EMTN Offering Circular

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

EMTN Offering Circular Offering Circular Equinor ASA (incorporated with limited liability in the Kingdom of Norway) Notes issued under the programme may (subject as described below) be unconditionally and irrevocably guaranteed by Equinor Energy AS (incorporated with limited liability in the Kingdom of Norway) €20,000,000,000 Euro Medium Term Note Programme On 21 March 1997, Equinor ASA (formerly known as Statoil ASA, the Issuer and together with its subsidiaries, Equinor or the Group) entered into a Euro Medium Term Note Programme (the Programme) and issued an Offering Circular on that date describing the Programme. The Programme has been subsequently amended and updated. This Offering Circular supersedes any previously dated offering circulars. Any Notes (as defined below) issued under the Programme on or after the date of this Offering Circular are issued subject to the provisions described herein. This does not affect any Notes issued prior to the date hereof. Under this Programme, the Issuer may from time to time issue notes (the Notes) denominated in any currency agreed between the Issuer and the relevant Dealer (as defined below). The Notes may be issued either (i) in bearer form or (ii) in uncertificated book entry form registered in accordance with section 3-1 of the Norwegian Securities Depository Act of 15 March 2019 no. 6 in a securities depository approved or acknowledged under the EU central securities depositories (CSD) regulation (Regulation (EU) No 909/2014 of 23 July 2014 on improving securities settlement in the European Union and on central securities depositories and amending Directives 98/26/EC and 2014/65/EU and Regulation (EU) No 236/2012) (the CSD Regulation) which, unless otherwise specified in the applicable Final Terms (as defined below), will be the Norwegian Central Securities Depositary, Verdipapirsentralen ASA (the VPS and such Notes, the VPS Notes). The maximum aggregate nominal amount of all Notes from time to time outstanding will not exceed €20,000,000,000 (or its equivalent in other currencies calculated as described herein). The payments of all amounts due in respect of the Notes issued by the Issuer may, if indicated in the applicable Final Terms (subject to the automaticA6.1 termination provisions in Condition 2(c) (Termination of Guarantee) of the Terms and Conditions of the Notes other than VPS Notes or of the Terms and Conditions of the VPS Notes, as applicable), be unconditionally and irrevocably guaranteed by Equinor Energy AS (formerly known as Statoil Petroleum AS, the Guarantor). The Notes may be issued on a continuing basis to one or more of the Dealers specified on page 10 and any additional Dealer appointed under the Programme from time to time, which appointment may be for a specific issue or on an ongoing basis (each a Dealer and together the Dealers). References in this Offering Circular to the relevant Dealer shall, in the case of an issue of Notes being (or intended to be) subscribed by more than one Dealer, be to all Dealers agreeing to subscribe for such Notes. An investment in Notes issued under the Programme involves certain risks. For a discussion of these risks see "Risk Factors". This Offering Circular has been approved as a base prospectus by the United Kingdom (the UK) Financial Conduct Authority (the FCA) as competent authority under Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (the Prospectus Regulation). The FCA only approves this Offering Circular as meeting the standards of completeness, comprehensibility and consistency imposed by the Prospectus Regulation. Approval by the FCA should not be considered as an endorsement of the Issuer or the Guarantor or of the quality of the Notes that are the subject of this Offering Circular. Investors should make their own assessment as to the suitability of investing in the Notes. Application has been made to the FCA for Notes issued under the Programme during the period of 12 months from the date of this Offering Circular to be admitted to the official list of the FCA (the Official List) and to the London Stock Exchange plc (the London Stock Exchange) for such Notes to be admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange's regulated market. References in this Offering Circular to Notes being listed (and all related references) shall mean that such Notes have been admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange's regulated market and have been admitted to the Official List. VPS Notes may be listed on the Oslo Børs's regulated market and, in this case, listed (and all related references) shall be construed accordingly. Each of the London Stock Exchange's regulated market and the Oslo Børs's regulated market is a regulated market for the purposes of Directive 2014/65/EU (as amended, MiFID II). Notice of the aggregate nominal amount of Notes, interest (if any) payable in respect of Notes, the issue price