Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh announced that Ukraine has put in a request to purchase Iran’s crude oil. Zanganeh added “the Ukrainian side insists on becoming a transit hub for transferring Iranian oil and gas to Eastern Europe”. Source: Hellenic Shipping News
Vladimir Putin has said that Russia finds the Kosovo authorities’ decision to create their own army regrettable and sees it as another risk of destabilization of the situation in the Balkans.
“Regrettably, Kosovo’s authorities took a series of provocative steps lately, thus greatly aggravating the situation. In the first place I have in mind their decision of December 14 to form a so-called army in Kosovo,” Putin told a news conference. “It goes without saying that this is a direct violation of the UN resolution, which does not allow for the creation of any paramilitary forces except for the international UN contingent.”
“Such irresponsible steps by Kosovo’s authorities may cause destabilization in the Balkans,” he warned. Source: Tass
Angela Merkel’s replacement as leader of Germany’s Christian Democrats has criticised the country’s leading environmental organisations for leading “crusades” against diesel cars, as she attempts to put distance between herself and her predecessor. Source: The Guardian
Turkey’s daily natural gas consumption reached a historic record high at 245 million cubic meters on Jan. 8, the energy minister said on Jan. 9. Source: Hurriyet Daily
