(Analysis) China’s push for influence in Central Asia

Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Central Asia has fallen largely under Russia’s sphere of influence. However, China has had its eye on the region in recent years and is increasing efforts to dominate the land mass as part of its narrative of rebuilding its historic glory as the “Middle Kingdom”.

From COP Host to OPEC+ Entrant: Brazil’s Strategic Diplomatic Dance

The article analyzes the unexpected nature of Brazil’s decision to join OPEC+. It does so by highlighting President Lula’s environmental commitments and Brazil’s growing role on the international stage.

The UAE’s Ambivalent Strategy: Between Oil Security And Green Transition

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) hosted in Abu Dhabi the 28th edition of the UN-sponsored Conference of the Parties (COP28), the largest global conference on climate change. The Emirates’ strategy is highly ambivalent, and mirrors a regional reality that is solidly tied to the oil trade but intends to repurpose itself as a global hub for new energy sources for the transition.

Uncle Nick: The New American Friend

The Ukrainian war skyrocketed the oil and gas prices, pushing the US inflation.
President Biden, as a pragmatic Democrat, started to revive the commercial relations with Venezuela, putting at stake his reputation on human rights.

The Geopolitical, Economic, and Environmental Impacts of TurkStream

On January 1, 2021, at a televised event held near Novi Sad, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic attended the opening ceremony for the Serbian section of the BalkanStream natural-gas pipeline, part of a larger project known as TurkStream which delivers Russian gas to Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Hungary.