of Notes and any other terms and conditions not contained herein which are applicable to each Tranche (as defined under "Terms and Conditions of the Notes other than VPS Notes" and "Terms and Conditions of the VPS Notes") of Notes will be set out in a Final Terms document (the Final Terms) which will be delivered to the FCA and the London Stock Exchange. Copies of Final Terms will be available from the registered office of the Issuer and from the specified office set out below of each of the Paying Agents. In addition, copies of each Final Terms will be available on the website of the London Stock Exchange through a regulatory information service. A13.7.5(A) The Issuer has been rated Aa2 (negative) by Moody's Investors Service Ltd (Moody's) and AA- (negative) by S&P Global Ratings Europe Limited (S&P). The Programme has been rated Aa2 by Moody's and AA- by S&P to the extent that Notes issued by the Issuer are unconditionally and irrevocably guaranteed by the Guarantor. Notes issued pursuant to the Programme may be rated or unrated. Where an issue of Notes is rated, its rating will not necessarily be the same as the rating applicable to the Programme. A rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and may be subject to suspension, reduction or withdrawal at any time by the assigning rating agency. The rating of certain Series of Notes to be issued under the Programme may be specified in the applicable Final Terms. For the purposes of the credit ratings included and referred to in this Offering Circular, Moody's and S&P are established in the UK and the European Union (the EU), respectively, and both Moody's and S&P are registered under Regulation (EC) No. 1060/2009 (as amended) (the CRA Regulation). This Offering Circular (as supplemented as at the relevant time, if applicable) is valid for 12 months from its date in relation to Notes which are to be admitted to trading on a regulated market in the European Economic Area (the EEA). For these purposes, references to the EEA include the UK. The obligation to supplement this Offering Circular in the event of a significant new factor, material mistake or material inaccuracy does not apply when this Offering Circular is no longer valid. Arranger BNP PARIBAS Dealers Barclays BNP PARIBAS Citigroup Deutsche Bank HSBC J.P. Morgan Nordea 13 May 2020 This Offering Circular comprises a base prospectus for the purposes of Article 8 of the Prospectus Regulation. The Prospectus Regulation means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129. The Issuer and the Guarantor accept responsibility for the information contained in A9.1.1 this Offering Circular and the Issuer and (in the case of Notes having the benefit of the A9.1.2 A13.1.1(A) Guarantee) the Guarantor accept responsibility for the information contained in the A13.1.2(A) Final Terms for each Tranche of Notes issued under the Programme. To the best of the knowledge of the Issuer and the Guarantor the information contained in this Offering Circular is in accordance with the facts and the Offering Circular does not omit anything likely to affect the import of such information. This Offering Circular is to be read in conjunction with all documents which are deemed to be incorporated herein by reference (see "Documents Incorporated by Reference" below). This Offering Circular shall be read and construed on the basis that such documents are so incorporated and form part of this Offering Circular. Each investor contemplating purchasing any Notes should review the documents incorporated by reference. Other than in relation to the documents which are deemed to be incorporated by reference (see “Documents Incorporated by Reference”), the information on the websites to which this Offering Circular refers does not form part of this Offering Circular and has not been scrutinised or approved by the FCA. The Issuer and the Guarantor confirm that any information sourced from a third party has been accurately reproduced and that, so far as the Issuer and the Guarantor are aware and are able to ascertain, no facts have been omitted which would render the reproduced information inaccurate or misleading. The Dealers have not separately verified the information contained herein. Accordingly, no representation, warranty or undertaking, express or implied, is made and no responsibility or liability is accepted by the Dealers as to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained in this Offering Circular or any other information provided by the Issuer or the Guarantor in connection with the Programme or the Notes or their distribution. No person is or has been authorised to give any information or to make any representation not contained in or not consistent with this Offering Circular or any other information supplied in connection with the Programme or the Notes and, if given or made, such information or representation must not be relied upon as having been authorised by the Issuer, the Guarantor or any of the Dealers.
