News about International trade
In the first half of 2026, the European Union imported more liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia’s flagship “Yamal LNG” project than ever before. EU purchases reached a record 9.89 million metric tons in the first six months of the year—an 18% increase over the same period last year. According to Urgewald, Europe paid up to €6 billion for the shipments.
Moldovan wine exports to Canada fell sharply in 2025, despite the opportunities created by a sharp decline in shipments from the United States. According to Comtrade data, the value of Moldovan wines exported to the Canadian market fell to $4.07 million from $5.49 million in 2024, representing a decline of approximately 26%.
Bitcoin fell on Monday, remaining under pressure amid renewed tensions between the U.S. and Iran, which prompted markets in general to shy away from speculative, non-yielding assets such as cryptocurrencies.
Prodlacta Brașov, a company owned by the Moldovan JLC Group, has made it into the top ten largest dairy producers in Romania.
Beekeepers in Moldova hope to harvest at least 5,000 metric tons of honey this year. This is on par with the best seasons of the current decade and significantly higher than the 2025 honey harvest. Last year, Moldova harvested less than 3,000 metric tons of marketable honey.
The European Union (EU) is developing a special financial mechanism to reduce its economic dependence on China.
The death of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the key authors of the bill on new sanctions against Russia, could complicate the initiative’s progress in the U.S. Congress. His office announced the death of the Republican senator from South Carolina. U.S. President Donald Trump also confirmed the news.
Russia has temporarily suspended the acceptance of applications for ships to pass through the Kerch Strait and halted shipping on the Don-Azov Canal following attacks by Ukrainian drones on Russian vessels in the Sea of Azov.
Attacks on Ukraine’s port infrastructure are hampering grain exports. The situation could worsen in the fall, when the new harvest hits the market.
The number of Ukrainian citizens benefiting from temporary protection in European Union countries continues to rise. As of the end of May, their number reached 4.38 million, an increase of 7,800 compared to April, according to data from the EU’s statistical office (Eurostat).
Germany has faced an unexpected consequence of its decision to stop using Russian gas. The system of mandatory filling of underground gas storage facilities, established after the energy crisis to ensure the reliability of supplies, has now itself become a source of additional costs and debate about the future of the gas market.
MILAN — At the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney described a “rift” in the global order and called on middle powers to “act collectively.” He warned that while great powers may (for now) afford to “go it alone” in this new Hobbesian world, middle powers must come to the negotiating table. Otherwise, they risk ending up “on the menu.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has lowered its estimates for global grain production and ending stocks, but raised its forecast for grain exports in the 2026/27 marketing year.
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that on Friday night, the Russian military carried out a coordinated strike on port infrastructure facilities in the Odesa region that were being used to receive, store, and transship military cargo.
Romania’s first new warship in 36 years has arrived in Constanța. The Turkish-built corvette *Contraamiral August Roman* entered Romanian waters after being commissioned in Istanbul in June. Defense Minister Radu Miruță returned on board from the NATO summit.
Global wheat prices rose sharply following a series of Ukrainian strikes against Russian ships in the Sea of Azov. On Friday, wheat futures on the CBOT in Chicago rose 2.14% to $6.33 per bushel, the highest level since late May. The September contract on the Euronext exchange in Paris gained about 3%.
Gasoline production in Russia has fallen to about 65% of the average seasonal consumption level. The problem arose amid Ukrainian drone attacks on energy infrastructure and the shutdown of several major oil refineries.
Moldova has announced that it will officially open negotiations on EU accession under Cluster 6, “External Relations.”
During a meeting in Chisinau, Corina Călugaru, State Secretary of the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ulvi Bahshaliyev, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Moldova, discussed the current state of bilateral relations and prospects for expanding cooperation in the economic, energy, agriculture, and transportation sectors.
On October 1, Sotheby’s will hold its first-ever auction in Paris dedicated exclusively to wines from the French estate Château Haut-Brion.
