Venäjän öljyn tuotanto ja vienti kasvoivat vuonna 2022 edellisvuoteen verrattuna. Vienti EU-maihin supistui jonkin verran, vaikka venäläiseen raakaöljyyn kohdistuvat tuontirajoitukset tulivat voimaan vasta joulukuussa. Raakaöljylle löytyi kuitenkin korvaavia markkinoita Aasiasta....

At present, oil markets appear to be behaving in a fashion similar to that in the late 1970s and early 1980s when oil prices rose sharply over an extended period. Furthermore, like at that time, analysts are split on whether such increases will persist or reverse, and if so by how much. The...

Qatar's domestic and foreign policy since the 1990s has developed along three main lines: The emirate has expanded its gas production and supplies liquefied gas to as many countries as possible; it assures itself of US military protection by providing bases; and it conducts a "soft power"...

Germany and the EU plan to import hydrogen and its derivatives from the Arab Gulf states. Although Germany has signed a joint declaration of intent with the Sultanate of Oman to this end, its efforts focus primarily on Oman's larger neighbours. However, it would be a mistake to overlook Oman's...

Over the past 10 years, the de facto alliance of the governments of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates has exercised significant influence over developments in the Middle East. The common goal has been to prevent democratic transformation, stop the rise of political Islam and...

Since 2021, Turkey embarked on a Middle East reconciliation initiative involving Syria, Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This initiative responds partly to evolving regional dynamics and Turkey's specific challenges, such as its protracted economic crisis and...

Saudi Arabia has entered the geopolitical competition for mineral resources - and it has done so in a determined manner and with substantial funds at its disposal. As part of its Vision 2030, the Kingdom aims to strengthen local processing and industrial value added. Currently, Saudi Arabia...

Central Asian economies, particularly Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, are pursuing increasingly ambitious goals for renewable energy. Apart from China - an established player in the market - it has increasingly been Gulf countries that have been implementing respective projects, particularly Saudi...

Saudi Arabia has mixed expectations ahead of Donald Trump's imminent second presidency. On the one hand, the royal family maintains close business relations with the president-elect and his entourage, which could lead to privileged access to the White House. On the other hand, Trump's Middle...

On 8 December 2024, the Assad regime in Syria was overthrown by a rebel alliance led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). The transitional government under Ahmad al-Sharaa now faces enormous economic, social and political challenges. It has yet to establish control over the country as a whole; and...