Recommended publications
  • Fact Sheet on "Overview of Norway"
    Legislative Council Secretariat FSC21/13-14 FACT SHEET Overview of Norway Geography Land area Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is located in northern Europe. It has a total land area of 304 282 sq km divided into 19 counties. Oslo is the capital of the country and seat of government. Demographics Population Norway had a population of about 5.1 million at end-July 2014. The majority of the population were Norwegian (94%), followed by ethnic minority groups such as Polish, Swedish and Pakistanis. History Political ties Norway has a history closely linked to that of its immediate with neighbours, Sweden and Denmark. Norway had been an Denmark and independent kingdom in its early period, but lost its Sweden independence in 1380 when it entered into a political union with Denmark through royal intermarriage. Subsequently both Norway and Denmark formed the Kalmar Union with Sweden in 1397, with Denmark as the dominant power. Following the withdrawal of Sweden from the Union in 1523, Norway was reduced to a dependence of Denmark in 1536 under the Danish-Norwegian Realm. Union The Danish-Norwegian Realm was dissolved in between January 1814, when Denmark ceded Norway to Sweden as Norway and part of the Kiel Peace Agreement. That same year Sweden Norway – tired of forced unions – drafted and adopted its own Constitution. Norway's struggle for independence was subsequently quelled by a Swedish invasion. In the end, Norwegians were allowed to keep their new Constitution, but were forced to accept the Norway-Sweden Union under a Swedish king. Research Office page 1 Legislative Council Secretariat FSC21/13-14 History (cont'd) Independence The Sweden-Norway Union was dissolved in 1905, after the of Norway Norwegians voted overwhelmingly for independence in a national referendum.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Article (PDF)
    Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 273 International Conference on Communicative Strategies of Information Society (CSIS 2018) Resource Policy of Russia and Norway in the Spitsbergen Archipelago: Formation of Coal Production Before World War II Sergey D. Nabok Department of International Relations St. Petersburg State University Saint Petersburg, Russia Abstract—The article is devoted to the relationship between the Agafelova. Thus, immediately after the revolution, a new coal USSR and Norway at the time of the formation of coal mining in mining company “Anglo-Russian Grumant” appeared on Svalbard before the Second World War. An analysis has been made Svalbard with a nominal capital of sixty thousand pounds of shifting the focus of attention of countries interested in the sterling [4]. It was this company that began supplying coal to archipelago from the priorities of military security to resource the Murmansk and Arkhangelsk regions, where the need for aspects. Changes in the geopolitical status of the archipelago in the solid fuel was highest. The government of New Russia has XX-XXI centuries are investigated. The article presents materials come to the conclusion that it is very expensive and unprofitable that characterize the development of relations between countries to continue to supply coal from England. According to Soviet around Svalbard. economists, it turned out that supplying Spitsbergen coal to Keywords—Russia and Norway; archipelago Spitsbergen; Kem would cost the USSR 38.85 shillings per ton, and Donetsk coal, 48.9 shillings; the delivery to Petrozavodsk is 41.54 and Svalbald; coal mining; geopolitical status; demilitarization; resources; fishery; oil and gas industry 45.95 shillings, respectively [5].
    [Show full text]
  • Central Banks Under German Rule During World War II
    2012 | 02 Working Paper Norges Bank’s bicentenary project Central banks under German rule during World War II: The case of Norway Harald Espeli Working papers fra Norges Bank, fra 1992/1 til 2009/2 kan bestilles over e-post: [email protected] Fra 1999 og fremover er publikasjonene tilgjengelig på www.norges-bank.no Working papers inneholder forskningsarbeider og utredninger som vanligvis ikke har fått sin endelige form. Hensikten er blant annet at forfatteren kan motta kommentarer fra kolleger og andre interesserte. Synspunkter og konklusjoner i arbeidene står for forfatternes regning. Working papers from Norges Bank, from 1992/1 to 2009/2 can be ordered by e-mail: [email protected] Working papers from 1999 onwards are available on www.norges-bank.no Norges Bank’s working papers present research projects and reports (not usually in their final form) and are intended inter alia to enable the author to benefit from the comments of colleagues and other interested parties. Views and conclusions expressed in working papers are the responsibility of the authors alone. ISSN 1502-8143 (online) ISBN 978-82-7553-662-2 (online) Central banks under German rule during World War II: The case of Norway1 Harald Espeli Until the German invasion of Norway 9 April 1940 the Norwegian central bank had been one of the most independent in Western Europe. This article investigates the agency of the Norwegian central bank during the German occupation and compares it with central banks in other German occupied countries. The Norwegian central bank seems to have been more accommodating to German wishes and demands than the central banks in other German occupied countries in Western Europe.
