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U.S.-Based Orange Juice Importer Sues Over Trump’s 50% Tariff on Brazilian Goods

Orange juice prices in the U.S. are already high. The suit argues that the tariff would lead to retail price hikes of up to 25 percent.

© Smith Collection, via Associated Press

Brazil, the world’s largest exporter of orange juice, supplies most of the fresh juice sold in the United States.

Bloomberg: EU sanctions squeeze Rosneft’s Indian refiner — buyers now forced to pay in advance

eu sanctions squeeze rosneft’s indian indian refinery mumbai russian allies refiner — buyers now forced pay advance nayara's refinery nayara energy rosneft-linked oil payment rules changed after bloomberg reports mumbai-based part-owned rosneft demands upfront documentary

Rosneft-linked oil payment rules changed after EU sanctions, Bloomberg reports. Mumbai-based Nayara Energy, the Indian refinery part-owned by Rosneft, now demands upfront payment or documentary letters of credit from buyers, showing how far-reaching the latest EU sanctions package is.

The change comes in direct response to the European Union’s latest round of sanctions targeting Russian-linked energy trade. These measures include a stricter price cap on Russian crude, curbs on products derived from Russian petroleum, and restrictions on affiliated banks and shipping. Though Nayara had previously avoided direct sanctions, the new EU package now targets the company more explicitly.

Nayara tightens oil deal terms after new EU measures

Nayara Energy Ltd., a key Indian refinery partially owned by Russia’s Rosneft, is now requiring advance payments or documentary letters of credit for upcoming oil shipments. According to Bloomberg, the shift was revealed in a revised tender document for a naphtha cargo scheduled for next month. The previous version of the tender included no such financial requirements. Naphtha is a fraction of crude oil, used for further petrochemical production.

Kpler analyst Zameer Yusof told Bloomberg the move “underscores how far-reaching the latest tranche of EU sanctions are.” He said the advance payment condition likely reflects fears that buyers may back out of deals or that banks could refuse to clear transactions involving sanctioned entities. 

In a weekend statement, Rosneft claimed that the EU’s new measures as “unjustified and illegal.” Meanwhile, Nayara insisted that operations remain normal and said it is “exploring all legal and appropriate avenues” to respond to the situation.

India’s role in Russian crude trade under pressure

India has become one of the largest importers of Russian crude since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. As Western buyers turned away, Indian refiners stepped in to process Russian oil, including into diesel and other products that were then exported globally. Until now, Nayara had continued those operations without direct interference from sanctions.

The EU, UK, and US have issued multiple waves of restrictions targeting Russia’s energy sector in hopes of undercutting funding for the war.
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Ukraine Ups Its Arms Production, Asking Allies to Pay for It

There is a growing drive to make the country more self-reliant in weapons manufacturing as it faces Russia’s superior firepower. That requires a lot of money from Western backers.

© Brendan Hoffman for The New York Times

An employee at Ukrainian Armor working on a vehicle in its factory this month in central Ukraine.

How Much Military Aid Has the U.S. Given to Ukraine? Here’s What to Know.

The United States began sending weapons to Ukraine years before Russia invaded in 2022.

© Tyler Hicks/The New York Times

The 148th separate artillery brigade of Air Assault Forces fire a French 155-millimeter self-propelled howitzer at a Russian target in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine in April.

How Much Military Aid Has the U.S. Given to Ukraine? Here’s What to Know.

The United States began sending weapons to Ukraine years before Russia invaded in 2022.

© Tyler Hicks/The New York Times

The 148th separate artillery brigade of Air Assault Forces fire a French 155-millimeter self-propelled howitzer at a Russian target in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine in April.

Trump’s Shift on Ukraine Is Good News for Europe, for Now

After European leaders stepped up military spending, President Trump aligned himself more closely with them on the war. But his tariff threats have left bruises.

© David Guttenfelder/The New York Times

Firefighters in Odesa, Ukraine, this month after a Russian strike. President Trump warned Moscow that he would impose new economic punishments if it did not agree to a peace deal within 50 days.

Ukraine Will Get U.S. Weapons in a New Way. Here’s What We Know.

NATO allies will buy arms, then give them to Ukraine, President Trump said.

