Russia
Belarus will propagate more anti-Western narratives
A powerful propaganda machine is being employed to change Belarusians' attitudes towards neighbouring countries
BelarusNorth Korean visit to Russia will boost flow of arms
North Korea's foreign minister will visit Russia this week and is likely to discuss the transfer of arms
RussiaRussia's dependence on trade with China will grow
Russia’s trade with China reached a record USD240bn in 2023
RussiaMoscow will target inflation ahead of election
Inflation slowed for the first time in seven months in December
RussiaVietnam will rethink its relations with Russia
Hanoi is Moscow’s closest partner in South-east Asia, but momentum in bilateral ties appears to be slowing
VietnamArmenia and Azerbaijan will import more arms
Baku and Yerevan are upgrading their militaries by increasing their imports of arms from a growing range of suppliers
ArmeniaRussian budget deficit will be smaller than expected
Although expenditure surged in December, soaring revenues mean that the 2023 deficit will be less than 1.5% of GDP
RussiaRussia’s car industry will struggle to recover
Western sanctions caused a severe crisis in the car manufacturing sector, leading to a collapse in output
Russia
