Sanctions

India's largest holding company, Reliance Industries, said it does not expect deliveries of Russian crude oil in January and has not received such shipments in the past three weeks. This could reduce India's imports of Russian oil to their lowest level in years.

The draft statement by Western allies states that multinational forces will ensure Ukraine's security in the air, at sea, and on land, and will guarantee the revival of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The US will lead ceasefire monitoring and support Ukraine in case of an attack.

International financial institutions predict a prolonged slowdown of the Belarusian economy until 2026 due to sanctions and dependence on Russia. GDP growth of 1.4–1.8% and inflation of 7–7.5% are projected under the baseline scenario.

A summit of Ukraine's allies is taking place in Paris, where EU leaders may prepare a joint statement on security guarantees. Progress is expected in defining the guarantees that allies can provide, as well as discussing a peace plan.

European officials are discussing sending 15,000-30,000 troops to Ukraine, with France and Great Britain leading the ground and air components, and Turkey ensuring the security of transport routes in the Black Sea, ahead of the summit in Paris, where specific commitments regarding Ukraine's security are expected.

Western sanctions have led to the freezing of approximately $500 million worth of Telegram bonds held in Russia. This demonstrates the messenger's financial vulnerability to the Russian market, despite the founder's attempts to distance himself from Russia.

The draft statement of the "Coalition of the Willing" provides for mandatory commitments to support Ukraine in the event of a future armed attack by Russia. This includes military, intelligence, logistical support, diplomatic initiatives, and sanctions.

The start of serial production of the Russian MC-21 aircraft, which has been under development since 2009, has been postponed again. Not a single serial aircraft has been produced for airlines yet, and the situation will not change until the end of 2026.

US President Donald Trump has stated his readiness to send troops to Venezuela if interim president Delcy Rodriguez stops cooperating with the US. He also noted that Rodriguez cooperated after a US military strike on the Venezuelan capital, which led to the capture of the country's leader, Nicolas Maduro.

Global oil prices fell on January 6, 2026, due to expectations of increased supply from Venezuela after the capture of Nicolas Maduro. Brent and WTI futures fell by 0.2% and 0.3% respectively.

Turkish President Erdogan insists on the country's reintegration into the F-35 program, which he discussed with Donald Trump. Ankara seeks to obtain the aircraft for which it has already paid part of the funds, but Israel opposes it due to the use of unique technologies in the aircraft.

Tankers with Venezuelan oil and fuel have left the country's territorial waters, ignoring the US naval blockade. This happened after President Donald Trump imposed a blockade on all sanctioned tankers in December 2025.

The Swiss government has frozen the assets of Nicolas Maduro and 37 of his associates for four years to prevent the withdrawal of illegally obtained funds. The sanctions do not apply to current members of the Venezuelan government, and Switzerland is ready to return illegal funds to the people.

A Russian strike severely damaged a civilian sunflower oil production plant in Dnipro, owned by the American company "Bunge". Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha stated that it was a deliberate attack, not a mistake.

Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine Oleksiy Kuleba has nominated Ihor Zelinsky for the position of head of the State Aviation Service, seeking to avoid an open competition. This comes ahead of the planned resumption of competitions for key government positions in the summer.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. predicts that the prospect of increased oil production in Venezuela following the US ouster of its leader could impact global oil prices. The recovery in production will be gradual due to infrastructure degradation, which increases the downside risks to the oil price forecast for 2027 and beyond.

Russian forces deployed a missile-carrying submarine to the open sea for the first time this year. The overall situation at sea has not undergone significant changes.

The European Commission plans to introduce digital infrastructure laws in 2026. The goal is to reduce the EU's dependence on foreign technology companies, which could lead to a conflict with Washington.

Venezuela's interim leader Delcy Rodriguez called on the US to cooperate after Donald Trump's warnings. Earlier, Rodriguez criticized the US operation and the capture of Nicolas Maduro, which provoked a harsh reaction from the American president.

World oil prices fell on January 5, despite geopolitical tensions following the detention of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The market remains stable due to an oversupply of global crude oil reserves.

US President Donald Trump has warned Venezuela's new leader, Delcy Rodriguez, of severe consequences if she does not change the country's political course. The statement comes amid preparations for the trial of ousted Nicolas Maduro in New York.

Hyundai Motor Co. Executive Chairman Chung Euisun predicted an extremely difficult period for the global automotive industry due to trade tensions, geopolitical conflicts, and increased competition. The company plans to invest 125 trillion won in new technologies over the next five years.

Russia continues to export LNG from the sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project in winter, using only one vessel. This highlights Moscow's critical dependence on its icebreaking fleet to circumvent Western restrictions.

Following the ouster of Nicolás Maduro in early 2026, international creditors have intensified their struggle to recover Venezuela's $150-170 billion foreign debt. The main players are China, Russia, bondholders, and energy giants, while restructuring is complicated by US sanctions and a lack of cooperation with the IMF.

Tensions in Venezuela and Donald Trump's statements regarding Iran have provoked expectations of rising oil prices. Venezuelan oil exports have almost stopped due to the US embargo, which led to a reduction in PDVSA's production.

The Serbian oil refinery NIS, owned by Russia and under US sanctions, will start operating on January 17 or 18. This became possible after receiving a temporary license from the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Treasury Department.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio believes it is too early to discuss holding elections in Venezuela. He noted that the US oil embargo on Venezuela will remain, and American troops could land.

At least 16 people have died in Iran during a week of unrest as protests against soaring inflation spread across the country, leading to violent clashes between demonstrators and security forces.

OPEC+ agreed to maintain stable oil production, despite an 18% price drop in 2025 and tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Eight countries raised their production targets by 2.9 million barrels per day from April to December 2025.

According to the results of 2025, Russia's foreign trade continued to degrade due to falling world energy prices and oil production quotas. The share of fuel and energy goods in exports decreased to 54.9%, and imports of investment goods decreased by 8.7%.