OPEC+ steps up to curb Russian market manipulation

Oil sanctions combined with increased efforts by the coalition to enforce them and falling oil prices have brought Western shippers and insurers back to transporting Russian resources under the price cap. Russia’s costs are rising, and revenues are falling.

"The bill proposing 500% tariffs puts pressure on Russia and the world: if no progress is made, Congress may receive White House approval to vote, and the government could implement it."

Those who have long "sat on the fence" now have their own motivation to join the pressure, as the choice between 500% tariffs or abandoning Russian oil will force them to make difficult economic decisions. It is easier to pressure Moscow, which, with such lukewarm support from the Trump administration, has fewer opportunities for manipulation.

The EU is launching a diplomatic charm offensive at the most influential Asian defense forum, moving beyond Macron’s previous messages and drawing comparisons between Ukraine, Taiwan, and the Philippines, adding incentives. Europeans offer trade, defense cooperation, and do not demand choosing between China and the U.S.

On the international track, things are unexpectedly moving toward cautious optimism. But the situation remains so tense and full of mistakes that any single event could tip the balance either way.

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About the author. Ahiia Zahrebelska, Ukrainian lawyer, former Commissioner of the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (2015–2019), Director of Partnerships and Cooperation at the Economic Security Council of Ukraine.

The editorial team does not always share the opinions expressed by blog or column authors.