United States

North Korea

South Korea

Economics

Energy

Military & Security

Politics

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung gave a speech in which he pledged to facilitate talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un by considering easing U.S.-South Korea military drills, Bloomberg reported on Dec. 3.

South Korea, U.S.: Lee Details Submarine Deal, Prepares for Trump-Kim Talks

Europe

Russia

Negotiators from EU member states, the European Parliament and the European Commission reached a provisional agreement to introduce a legally binding phaseout of Russian gas imports by the end of 2026 for liquefied natural gas and by fall 2027 for pipeline gas, according to a European Council statement on Dec. 2. 

EU, Russia: EU Finalizes Agreement for Accelerated Phaseout of Russian Gas and Oil Imports

As expected, OPEC+ agreed to keep production levels unchanged for the first three months of 2026 at its Nov. 30 production policy meeting. It also approved a new mechanism to assess production capacity for its members, which will be used to set production baselines for 2027.

Global: OPEC+ Keeps Production Levels Unchanged, Launches Review of Production Capacities

Lebanon

Cyprus

Lebanon and Cyprus agreed to a final maritime demarcation agreement, nearly two decades after an initial deal determined maritime zones in 2007, Reuters reported Nov. 26.

Lebanon, Cyprus: Maritime Demarcation Agreement Reached

Turkmenistan

Kazakhstan

India

Pakistan

Kazakhstan formally notified partners in the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) consortium of its intention to acquire an up to 30% stake in the long-delayed gas pipeline project, Interfax reported Nov. 25.

Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan: Astana Seeks 30% Stake in TAPI Pipeline Consortium

Mozambique

U.S. multinational energy company ExxonMobil announced that it had lifted force majeure on its $30 billion Rovuma LNG project, Reuters reported on Nov. 20.

Mozambique: ExxonMobil Lifts Force Majeure on Rovuma LNG in Major Boost to Maputo 

South Africa

Environment, Science & Technology

South Africa signed a memorandum of understanding with the European Union on the formation of a Clean Trade and Investment Partnership, or CTIP, and another on the development of critical mineral supply chains, Daily Maverick reported Nov. 21.

South Africa: Pretoria Strikes Clean Trade and Energy Partnership, MoU on Critical Minerals With EU

Iran

Saudi Arabia

Iran is terminating its September agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency that allowed for limited monitoring of nuclear facilities after the IAEA's board passed a resolution calling for Iran to report details about its enriched uranium, Bloomberg reported on Nov. 20, citing Iran's foreign minister. 

Iran: Tehran Terminates IAEA Inspection Agreement After IAEA Vote Against Enriched Uranium

U.S.-Iran Relations

The world is connected, but even the broadest topics deserve an individual look. Below are our latest and most relevant energy analyses.

Below are our latest and most relevant energy analyses.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Eurasia

Middle East and North Africa

South Asia

The Libyan Civil War

The Fight Against the Islamic State

The Politics of Pipelines

_Energy

Nigeria: Obstacles to Prosperity

The Battle for Mosul

A Crude Recovery

Broken Contracts in the Middle East

Russia's Internal Struggle

East African Integration

Assessments

Ukraine

Russia's President Vladimir Putin, accompanied by Kremlin economic envoy Kirill Dmitriev and Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, meets with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner at the Kremlin in Moscow on Dec. 2, 2025.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Fundamental disagreements between Ukraine and Russia over territorial concessions and security guarantees suggest that peace negotiations are unlikely to lead to a comprehensive breakthrough.

Despite U.S. Diplomatic Push, Ukraine Peace Still a Long Way Off

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hold a meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin on Sept. 1, 2025.

Global Trade

While Putin's Dec. 4-5 visit may yield some progress in defense, energy and trade cooperation, India will likely maintain selective engagement with Russia as it navigates U.S. pressure and continues diversifying its arms suppliers.

What To Expect as Putin Visits India

Honduras

China

Russian President Vladimir Putin greets Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for their bilateral meeting during the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit.

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: Putin-Modi Meeting, Honduras General Election

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev address participants of the 21st Russia-Kazakhstan Interregional Cooperation Forum via a video link during their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on Nov. 12, 2025. 