    [Show full text]
  • Maintaining Arctic Cooperation with Russia Planning for Regional Change in the Far North
    Maintaining Arctic Cooperation with Russia Planning for Regional Change in the Far North Stephanie Pezard, Abbie Tingstad, Kristin Van Abel, Scott Stephenson C O R P O R A T I O N For more information on this publication, visit www.rand.org/t/RR1731 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available for this publication. ISBN: 978-0-8330-9745-3 Published by the RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, Calif. © Copyright 2017 RAND Corporation R® is a registered trademark. Cover: NASA/Operation Ice Bridge. Limited Print and Electronic Distribution Rights This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law. This representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for noncommercial use only. Unauthorized posting of this publication online is prohibited. Permission is given to duplicate this document for personal use only, as long as it is unaltered and complete. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of its research documents for commercial use. For information on reprint and linking permissions, please visit www.rand.org/pubs/permissions. The RAND Corporation is a research organization that develops solutions to public policy challenges to help make communities throughout the world safer and more secure, healthier and more prosperous. RAND is nonprofit, nonpartisan, and committed to the public interest. RAND’s publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors. Support RAND Make a tax-deductible charitable contribution at www.rand.org/giving/contribute www.rand.org Preface Despite a period of generally heightened tensions between Russia and the West, cooperation on Arctic affairs—particularly through the Arctic Council—has remained largely intact, with the exception of direct mil- itary-to-military cooperation in the region.
    [Show full text]
  • Sweden, Norway & Denmark Information
    Sweden, Norway & Denmark Information Sweden, Norway and Denmark are highlighted by charming, pristine cities, spectacular fjords, and a smorgasbord of cultural traditions. From Viking lore to pop culture icons and unmatched hospitality, these Nordic lands are sure to enthrall and delight. And with surroundings as serene as this, you’ll come to understand how they became host to the world’s most revered peace prize. History As merchant seamen, well known for their far-reaching trade, the Nordic Vikings dominated Europe in the eighth and ninth centuries. Many historians credit the Vikings with the first European discovery of the Americas, with the exploits of Leif Ericsson around 1000. In 1397, Queen Margaret of Denmark united Sweden (which included Finland), Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Greenland and other territories into the Kalmar Union. Tension within the countries gradually led to open conflict and the union split in the early sixteenth century. A long-lived rivalry ensued with Norway and Denmark on one side and Sweden and Finland on the other. During the seventeenth century, Sweden-Finland emerged as a great power. Its contributions during the Thirty Years’ War under Gustavus Adolphus determined the political, as well as religious, balance of power in Europe. At its zenith in 1658, Sweden ruled several provinces of Denmark, as well as parts of present-day Germany, Russia, Estonia and Latvia. In 1813, Sweden joined the allies against Napoleon, which resulted in the acquisiton of Norway from Denmark (an ally of Napoleon). The merger lasted until 1905, when Norway peaceably gained its independence. Sweden has not participated in any war in almost two centuries.
    [Show full text]
  • "Cool Neighbors": Sweden's EU Presidency and Russia
    "Cool Neighbors": Sweden's EU Presidency and Russia Eva Hagström Frisell Ingmar Oldberg July 2009 Russia/NIS Center Ifri is a research center and a forum for debate on major international political and economic issues. Headed by Thierry de Montbrial since its founding in 1979, Ifri is a non-governmental and a non-profit organization. As an independent think tank, Ifri sets its own research agenda, publishing its findings regularly for a global audience. With offices in Paris and Brussels, Ifri stands out as one of the rare French think tanks to have positioned itself at the very heart of European debate. Using an interdisciplinary approach, Ifri brings together political and economic decision-makers, researchers and internationally renowned experts to animate its debates and research activities. The opinions expressed in this article are the authors’ alone and do not reflect the official views of their institutions. Russia/NIS Center © All rights reserved – Ifri – Paris, 2009 ISBN: 978-2-86592-564-3 IFRI IFRI-Bruxelles 27 RUE DE LA PROCESSION RUE MARIE-THERESE, 21 75740 PARIS CEDEX 15 – FRANCE 1000 BRUXELLES TEL. : 33 (0)1 40 61 60 00 TEL. : 32(2) 238 51 10 FAX : 33 (0)1 40 61 60 60 FAX : 32 (2) 238 51 15 E-MAIL : [email protected] E-MAIL : [email protected] WEBSITE : www.ifri.org E. Hagström Frisell and I. Oldberg / Sweden's EU Presidency and Russia Russie.Nei.Visions Russie.Nei.Visions is an electronic collection dedicated to Russia and the other new independent states (Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan).
