Brent and WTI crude futures rose by 35 and 34 cents respectively on the first trading day of 2026. This followed the largest annual decline since 2020, caused by drone attacks on Russian oil facilities and US sanctions against Venezuela.
The US calls on China for restraint and dialogue after large-scale military exercises around Taiwan. The State Department believes that China's military actions are unnecessarily escalating tensions in the region.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has vowed to defend the island's sovereignty, citing China's expansionist ambitions. This came after Beijing concluded live-fire military exercises off Taiwan's coast.
The Trump administration sanctioned four companies from Hong Kong and mainland China, as well as associated oil tankers, accusing them of evading sanctions against Venezuela. These measures are aimed at cutting off financial flows supporting the regime of Nicolas Maduro.
The first to welcome 2026 were Oceania and Asia, where celebrations are accompanied by pyrotechnic shows and traditional rituals. New Zealand greeted the year with a five-minute fireworks display over Sky Tower, while Sydney honored the victims of the terrorist attack with a minute of silence and projections on the Harbour Bridge.
Taiwan remains on high alert after the completion of large-scale Chinese military maneuvers "Mission Justice 2025". Despite the withdrawal of PRC ships, the island's coast guard continues enhanced monitoring of fleet movements.
New Year is already being celebrated in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. An hour before that, Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan welcomed the holiday.
In his New Year's address, Chinese leader Xi Jinping announced that the country had reached "new heights" in economy, technology, and defense. He emphasized the inevitability of Taiwan's annexation and reaffirmed the course for an internal party purge.
The US Coast Guard has suspended its pursuit of the tanker Bella 1, suspected of violating sanctions against Venezuela. The ship's crew painted a Russian flag on board, complicating the seizure operation.
Oil prices were little changed on Wednesday but are expected to fall by more than 15% over 2025. This is due to fears of oversupply, despite wars, tariffs, and sanctions.
The European Union plans to impose a 20th package of sanctions against Russia on the fourth anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine. Measures will include travel restrictions, asset freezes, and sanctions in the energy and banking sectors.
The Federation Council of the Russian Federation approved a resolution codifying the Kremlin's foreign policy course for long-term confrontation with the West. The document provides for the reorientation of foreign relations to Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, stated that Putin is trying to withdraw from the peace process. He believes that Russia has already lost geopolitically, becoming a raw material appendage of China.
In France, a ban on the production and sale of cosmetics and most clothing containing dangerous "forever chemicals" PFAS comes into force. The French law, approved in February, prohibits the production, import or sale of such products from January 2026, with the exception of some industrial textiles.
Thailand released 18 Cambodian soldiers on December 31 after 155 days in captivity, signaling a warming of relations. The repatriation was facilitated by ASEAN and the ICRC.
Discounts on Russian oil at export terminals again approached historical highs, reducing margins and leading to losses. More than half of Russian oil companies are eligible for zero or reduced mineral extraction tax rates.
Venezuela has begun shutting down wells in the Orinoco region, home to the world's largest oil fields, due to the blockade by the administration of US President Donald Trump. PDVSA aims to cut production in Orinoco by at least 25% to 500,000 barrels per day.
China called on all parties to refrain from escalation and promote de-escalation of the situation after Russia's statements. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian emphasized the need to create conditions for a political settlement.
New Year on the planet lasts almost a day, starting from the Line Islands in the Pacific Ocean and ending in Samoa. Find out the exact time of the 2026 New Year celebration in different countries of the world according to Kyiv time.
China calls for a new model of interaction with the US, seeking to solidify a warming in relations, but emphasizes its unchanged position on Taiwan. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated his support for the "healthy, stable, and sustainable development" of relations, without compromising on issues of core interests.
Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to rebuild trust and strengthen a ceasefire following border clashes. The talks took place in China, where foreign ministers discussed the border situation.
Brent crude futures rose 2. 1% to $61.91, while WTI gained 2.3% to $58.03. This came amid talks between the Ukrainian and US presidents on ending the war and potential oil supply disruptions in the Middle East.
China has launched live-fire military exercises around Taiwan after the US announced a major arms package for the island. The exercises, dubbed "Mission Justice-2025," involve the army, navy, air force, and rocket forces, serving as a "stern warning" against separatist forces.
The Russian fashion industry has not capitalized on the departure of international brands, facing falling demand and store closures in 2024–2025. Instead of developing its own production, the market has been flooded with imported goods, and businesses are losing profitability.
From 2027, cars sold in China will have manual door unlocking due to electronic handle failures during accidents. New regulations require all vehicles weighing up to 3.5 tons to have both internal and external handles with mechanical emergency release.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed decrees on synchronizing sanctions with Great Britain against 8 individuals and 40 legal entities involved in the deportation of children and the supply of components for Russian weapons. Ukraine also imposed sanctions against 8 military leaders of South Sudan in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.
President Zelenskyy stated that China is not ready to join the peace process. He emphasized that China has increased imports of Russian energy resources, thus financing the war.
Lithuania officially completed the procedure of withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention on December 27, which allows it to use and produce anti-personnel mines. The country plans to spend hundreds of millions of euros on the purchase and production of tens of thousands of units of ammunition.
China's cyber regulator has unveiled draft rules to strengthen oversight of artificial intelligence services that mimic human personality and stimulate emotional dependence among users. Developers are obliged to control addiction, ensure safety, and protect data.
World oil prices for Brent and WTI fell by more than 2% due to expectations of a significant supply surplus in 2026 and US diplomatic activity. Traders are selling off contracts ahead of the Zelenskyy-Trump meeting, where a peace plan will be discussed.
