FLASH
Shkruar nga Paolo Valentino
Rising oil prices and the possibility of sanctions relief give Moscow a temporary advantage
According to an analysis by journalist Paolo Valentino for Corriere della Sera, the phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin has given the Kremlin leader an opportunity to return to the center of diplomatic developments related to the crisis in Iran.
After the conversation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Putin had put forward several proposals for mediation in the conflict and that these ideas were “still on the table.” Trump also indicated that the Russian president was willing to help reduce tensions in the region, although he added that his contribution would be more important if it ended the war in Ukraine.
The analysis highlights that Putin is trying to present himself as an indispensable actor in the Middle East, despite Russia having seen the weakening of some of its allies in the region, first in Syria and now in Iran. The current crisis has also brought Moscow an unexpected economic benefit: a sharp rise in oil and gas prices.
Following the escalation of the conflict and the risk of blocking the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most important energy corridors in the world, the price of oil has exceeded $100 per barrel.
About a fifth of the world's oil and gas supplies pass through the strait. For Russia, this increase is a huge boon, as the state budget for 2026 was based on a forecast of around $59 per barrel, forcing authorities to plan spending cuts and tax increases to finance the war in Ukraine.
In this context, the United States has also contributed to Russia's return to the diplomatic game. The US administration has signaled that it is considering a broad easing of sanctions on Russian oil, to increase global supply and curb rising energy prices. According to US officials, similar measures have already been taken for India, which has been temporarily allowed to buy Russian oil without facing additional tariffs.
However, analysts say the economic benefits for Russia may be limited in time. Former Russian Deputy Energy Minister Vladimir Milov, who lives in exile, estimates that to have a major impact on the Russian economy, high oil prices would need to remain at these levels for about a year.
Meanwhile, Putin is trying to exploit the situation in several directions at once: to present himself as a mediator in the Middle East, to maintain relations with Tehran, expressing support for the new Iranian leadership, and to use the additional income to continue military efforts in Ukraine.
However, according to the analysis of Corriere della Sera, this strategy remains fragile and uncertain. If the situation in the region changes quickly or if the US administration announces the end of the military operation against Iran, Moscow's current advantage could disappear as quickly as it was created.
Ta pyese mire bythen Trapi se Europa eshte shume e civiluzuar e kurve dhe e kethen pllaken e po u be bashke e gjitha edhe me Rusi, Canada, New Zealand, Australi, merr edhe Afriken si ish koloni e shume vende Arabe monarki e pastaj te thithe gishtin. Ose Amerika eshte ne gjendje ekonomike e mbytur me borxhe, ose si vendi me demokratik e liberal eshte krimbur nga brenda me rrugace, horra e parazite e spiunazh te huaj e dreqi e merr vesh, ose kujton se nuk i del kush perpara. Amerikanet jane popull qe kane nxjerre gangsterizem por jane popull qe te heqin edhe nga faqja e dheut. Me vjen keq per Amerikanet popull vital, puntor e i shkelqyer qe eshte bere shteti i tyre gazi i botes nga nje qe nuk i ve dot as emer. Jane popull qe jane kokeulur e punojne shume per te ndertuar jeten e tyre por kur u vjen ne maje te hundes nuk pyesin e te bejne gjemen. Pse, sepse jane ajka e botes qe emigroi t'i largohet diktaturave te cdo lloj sistemi e te ndertoje nje jete te re me mundin, djersen e mencurine e vet. Nuk me harrohet nje amerikane kur para ca vitesh puthi nje produkt Made in USA e u perlot se nuk ishte Made in China. Vertet jane perzierje racash, kombesh e relixhione por mbajne neper shtepi Flamurin e shtetit me krenari. Kam dashur te vendos ne shtepi Flamurin Shqiptar, me te bukurin por, me tallen qe te sorrollopi im shoket e komshinjte. Mire e tha i madhi Faik Konica, Shqiperi te kam dhjere...