Europe

Russia

Economics

Energy

Politics

EU member states approved the bloc's 18th sanctions package against Russia, introducing a revised dynamic oil price cap, expanded banking restrictions, sanctions on the Nord Stream gas pipelines and curbs on imports of oil products refined from Russian crude, Reuters reported on July 17.

EU, Russia: EU Approves 18th Sanctions Package Against Russia

Iraq

The Iraqi government will resume budget transfers to the Kurdistan Regional Government after reportedly reaching an agreement with the KRG on its financial dispute, Rudaw reported on July 17.

Iraq: Federal Government and KRG Reach New Agreement on Financial Disputes

Saudi Arabia

A unit of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund is bringing in consultants to review the feasibility of and suggest changes to The Line, a linear smart city contained within the larger Neom megaproject, Bloomberg reported on July 14.

Saudi Arabia: Consultants To Cut Aspects of The Line Megaproject

United States

Military & Security

An explosive-laden drone struck the Kurdistan region of Iraq's Sarang gas field in Dahuk province, Reuters reported on July 15.

Iraq: Drone Strike Causes Explosion at KRG Gas Field Operated by U.S. Company

Egypt

Libya

Turkey

Greece

Egypt asked the United States to press Libyan National Army field marshal Khalifa Hifter and Libya's eastern parliament not to approve the 2019 Turkey-Libya agreement establishing their maritime border, Middle East Eye reported on July 2.

Libya: Egypt Pushes U.S. To Pressure Eastern Libya Not To Ratify 2019 Libya-Turkey Maritime Agreement

Iran

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian enacted a law suspending Iran's cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iranian state media reported on July 2.

Iran: Tehran Formally Suspends Cooperation With IAEA

Republican senators struck down a controversial tax on solar and wind projects in the final version of their tax and spending megabill, which passed on July 1, Axios reported the same day.

U.S.: Controversial Solar and Wind Tax Scrapped as Senate Passes Megabill 

Environment, Science & Technology

The U.S. Senate removed a controversial moratorium on state-level artificial intelligence regulations from the Republicans' tax cut and spending "megabill" in a 99-1 vote after a compromise deal on the text fell apart, Politico reported on July 1.

U.S.: AI Regulation Moratorium Scrapped From U.S. Megabill, but Solar, Wind Tax Remains

The world is connected, but even the broadest topics deserve an individual look. Below are our latest and most relevant energy analyses.

Below are our latest and most relevant energy analyses.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Eurasia

Middle East and North Africa

South Asia

The Libyan Civil War

The Fight Against the Islamic State

The Politics of Pipelines

_Energy

Nigeria: Obstacles to Prosperity

The Battle for Mosul

A Crude Recovery

Broken Contracts in the Middle East

Russia's Internal Struggle

East African Integration

Snapshots

The sun sets behind electrical grids in the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah on Jan. 3, 2021. 

Power outages will likely worsen this summer amid Iraq's inability to meet surging demand and reliance on unreliable Iranian gas supplies, raising the risk of larger and potentially more violent protests.

Iraq's Worsening Electricity Crisis Risks Fueling Bigger Protests

Assessments

Bahrain

Kuwait

Oman

Qatar

United Arab Emirates

China

Global Trade

Over the next decade, Gulf Arab states will increase oil and gas exports to emerging Asian markets, seeking alternatives to the U.S. amid tariff uncertainty. But the region's military and tech ties with the U.S. will remain strong.

Geopolitics of Trade: Gulf Arab States Balance Diversification With Enduring U.S. Ties

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Georgia

A man walks past Azerbaijan's Embassy in Moscow on July 2, 2025. 

As the relationship between Azerbaijan and Russia sours, outside powers will embrace opportunities to increase their influence in the Caucasus.

 In the Caucasus, Russia's Sway Weakens Amid Quarrel With Azerbaijan

Israel

An oil tanker is seen at Saudi Arabia’s port of Ras al-Khair. 

Despite the ceasefire, the risk of a renewed conflict remains, which could again drive oil prices higher if Iran and/or its proxies begin attacking regional oil infrastructure and shipping.

