Last minute Russian demands are stalling significant momentum in ongoing talks in Vienna to restore full Iranian and U.S. compliance with the 2015 multilateral Iran nuclear deal. The talks involve all seven parties to the deal—Iran and six powers referred to as the P5+1 (i.e. the United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom| The Soufan Center
Western sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine have caused global oil prices to spike as high as $130 per barrel recently, driving U.S. gasoline prices above $4 per gallon. U.S. officials agree that energy sanctions are necessary to compel Russian President Vladimir Putin to end military operations in Ukraine| The Soufan Center
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov recently declared that Russia’s territorial ambitions extend beyond the Donbas, the war-torn region of eastern Ukraine experiencing heavy fighting. The comment comes just a day after the U.S. intelligence community suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered his military to prepare to annex Russian-occupied territory| The Soufan Center