    [Show full text]
  • Russian Military Intelligence: Background and Issues for Congress
    Russian Military Intelligence: Background and Issues for Congress November 24, 2020 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov R46616 SUMMARY R46616 Russian Military Intelligence: Background and November 24, 2020 Issues for Congress Andrew S. Bowen Following Russia’s occupation of Ukraine’s Crimea region and invasion of eastern Ukraine in Analyst in Russian and 2014, many observers have linked Russia to additional malicious acts abroad. U.S. and European European Affairs officials and analysts have accused Russia of, among other things, interfering in U.S. elections in 2016; attempting a coup in Montenegro in 2016; conducting cyberattacks against the World Anti- Doping Agency and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in 2016 and 2018, respectively; attempting to assassinate Russian intelligence defector Sergei Skripal in the United Kingdom in 2018; and offering “bounties” to Taliban-linked fighters to attack U.S. personnel in Afghanistan. Implicated in all these activities is Russia’s military intelligence agency, the Main Directorate of the General Staff (GU), also known as the GRU. The United States has indicted GRU officers and designated the GRU for sanctions in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, cybercrimes, and election interference. The Department of Justice has indicted GRU officers for cyber-related offenses against the World Anti-Doping Agency and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, NotPetya malware attacks in 2017, various cyberattacks against the 2018 Olympics, and interference in the 2016 U.S. elections. The GRU as an agency has been designated for sanctions under Executive Order 13694, as amended, and Section 224 of the Countering Russian Influence in Europe and Eurasia Act of 2017 (CRIEEA; P.L.
    [Show full text]
  • Statoil-Annual-Report-1993.Pdf
    ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 1993 4 Brl;?~’in~ the S1eip;~er f.astt7e/d on stream in ()rir,brr sos a signifIcant inilest,’ne in .~tatni/s ~Jo’rations durin~’ /if113. III 5 Pil’iit nicirkcil till Sf0 if otdeluvru s under the inagr troll gas sales agr~ elnints. STATOIL -J Ii CONTENTS II I 1 Statoil I 3 Events II 4 Highlights II 6 Letter from the president I I 8 Statoil executives I 9 Report of the board of directors I ‘~ 15 Annual accounts - Statoil group I 19 Notes on group accounts I I 31 Annual accounts - Statoil I I~ 35 Notes on accounts - Statoil 41 Auditors’ report II 41 Recommendation from the corporate I assembly I 42 Articles of association I I~ 43 Review of operations I 58 The state’s overall involvement 1~ I 59 Other activities I 64 Reserves and production data 1 66 Addresses I STATOIL en norske stats oljeselskap a.s - Statoil - was established in 1972, and is wholly owned by the Norwegian state. Its corporate object is, either by itself or together with others, to carry out exploration for and pro­ duction, transport and marketing of petroleum and petroleum-derived products as well as other business. The group as a whole had a turnover of NOK 81 billion in 1993. After the hive-off of its petrochemical operations in 1994, the group has about 12 OOO employees. Statoil ranks as the leading player on the Norwegian continental shelf, and the group is Scandinavia's largest retailer of petrol. The company is responsible for managing state interests related to the government's direct financial interest in partnerships pursuing exploration for and development, production and transport of petroleum on the Norwegian continental shelf From 1 January 1994, operations in the Statoil group are pursued through the Exploration & Production, Natural Gas, Oil Trading & Shipping and Refining & Marketing business areas.
    [Show full text]
  • Occupied Norway (1940 – 45) Norway in 1940: Population 3 Million
    Occupied Norway (1940 – 45) Norway in 1940: Population 3 million (Today: 4.5) Chief of State: King Haakon VII Head of Government: Prime Minister Johan Nygaardsvold Cabinet: State Council appointed by monarch, Approved by parliament (Storting) Hitler’s goal: “Fortress Norway” 1. Forestall British action in Scandinavia 2. Secure Swedish Iron Ore 3. Strategic: starting position for German naval & air forces against Great Britian Factors: German air superiority (Luftwaffen), British naval superiority Events preceding invasion: • Altmark affair (Feb. 16, British ‘violation’ of Norwegian neutrality) 1 • Armistice (March 12) between Finland &USSR • (removed ‘pretext’ for invasion, Soviet threat) • April 8, British mined entry to port of Narvik Norwegian govt. does not order mobilization. INVASION: • Operation Weserubung: Invasion 4:20 am April 9, 1940, simultaneously with Denmark. “Surprise” effect of German assault achieved. • All major cities and important ports attacked and occupied on April 9, but govt. decides to fight (Kristiansand, Egersund, Arendal, Stavanger, Bergen, Trondheim attacked & occupied) • Some significant naval battles involving British and German fleet (destroyers and U-boats) ensued, especially “Battles of Narvik” (dozens of battleships sunk) in following days. • Military engagements see: www.nuav.net/1940.html 2 On 9 April 1940: • German battleship “Blücher” at Oskarsborg Fortress, sunk in Oslo fjord (1,000 German causalities here); • King Haakan VII & govt. escaped to Hamar, Refusal to accept German ultimatum to surrender • Failed coup d’ etat: Vidkun Quisling proclaims a “new government,” himself as “prime minister” (not included in German plans);. Battle for Norway (9 April – June 10 1940): • Norwegian mentally & physically unprepared. • See account of Sigrid Undset regarding escape through Norway during 1st 3 weeks of war.
