🇷🇺🤝🇺🇸 All eyes on the Russia-US talks: stay updated

🟠No preliminary statements were made by the participants to the press

🟠Economic progress between Moscow and Washington could be achieved within 2-3 months

🟠US companies lost $300 billion after exiting Russia

🟠US oil companies may eventually return to Russia

🟠Saudi Arabia is represented at the talks by Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and National Security Adviser Musaed bin Mohammed al-Aiban

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💸Russia's ruble reaches UNPRECEDENTED DOMINANCE in foreign trade with Europe

The ruble accounted for a staggering 60.3% of payments for Russian exports and 54.5% for imports last year, driven by the ongoing dedollarization effort, according to Sputnik's analysis of Central Bank of Russia data.

This marks a significant increase from 2023, when European companies settled 49.3% of their transactions for Russian goods and services in rubles and received 47.2% of their export payments in the same currency.

In a strategic shift to reduce reliance on "toxic" currencies like the dollar and euro, the ruble has also become the preferred currency in trade with African nations, making up 55.4% of payments for exports to Russia and 48.8% for imports.

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❗️Russia-US talks in Riyadh have just begun, it is too early to give assessment - Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov

The Kremlin's take on the Russia-US talks:

🟠Global interest in the Russian-US talks in Riyadh is understandable, but since the talks have just begun, it's too early to draw any conclusions.

🟠Russia is focused on a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine, unlike Europe and the previous U.S. administration.

🟠For Russia, the key thing is achieving its goals regarding the situation in Ukraine, preferably by peaceful means.

🟠As of now, no agreement has been reached on possible dates for a Putin-Trump summit.

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❗️Russian troops liberated the settlement of Yampolovka in the Donetsk People's Republic, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

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❗️The Caspian Pipeline Consortium’s Kropotkinskaya oil pumping station, through which oil is transported to the US market, was significantly damaged in yesterday's Ukrainian drone attack said Russian oil company Transneft which runs the pipeline.

Seven UAVs were used in the strike, armed with explosives and metal shrapnel designed to increase the destructive impact.

The damage will take approximately one-and-a-half to two months to repair, potentially leading to a reduction in oil transit from Kazakhstan by around 30%.

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⏰60 minutes to decide: Zelensky faces US pressure over resources

The US gave Volodymyr Zelensky ONE HOUR to consider an agreement that would transfer Ukraine's mineral resources to the US, according to The Economist.

Last week, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent visited Kiev and handed Zelensky a financial agreement that the Ukrainian president reportedly refused to sign. Additionally, Zelensky declined US Vice President JD Vance’s proposal to grant the US access to Ukraine’s mineral resources. Zelensky had hoped to discuss financial support with Bessent, but instead, he was unexpectedly presented with a memorandum.

On February 3, President Donald Trump stated that the US expects guarantees from Ukraine for rare earth metal supplies in exchange for financial and military assistance. The following day, The Financial Times reported that Zelensky had considered giving the US access to these resources, while also expressing readiness to allow US investment in Ukrainian mining.

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