The deals signed during Kazakh President Tokayev's recent trip to Moscow will provide Astana with short-term stability but will limit its strategic autonomy and ability to further engage with the West, while heightening its exposure to Russian coercion.

What Russia's Courtship of Kazakhstan Says About the Shifting Balance of Power in Eurasia

Israel

United Arab Emirates

Yemen

Yemen's Houthi fighters man machine guns mounted on trucks as they participate in a weaponized protest staged against the United States and Israel on Nov. 6, 2025 in Sanaa, Yemen. 

Israel is expected to soon launch another offensive against Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis, which will risk reigniting the civil war and exposing Gulf countries and Red Sea shipping to retaliatory attacks.

What a Renewed Israel-Houthi Conflict Would Mean for Yemen and Gulf Security

Uzbekistan

Tajikistan

Kyrgyzstan

U.S. President Donald Trump (C), joined by lawmakers and members of his administration, delivers remarks during a dinner with leaders of Central Asian countries in the East Room of the White House on Nov. 6, 2025.

The recent C5+1 summit highlighted the U.S.'s desire to boost cooperation with Central Asian countries on trade and critical minerals, but the region's geography, governance and reliance on China and Russia will ultimately limit the impact of such efforts. 

The Promise and Limits of Increased U.S. Engagement in Central Asia

Entrance signage is seen at OPEC's headquarters in Vienna, Austria, on July 23, 2024.

Riyadh and its Gulf partners will likely prioritize OPEC+ unity and cooperation with Moscow on oil policy over boosting production to offset Russian supply losses from U.S. sanctions, even if it risks irking Washington.

Why Saudi Arabia Won't Backfill Russia's Sanctioned Oil Exports

Mali

Malian trucks carrying fuel are seen waiting to cross the border between Cote d'Ivoire and Mali on Oct. 31, 2025. 

In the likely case that the junta fails to lift the blockade on Bamako by force, rising internal tensions could ultimately fragment the country's security forces, potentially enabling the al Qaeda affiliate JNIM to assert control over the capital.

Mali's Junta Fights for Its Life as Jihadists Tighten Their Noose on Bamako

Brazil

The COP30 logo at the central building is seen ahead of the COP30 Brazil Amazonia 2025 on Nov. 3, 2025 in Belem, Brazil. 

Social Issues

The 30th U.N. Climate Change Conference is poised to highlight the enduring impasse between developed and developing nations, particularly regarding financial responsibilities and the transition from fossil fuels.

A Breakthrough on Climate Targets is Unlikely at Brazil's COP30

An aerial photo shows the Saudi capital of Riyadh.

An aspiring middle power, Riyadh must still balance ancient imperatives with modern challenges before it reaches the kind of geopolitical security enjoyed by neighbors like Turkey, Iran and Egypt.

The Modern Geopolitics of Saudi Arabia

A flag displaying the logo for Russia's Lukoil oil giant flies near a Russian flag in Moscow on Oct. 23, 2025.

The sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil aim to financially coerce Russia into negotiating a ceasefire in Ukraine, but patchy enforcement and continued Asian demand for Russian crude will limit the impact.

New U.S. Sanctions Strike at the Heart of Russia's War Economy

The Geopolitics of Trade

The recalibration of the European Union's sustainability framework will ease near-term compliance burdens and costs for businesses but preserve long-term uncertainty.

The Geopolitics of Trade: EU Steps Back From Ambitious Environmental Policies

Energy

SITUATION REPORTS

South Korea, U.S.: Lee Details Submarine Deal, Prepares for Trump-Kim Talks

EU, Russia: EU Finalizes Agreement for Accelerated Phaseout of Russian Gas and Oil Imports

Global: OPEC+ Keeps Production Levels Unchanged, Launches Review of Production Capacities

Lebanon, Cyprus: Maritime Demarcation Agreement Reached

Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan: Astana Seeks 30% Stake in TAPI Pipeline Consortium

Mozambique: ExxonMobil Lifts Force Majeure on Rovuma LNG in Major Boost to Maputo

South Africa: Pretoria Strikes Clean Trade and Energy Partnership, MoU on Critical Minerals With EU

Iran: Tehran Terminates IAEA Inspection Agreement After IAEA Vote Against Enriched Uranium

Forecasts

ANALYSES

SECTIONS

Explore

Subscribe

Help & Support