Economy
Ukraine finally wins multibillion-dollar case against Ukrnafta in Swedish courts
The Supreme Court of Sweden finally confirmed the decision of the Stockholm arbitration in the Ukrnafta case, rejecting the claims of minority shareholders for more than USD 6 billion.
US oil companies demand guarantees from the White House before investing in Venezuela
US energy companies say they are not ready to invest in the Venezuelan oil sector without clear legal and financial guarantees from the Donald Trump administration.
Trump proposes to increase the US defence budget to $1.5 trillion and pressures the military-industrial complex to produce faster
US President Donald Trump has announced his intention to increase the defence budget to $1.5 trillion in 2027. The initiative means an increase of more than 50% and requires the approval of Congress.
Incident in the Gulf of Finland: Finland investigates cable damage and detention of Fitburg
Finnish authorities are investigating the damage to the submarine telecommunications cable between Finland and Estonia. The Fitburg was detained with the use of special forces and helicopters, and two crew members were arrested.
Russia's oil exports plummet, Kremlin's revenues at lowest since invasion of Ukraine
Russian oil exports fell sharply at the end of 2025, and prices for key grades plummeted to their lowest levels since February 2022. The combination of sanctions, infrastructure strikes, and logistical problems is taking a heavy toll on Russia's military budget.
Russia sends submarine to escort tanker off Venezuela amid US actions
Russia deployed a submarine and warships to escort a tanker that the US was trying to detain off Venezuela. The incident exacerbates tensions between Washington and Moscow amid the fight against the shadowy oil fleet.
Putin orders sharp increase in tax revenues in 2026 amid stagnant Russian economy
The Kremlin is demanding a significant increase in tax collection in 2026 due to almost zero economic growth and a budget deficit. The government is already raising VAT and increasing pressure on businesses and citizens.
Latvia's assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the war is close to EUR 1 billion
Since the beginning of the full-scale war, Latvia has provided almost €1 billion in practical assistance to Ukraine and pledged to continue to allocate at least 0.25 per cent of its GDP to support Kyiv.
Switzerland freezes assets of Nicolas Maduro and his associates
The Swiss Federal Council immediately froze Nicolas Maduro's assets in Swiss banks for four years, adding to the sanctions against Venezuela that have been in place since 2018.
The first tranche of the EU loan to Ukraine is expected by the end of the second quarter of 2026
The European Commission has announced that the first tranche of the EU loan to Ukraine under the agreed EUR 90 billion loan should be disbursed no later than the second quarter of 2026.
Trump says US needs full access to Venezuela after Maduro's detention
After the arrest of Nicolas Maduro, Donald Trump said that the United States needs full access to Venezuelan oil and other resources, and that US oil companies could invest billions of dollars in rebuilding the country's energy sector.
Pentagon chief jokes about Russian air defence systems in Venezuela during US operation
US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth ironically assessed the performance of Russian air defence systems in Venezuela during the operation to capture Nicolas Maduro, stressing that there were no casualties among the US military.
