hydrocarbon. For the production cycle, they range from $15 to $45 per barrel, he said.
A Preview of the Digital Future
The last two years of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic have led to immense changes in the way we use technology. While the coronavirus wreaked havoc in the real world, breaking supply chains and limiting the availability of services, it accelerated changes in the digital world that would otherwise have taken years. In 2020 and 2021 we have observed the rapid and massive integration of services that admittedly existed before, but we did not use on such a large scale.
Russia Lays Out Unrealistic Demands For U.S. And NATO
The Russian foreign ministry has presented the United States with a set of proposals for binding Western security guarantees during a meeting with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Karen Donfried in Moscow on December 15.
Beijing, Moscow Form A New Anti-American Axis
The Russia-China summit confirmed their lasting alliance targeting the United States. The video meeting was vital for Vladimir Putin who has in recent months stiffened his anti-Western stance to force the United States into concessions on Ukraine and NATO’s policy in Central and Eastern Europe.
Nord Stream 2: Inverted Meaning, Russian Triumph
For many years now, no one ever doubted that Nord Stream 2 had served Russia while targeting Ukraine. The only difference was whether the gas link was a purely economic project, according to Germany, or political, notably for Ukraine, Poland, and some other European countries, and the Trump administration.
Slovakia is the Next European Country to Strengthen Ties with Taiwan
Among European countries, the Republic of Lithuania is no longer the only country that is altering its foreign policy priorities in a way that displeases the authorities of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Correspondingly, the Slovak Republic is strengthening its relations with the government of the Republic of China (ROC) in Taiwan, which is not recognized by Beijing.
Ukraine In The Middle Of Great Power Politics
After recent talks, President Joe Biden reassured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of the Western support for Ukraine, yet adding this would not involve any military assistance. Many signs are that the United States, France, and Germany will force Ukraine into some Donbas concessions amid growing pressure from Moscow. At stake might be Ukraine’s accession to NATO.
Not Only Ukraine and Georgia: What Does Russia Want From NATO?
Moscow is stiffening its stance on the North Atlantic Alliance. Indeed, the Russian military buildup along the border with Ukraine sought to make Western nations discuss NATO’s activity near Russia. The Kremlin has warned the West not to cross a “red line” with Russia, saying such a move would trigger a “military” offensive. It is yet unclear where this “red line” is actually going.
Gazprom Neft Reaches Record Hydrocarbon Output In 2021
Gazprom Neft, a subsidiary of Russian energy giant Gazprom, is seeking to reach record-high gas and oil output this year. The increase is due to changes in restrictions on oil production under the OPEC+ agreement.
NATO’s Role in the Hybrid War on the EU Border
At the turn of November and December 2021, NATO Foreign Ministers met in Riga, Latvia, to discuss the increasingly tense geopolitical situation in Eastern Europe. The main talks focused on the Russian forces deployed not far from Ukraine’s borders and signs that indicate preparations for a military offensive.
Biden-Putin Meeting: Kremlin Has Reasons To Be Pleased
After a video link with U.S. President Joe Biden, Vladimir Putin said that Moscow would submit its proposals for a security dialogue with the United States in a few days. Biden said he would announce the date of a meeting of five major NATO allies and Russia, to discuss the future of Russia’s concerns relative to NATO. All signs are that the December 7 meeting opened a new chapter in U.S.-Russia negotiations, where the Kremlin chooses what to discuss.
Cross-border cooperation in CEE. Similarities and differences of the migration crises in Poland and Hungary
On December 8, 2021, the conference “Cross-border cooperation in Central and Eastern Europe. Similarities and differences of migration crises in Poland and Hungary ”organized by the Warsaw Institute, Mathias Corvinus Collegium, Institute of Polish-Hungarian Cooperation Wacław Felczak and the Migration Research Institute. The event took place in a hybrid formula.
Putin’s India Visit Means Arms and Energy Deals
While Russian President Vladimir Putin went to New Delhi for talks, many focused on a batch of military deals that mean more Russian weapons and equipment for India. But the two countries are also reinforcing their ties through energy cooperation. Not incidentally, while in Moscow in September, the Indian energy minister was encouraged to invest in Vostok Oil, Rosneft’s giant energy project in the Arctic.
Chinese Influence in the Slovak Information and Media Space – Podcast
In recent years, the Slovak information and media space has been struggling with active disinformation actors, who have been quite willing to disseminate mostly pro-Russian narratives. China is currently an almost unknown phenomenon for Slovaks.
Western Balkans Summit 2021
On December 4, 2021, the Western Balkans Summit 2021 was organized by New Direction, the Warsaw Institute had the pleasure to patronize the event. Western Balkans Summit 2021 was organized in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria.
Internal US Problems
The United States has faced multiple problems in recent years. The pandemic has highlighted them and revealed how fragile the American economy is.
Crisis on the Polish-Belarusian Border. Can China Help to Get Out of It?
The Polish-Belarusian border crisis is definitely one of the most significant events of 2021, both in the European and international arena. Not only Lithuania (which is struggling with the same situation), but also important European players, such as Germany and France, the United States, as well as international organizations, for instance, NATO or the European Union, are already showing interest in the problem. According to political and media circles, China could play a significant part in solving this situation.
Cross-border cooperation in CEE. Similarities and differences of the migration crises in Poland and Hungary
Warsaw Institute, Institute of Polish-Hungarian Cooperation Wacław Felczak & Mathias Corvinus Collegium have an honour to invite you to our upcoming conference.
Poland-Ukraine – a common cause?
Although the two countries seem to share a number of common economic and political interests, the synergy of cooperation in many important areas is still not being exploited. Polish-Ukrainian trade, although growing year on year (mainly due to the activity of SMEs), has not reached its peak.
Beijing Winter Olympics and the Shadow of a Political Boycott
On November 21, 2021, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has lowered the rank of its diplomatic representation in the Republic of Lithuania, following recent developments in the country’s political rapprochement with the Republic of China (ROC, Taiwan), which is not recognized by Beijing. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that ties would be downgraded to the level of chargé d’affaires, a rank that is lower than ambassador.
Warsaw Institute