© Doug Mills/The New York Times

President Trump with Mark Rutte, the NATO secretary general, left, at the White House on Monday.

Behind Trump’s Tough Talk on Russia and Putin, Doubts and Missing Details

Pentagon officials said details were still being worked out, and experts doubted Mr. Trump’s threat of huge tariffs for Russian trading partners.

© Tyler Hicks/The New York Times

Ukrainian soldiers near the front lines in the Kharkiv region in May.

Behind Trump’s Tough Talk on Russia and Putin, Doubts and Missing Details

Pentagon officials said details were still being worked out, and experts doubted Mr. Trump’s threat of huge tariffs for Russian trading partners.

© Tyler Hicks/The New York Times

Ukrainian soldiers near the front lines in the Kharkiv region in May.

Trump Threatens Russia With Sanctions and Vows U.S. Weapon Support for Ukraine

The president also warned Russia that he would impose a new round of punishing sanctions if it did not agree to a peace deal within 50 days.

© Doug Mills/The New York Times

President Trump in the Oval Office with Mark Rutte, NATO’s secretary general, on Monday.

Trump Threatens Russia With Sanctions and Vows U.S. Weapon Support for Ukraine

The president also warned Russia that he would impose a new round of punishing sanctions if it did not agree to a peace deal within 50 days.

© Doug Mills/The New York Times

President Trump in the Oval Office with Mark Rutte, NATO’s secretary general, on Monday.

Trump Is Expected to Announce New Weapons Pipeline for Ukraine

Under the plan, other NATO countries would buy U.S.-made arms, then give them to Ukraine to defend itself against Russia. NATO’s secretary general was set to meet Mr. Trump on Monday.

© David Guttenfelder/The New York Times

Firefighters on the scene of a Russian attack on a neighborhood next to a military recruitment center in Odesa, Ukraine, on Saturday.

Trump Says NATO Countries Will Buy Weapons to Give to Ukraine

If the plan is finalized, it would allow critical aid to flow to Ukraine as it endures one of Russia’s heaviest assaults of the war.

© Nicole Tung for The New York Times

Ukrainian soldiers firing American-made munitions, last year.

Trump’s Frustration With Putin Preceded Resumption of U.S. Weapons to Ukraine

President Trump lashed out at the Russian leader on Tuesday, signaling a change in his posture toward the conflict.

© David Guttenfelder/The New York Times

Ukrainian rescue workers carry the body of a victim of a Russian air bombing from an apartment building in Kramatorsk, in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, last month.

Trump’s Frustration With Putin Preceded Resumption of U.S. Weapons to Ukraine

President Trump lashed out at the Russian leader on Tuesday, signaling a change in his posture toward the conflict.

© David Guttenfelder/The New York Times

Ukrainian rescue workers carry the body of a victim of a Russian air bombing from an apartment building in Kramatorsk, in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, last month.

Trump’s Frustration with Putin Preceded Resumption of U.S. Weapons to Ukraine

President Trump lashed out at the Russian leader on Tuesday, signaling an change in his posture toward the conflict.

© David Guttenfelder/The New York Times

Ukrainian rescue workers carry the body of a victim of a Russian air bombing from an apartment building in Kramatorsk, in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, last month.

Trump’s Frustration with Putin Preceded Resumption of U.S. Weapons to Ukraine

President Trump lashed out at the Russian leader on Tuesday, signaling an change in his posture toward the conflict.

© David Guttenfelder/The New York Times

Ukrainian rescue workers carry the body of a victim of a Russian air bombing from an apartment building in Kramatorsk, in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, last month.

Europe’s Dilemma: Build a Military Industry or Keep Relying on the U.S.

Europeans have agreed to pay more for arms and want to spend it at home. But can its manufacturers rush to compete with dominant U.S. firms?

© Davide Monteleone for The New York Times

A large-scale NATO military exercise involving nine allied nations, earlier this year.

Pause in U.S. Weapons Deepens Ukrainian Concerns as Russian Attacks Grow

The suspension includes air defense interceptors, and it will directly affect Ukraine’s ability to fend off escalating Russian air assaults.

© Tyler Hicks/The New York Times

A Soviet-era antiaircraft cannon operated by Ukraine’s 59th Assault Brigade in Dnipropetrovsk region in June. Only U.S.-made Patriot missiles can see off the most advanced Russian attacks.

