The European Commission has launched an investigation into Amazon and Microsoft's cloud services to determine whether they should be subject to the Digital Markets Act. A decision is expected within 12 months, and if the conclusion is positive, the companies will have six months to comply with the requirements.
Russia's metallurgical industry is declining due to export restrictions, a high key rate, and competition from Chinese manufacturers. This economic cooling is forcing major players to curtail investment programs.
US President's envoy to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, calls on European allies to take a more aggressive stance on Moscow and use frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine. This move would provide support to Ukraine for years and signal a new, bolder phase in European politics.
Wright USA, an insurance company that insured FBI and CIA agents, was acquired by China's Fosun Group. This gave it access to the personal data of US secret service employees.
European leaders will gather on December 18 for the last EU summit in 2025 to address Ukraine's funding, aiming to avoid a funding shortfall by mid-next year. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for coordinated action, warning of costly alternatives.
The US Treasury Department said that sanctions against Rosneft and Lukoil are already reducing Russia's oil revenues. The analysis showed that these measures are aimed at reducing the financing of Russia's military efforts against Ukraine.
US President Donald Trump has supported the advancement in Congress of a bipartisan bill on sanctions against Russia. The bill will provide Trump with more tools to stop the bloodshed in Ukraine, allowing for the imposition of secondary sanctions and tariffs against countries that buy Russian oil and gas.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna stated that only new sanctions can stop Russia's war against Ukraine. Moscow finances its war economy through energy exports and the purchase of technologies via third countries.
A group of Republican congressmen appealed to the US Attorney General with a request to check the possible use of Orthodox communities in the US by Russian special services. This is related to the lobbying activities of the Russian Orthodox Church abroad.
US President Donald Trump will support the bill on sanctions against Russia if he is given the right to ultimately determine their application. The White House will seek clear provisions in the bill that will ensure Trump's decisive influence on the imposition of sanctions.
Belgium has purchased autonomous Blaze drones from the Latvian company Origin Robotics to detect and neutralize enemy aircraft. This is part of a 50 million euro package of measures aimed at countering drones after a series of incidents.
American oil corporation Chevron is considering acquiring the foreign assets of Russia's Lukoil, which is under US sanctions. The company may be interested in assets where their interests already overlap, particularly in Kazakh fields and a Nigerian project.
The German government will lift its ban on the sale of some weapons to Israel from November 24, following the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip. Germany had suspended deliveries after Israel approved a ground offensive to capture Gaza City.
The US Congress has begun work on a bipartisan bill on sanctions against Russia. It will give President Trump the right to impose secondary sanctions and tariffs against countries that buy Russian oil and gas.
Oil prices remain stable after the resumption of operations at Russia's export hub in Novorossiysk. This followed a two-day hiatus caused by a Ukrainian attack on the Black Sea port.
The Iraqi government plans to appeal to the US Treasury Department for a six-month waiver of sanctions against Lukoil. This would provide more time to sell the company's stake in the West Qurna-2 oil field.
Air India will resume direct flights between New Delhi and Shanghai from February 1, 2026, returning to mainland China after nearly six years. This comes amid a de-escalation of ties between New Delhi and Beijing.
Russian authorities have added former Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov and economist Sergei Guriev to the list of "extremists and terrorists. " This allows their bank accounts to be frozen and labels them as a threat to the state.
On November 17, the EU Council approved an updated mechanism for suspending visa-free travel for citizens of third countries. The amended rules will allow the EU to react more quickly to abuses of the visa-free regime, including new grounds for activation and a simplified launch of the mechanism.
At the Dubai Airshow, the Russians presented the Forpost-RE drone, a copy of the Israeli IAI Searcher Mk II, and the Pantsir-SMD-E air defense system. Both developments, according to Moscow, meet the current challenges of modern conflicts.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen sent a letter to EU leaders assessing Ukraine's funding needs for 2026-2027. This amount is 135.7 billion euros, based on the assumption that the war will end in 2026.
The price of Urals oil fell to $36. 61 per barrel, the lowest since March 2023, ahead of US sanctions against Rosneft and Lukoil. This drop will reduce tax revenues to the Russian budget, which funds the war against Ukraine.
India has signed its first long-term agreement with the United States to import 2. 2 million tons of liquefied petroleum gas next year. This will strengthen energy ties and help New Delhi conclude a trade deal with Washington.
The European Commission has offered Belgium significant guarantees regarding a €140 billion loan to Ukraine to protect it from the legal and financial consequences of using Russian assets. EU countries are ready to assume the risks of Russian retaliation, including those arising from bilateral investment treaties.
Ukrainian intelligence has published OSINT hackathon data on foreign equipment in Russian weapons production, which is already being used for sanctions initiatives. Equipment from Japan, China, and Taiwan has been found at Russian enterprises producing missiles and aerial bombs.
The European Union has offered Ukraine €90 billion in funding in the form of a grant or a loan backed by EU debt. This will happen if countries fail to approve the desired plan to use frozen Russian assets.
Russian "Gazprom" is developing detailed design documentation for the "Power of Siberia-2" gas pipeline to China, which will transport 50 billion cubic meters of gas per year. The cost of design work can reach 5-10% of the total budget, which is estimated at more than 30 billion dollars.
Oil prices fell to $63. 95 per barrel on November 17 due to the resumption of loading at a key export hub in Russia. Brent futures fell by 0.68%, and WTI by 0.8%.
US President Donald Trump said that Republicans are considering a Senate bill on sanctions against countries that do business with Russia. The document provides for tariffs of up to 500% on imports from countries that buy Russian energy carriers and do not support Ukraine, including China and India.
Russia's fossil fuel exports in October fell to their lowest levels since the start of the full-scale war, amounting to 524 million euros per day. This is 4% less than in September, due to Ukrainian attacks and international sanctions.