Assessing the Oil Market Volatility Caused by the Israel-Iran War

A Northrop B-2 Spirit on July 4, 2020, near the White House in Washington. 

Even if carefully calibrated, Iranian retaliation of any form will risk inviting more U.S. strikes and greater escalation that could result in Iran following through on more of its significant threats against the regional oil and gas sector and/or the United States.

Iran's Retaliation Against the U.S. Will Likely Be Limited, but Will Still Risk Escalation

U.S.-Iran Relations

Italy

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni speaks to media during the closing press conference of the G7 Summit in Fasano, Italy, on June 15, 2024. 

Italy is seeking to embed its Mattei Plan into EU policy to gain support for its immediate goals of energy security and migration control, but structural issues will likely limit Rome's long-term influence in Africa.

Italy Syncs Its Mattei Plan for Africa With EU Initiatives

Columns

On Geopolitics

Palestinian Territories

Syria

Yemen

U.S. President Donald Trump (right) interacts with Oman Deputy Prime Minister Sayyid Asaad (second from right) as they prepare to pose for photos with leaders during the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Leaders' Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on May 14, 2025.

Despite Trump's recent sharp words on his predecessor's "forever wars," U.S. trade and energy interests will keep him engaged in the region, though in ways that rely more on economic and diplomatic leverage, as opposed to military campaigns.

Is the Era of U.S. Interventionism in the Middle East Over?

Indonesia

Singapore

Vietnam

France

French President Emmanuel Macron holds a press briefing during his trip to Singapore on May 30, 2025. 

The deals reached with Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam expand France's role in Southeast Asia amid shifting global trade and defense dynamics, a welcome development for a region increasingly pinned between the U.S. and China.

Macron's Southeast Asia Tour Deepens French Footprint in the Region

U.S.-China Relations

South Korea

Supporters of Kim Moon Soo, the opposition candidate running in South Korea's June 3 presidential election, react during a campaign event in Seoul on May 19, 2025.

A ruling party victory would portend a continuation of Yoon's pro-business, pro-U.S. policies, while an opposition victory would see Seoul focus more on improving domestic economic equity and increasing engagement with North Korea and China.

South Korea's Presidential Election: Potential Outcomes and Their Implications

Global Elections

Nigeria

A worker inspects an oil drilling platform located roughly 35 kilometers away from Port Harcourt in the Niger Delta. 

The recent drop in global oil prices risks exacerbating Nigeria's already high inflation, which would ripen socioeconomic conditions for protests and threaten to fuel recruitment by jihadist and bandit groups.

Can Nigeria Navigate Lower Oil Prices? 

Belarus

Kazakhstan

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary To Lam (L) address journalists following their talks in Moscow, Russia, on May 10, 2025, during celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. 

Vietnam is strengthening its relationships with Eurasian countries, especially Russia, as it looks to further diversify economic and energy ties away from great powers amid an unstable geopolitical landscape.

Russia-Vietnam Ties Are Set To Grow Following Lam's Eurasia Tour

The OPEC logo is seen outside the bloc's headquarters in Vienna, Austria, on Oct. 4, 2022.

The production boost will further decrease oil prices, which will provide some financial relief for oil-consuming countries affected by U.S. tariffs, while further straining the budgets of poorer oil producers like Iraq. 

The Mixed Economic Impact of OPEC's Production Increase

Energy

SITUATION REPORTS

EU, Russia: EU Approves 18th Sanctions Package Against Russia

Iraq: Federal Government and KRG Reach New Agreement on Financial Disputes

Saudi Arabia: Consultants To Cut Aspects of The Line Megaproject

Iraq: Drone Strike Causes Explosion at KRG Gas Field Operated by U.S. Company

Libya: Egypt Pushes U.S. To Pressure Eastern Libya Not To Ratify 2019 Libya-Turkey Maritime Agreement

Iran: Tehran Formally Suspends Cooperation With IAEA

U.S.: Controversial Solar and Wind Tax Scrapped as Senate Passes Megabill

U.S.: AI Regulation Moratorium Scrapped From U.S. Megabill, but Solar, Wind Tax Remains

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