On Sunday, December 30th, the Kremlin press service reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin in a New Year’s message to his American counterpart Donald Trump confirmed Moscow’s openness to have a dialogue with Washington. 

“In a congratulatory message to the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, with Christmas, and New Year holidays in tow, Vladimir Putin stressed that Russian-American relations are critical to ensuring strategic stability and international security …

The Russian Ambassador in Washington, Anatoly Antonov stated that trade turnover between Russia and the United States during the last 10 months of 2018 increased by 16% compared to last year, reaching $23.3 billion, Russian news outlet EDaily reports. 

Antonov said that the United States ranked third among countries investing in the Russian economy and that businessmen working in the Russian market are greatly worried about anti-Moscow sanctions. However, they have no intention to leave a …

The Crimean Minister of Agriculture, Andrey Ryumshin stated, that in 2018, 200 thousand tons of grain were exported from Crimea to Syria and Russia. 

According to him, the supply of grain to Syria this year amounted to about 40 thousand tons. Additionally, Ryumshin emphasized that this year grain supplies from the Crimea halved due to drought. 

“Last year about 400 thousand tons of grain were exported out of Crimea, and this year about 200 thousand tons,” noted the Crimean minister. 

In 2017, …

Belgium has restricted the use of smartphones in the army because of treat of espionage from the Russian Federation, reported by the Belgian news agency Belga.

“We know that Russia is interested in obtaining mobile geolocation data. We are making efforts to prevent such activity and have been actively conducting explanatory work among the personnel for several years. But this does not seem enough yet,” said Colonel Carl Gillis, head of operations for the Belgian armed forces Chief of Staff. …

In an interview with Radio Krym (Crimea), Russian head of Crimea Sergei Aksenov said that he is considering the possibility of sending to Syria the Chornomornaftogaz drilling rigs which were captured during the annexation of Crimea.

“Today’s economy presupposes that if there are proposals from major players, who have certain resource capabilities, that would allow us to increase the number of facilities where we can produce oil and gas, then, of course, there is a possibility of public-private …

The Russian economy, which has been based almost exclusively on oil and gas exports since Soviet times, is now facing a countdown.

The old Soviet-era deposits are being rapidly depleted, and the country has been unable to find new deposits with oil that can be extracted easily and cheaply, reports finanz.ru.

The current levels of oil extraction in Russia “are inadequately ensured by the reserves of the deposits being developed,” according to a document titled “Strategy of the mineral raw …

British representatives refuted the statement made by the Russian Ambassador in London, Alexander Yakovenko, that allegedly the two countries agreed to gradually restore dozens of diplomats to their positions, expelled by both sides after the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury. 

“No new agreements have been made. Our position regarding Russian diplomatic presence in the UK has not changed after measures were taken after Salisbury. Work of our respective missions occurs in the …

US President Donald Trump’s criticism of the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is not a reason to stop the project, stated European Commissioner for Budget and Human Resources Günther Oettinger on December 28. He said that any attempts to prevent the construction will encounter serious opposition as the construction is already underway. 

Trump criticized Berlin for supporting the $11 billion gas pipeline. In July, he accused Germany of being Moscow's “hostage” because of the …