EU seals new trade deal with Ukraine, key details still pending

EU seals new trade deal with Ukraine, key details still pending

The European Union has reached a long-term trade agreement with Ukraine, marking the end of wartime trade liberalisation measures, though key details of the deal remain undisclosed.

EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic and Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen announced the agreement on June 30, calling it a "predictable" and "reciprocal" framework. However, they did not reveal the final quotas or volumes included in the deal. Sefcovic noted that the finer points would be finalised "in the coming days."

The new deal replaces the autonomous trade measures (ATMs) that allowed Ukrainian agri-food exports to enter the EU tariff-free since 2022. Those temporary measures expired on June 5, reinstating pre-war trade conditions for a brief period.

Structured in three tiers, the new framework introduces modest increases in quotas for products considered sensitive by EU member states, such as eggs, poultry, sugar, wheat, maize, and honey. A second group of products—including butter, skimmed milk powder, oats, barley, malt, and gluten—will see their quotas adjusted to reflect peak import levels reached since the start of the war. A third category, which includes items such as whole milk powder, fermented milk, mushrooms, and grape juice, will be fully liberalised.

Once finalised, the text of the agreement will be submitted to the Council for ratification.

Sefcovic said negotiations concluded over the weekend, less than a month after formal talks began. However, some critics claim the EU delayed the process to avoid backlash from farmers ahead of Poland’s presidential election.

The agreement also benefits EU producers, granting them greater access to the Ukrainian market for goods like pork, poultry, and sugar. But Hansen made it clear that expanded access for Ukrainian exports will depend on Ukraine’s compliance with EU agricultural standards by 2028, including rules on animal welfare and pesticide use. "This commitment also fits perfectly with Ukraine's EU accession path," he said.

The deal includes safeguard provisions, allowing the EU or individual member states to restrict imports if domestic markets face serious disruptions. “Both EU and Ukrainian producers deserve a stable and predictable basis for the future development of bilateral trade,” Hansen added.

Smashing previous monthly record, Russia launches 5,337 kamikaze drones against Ukraine during June
Russia launched a record 5,337 Shahed-type drones against Ukraine in June, according to data from the Ukrainian Air Force and Dragon Capital, smashing the previous record of 4,198 set in March. Russia’s bombardments, a fact of life after three years of full-scale war, have intensified dramatically in May
EU seals new trade deal with Ukraine, key details still pendingThe Kyiv IndependentYuliia Taradiuk
EU seals new trade deal with Ukraine, key details still pending

Moscow deepens reliance on its key war supplier by ramping up massive aluminum exports

china-minerals

Moscow has become even more economically dependent on Beijing. Russia’s aluminum exports to China surged 56% in the first five months of 2025, nearly reaching 1 million metric tons, Bloomberg reports.

Following sweeping EU sanctions over the war in Ukraine, China has replaced Europe as Russia’s key trading partner, with bilateral trade totaling more than $240 billion last year. This year, the EU approved a gradual ban on Russian aluminum imports, imposing a 275,000-ton quota valid until February 2026.

Meanwhile, Russian copper exports to China rose by 66%, and nickel shipments more than doubled, Trade Data Monitor reports, citing Chinese customs data.

Top Russian producers like Norilsk Nickel and Rusal are not directly sanctioned by the US but face restrictions: their metals are no longer accepted on the London or Chicago Metal Exchanges, pushing them to shift sales to Asian markets.

Sources say Rusal is offloading accumulated stockpiles from Russia throughout 2025, with total shipments to China expected to hit 1.5 million tons by year’s end.

Meanwhile, Norilsk Nickel is partnering with China’s Shandong Gold to expand cathode copper exports. Other Russian firms, including Russian Copper Co. and UMCC, both already under sanctions, continue to trade with Chinese buyers.

Previously, David O’Sullivan, the EU’s special envoy for sanctions enforcement related to Russia’s war against Ukraine, said that 80% of Russian weapons components come from China, UkrInform reports

He explained that Russia is circumventing sanctions through third countries and noted that Beijing’s major role in supplying dual-use goods and critical components remains a major obstacle to undermining Russia’s war machine.

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this. We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. Become a patron or see other ways to support
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