Pacific Money | Economy | South Asia Even as India-Russia energy trade witnessed significant growth, the rupee-ruble system could not gain traction as expected. Advertisement Recently, India and Russia decided to halt talks on reviving the Soviet-era rupee-ruble currency exchange mechanism after both sides failed to resolve teething troubles that hindered its successful implementation. In the wake of Western … Read more
TheStarsHub — This year’s G7 meeting in Japan holds special significance, not only for its location. The leaders of the world’s most advanced democracies are meeting in Hiroshima, the site of the world’s first ever nuclear attack – a fitting reminder of the risks of nuclear war as they discuss Russia and the conflict in … Read more
Advertisement Li Hui, China’s special representative on Eurasian affairs, has concluded talks in Ukraine, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday, without offering details on next steps in China’s bid to explore a negotiated resolution to the Russia-Ukraine War. Previously, China had announced that Li would visit Ukraine, Poland, France, Germany, and Russia “for … Read more
Advertisement The war in Ukraine is entering an uncertain but consequential phase. Ukrainian forces are preparing to mount a long-awaited counteroffensive that could see significant Russian military defeats, a costly setback to Ukraine, or a modified version of the status quo. Beijing is grappling with this uncertainty by expanding its diplomatic involvement and positioning itself … Read more
China Power | Diplomacy | East Asia Li Hui, a former ambassador to Moscow, will visit Ukraine, Poland, France, Germany, and Russia to discuss a political settlement to the war. Advertisement A Chinese envoy was preparing Monday to visit Ukraine and Russia, but there appeared to be little chance of a breakthrough to end the 15-month-long invasion. Chinese leader … Read more
Crossroads Asia | Economy | Central Asia The cost of electronics and household appliances in Russia may increase by 10-12 percent due to new restrictions at the Kazakh border. Advertisement In recent months, customs controls in Kazakhstan have tightened, and the effects are starting to be felt in Russia. As Astana tries to avoid secondary sanctions, the country has … Read more
Advertisement All five Central Asian presidents joined Russian President Vladimir Putin for the annual May 9 Victory Day parade. Alongside Putin and the presidents of Armenia and Belarus, the gathered presidents watched a scaled-down military parade at Red Square and placed flowers at the nearby Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The May 9 holiday marks … Read more
Advertisement Faced with dwindling gas sales to Europe, Russia has been re-routing its stranded gas reserves to countries like Uzbekistan, where infrastructure for pumping gas is already in place. This renewed cooperation presents both a problem and an opportunity for Tashkent. A flurry of recent bilateral meetings demonstrates that the Kremlin has been encouraging – … Read more
Advertisement Russia is unlikely to face criticism over its war in Ukraine at an upcoming meeting of Central Asian foreign ministers and instead could flex its influence with the regional group. The meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) ministers Friday in India’s picturesque state of Goa is the latest avenue for the host nation … Read more
Flashpoints | Diplomacy | South Asia New Delhi’s relationship with Moscow, its Cold War ally, has remained strong. But Beijing gaining more sway over Moscow could prove frustrating for India. Advertisement India’s foreign minister held talks Thursday with counterparts from China and Russia ahead of a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Goa, India. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said he … Read more