Bart Gaens

Hydrocarbon revenues remain central to Russia’s economic resilience and its ability to finance the war against Ukraine. Although Russia is less dependent on oil and gas than many petrostates—and hydrocarbon revenues now account for roughly one-third of federal budget income, down from 50% in the 2010s—oil and gas continue to function as the backbone of the Russian economy.

This study examines how Chinese online narratives frame Russia and its war in Ukraine, showing how these sustain, complicate, or undermine the partnership of the two countries. It highlights three broad categories of narratives: positive, pragmatic, and negative. These narratives interact in contradictory ways, reflecting both popular opinion and the strategic calculations of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

President Macron's speech this week set out how French nuclear forces might play a central role in a more autonomous European defence. By increasing the number of nuclear warheads and showing willingness to implement a 'forward deterrence' posture to European partners, Macron delivered a strong vision of a Europe ready to defend itself in face of uncertainty from the east and the west.