    [Show full text]
  • The Svalbard Treaty, Equal Enjoyment, and Terra Nullius: Lessons of Territorial Temptation from History
    Washington University Global Studies Law Review Volume 15 Issue 1 2015 A Unique International Problem’: The Svalbard Treaty, Equal Enjoyment, and Terra Nullius: Lessons of Territorial Temptation from History Christopher R. Rossi University of Iowa College of Law Follow this and additional works at: https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/law_globalstudies Part of the Admiralty Commons, International Law Commons, Law of the Sea Commons, and the Natural Resources Law Commons Recommended Citation Christopher R. Rossi, A Unique International Problem’: The Svalbard Treaty, Equal Enjoyment, and Terra Nullius: Lessons of Territorial Temptation from History, 15 WASH. U. GLOBAL STUD. L. REV. 93 (2016), https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/law_globalstudies/vol15/iss1/7 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Law School at Washington University Open Scholarship. It has been accepted for inclusion in Washington University Global Studies Law Review by an authorized administrator of Washington University Open Scholarship. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ‘A UNIQUE INTERNATIONAL PROBLEM’: THE SVALBARD TREATY, EQUAL ENJOYMENT, AND TERRA NULLIUS: LESSONS OF TERRITORIAL TEMPTATION FROM HISTORY CHRISTOPHER R. ROSSI ABSTRACT The 1920 Svalbard Treaty conferred full and absolute sovereignty on Norway but paradoxically limited that sovereignty by conferring on states party to the treaty equal enjoyment and liberty of access provisions on Svalbard and in its territorial waters. Whether these provisions now extend to geographic areas adjacent to Svalbard’s territorial sea— specifically to Svalbard’s oil-rich continental shelf and abundant fishing stock of the superjacent waters of its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)—is a matter of considerable debate.
    [Show full text]
  • Russia: Foreign Policy and U.S
    Russia: Foreign Policy and U.S. Relations Updated April 15, 2021 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov R46761 SUMMARY R46761 Russia: Foreign Policy and U.S. Relations April 15, 2021 Since Russian President Vladimir Putin’s rise to leadership more than 20 years ago, tensions have increased steadily between Russia and the United States. Some observers attribute Russian Andrew S. Bowen foreign policy actions to the personality and individual interests of Putin and certain hawkish Analyst in Russian and advisers. Some contend Russian authorities are focused mainly on reclaiming Russia’s status as a European Affairs great power. Others argue Russian foreign policy is centered on protecting the country’s status as the dominant power in the post-Soviet region and defending against foreign interference in Russia’s domestic affairs. Whatever the motivations, most observers agree Russia’s natural Cory Welt resources and military modernization program, launched in 2008, provide Russia’s leadership the Specialist in Russian and European Affairs means to conduct a flexible and often aggressive foreign policy, as well as to project force in neighboring countries and further afield (such as in the Middle East). Russia’s foreign policy priorities traditionally have focused on the post-Soviet region and the West, including relations and tensions with NATO, the United States, and Europe. However, Russia under Putin (like the Soviet Union before it) also pursues a global foreign policy. As relations with its neighbors and Western countries have become more adversarial, Russia—seeking to balance against U.S. and European power and interests—has cultivated deeper relations with China and other countries.
    [Show full text]
  • Fantasies of Occupation: 'Occupied' and 'The Man in the High Castle' Written by Robert A
    Fantasies of Occupation: 'Occupied' and 'the Man in the High Castle' Written by Robert A. Saunders This PDF is auto-generated for reference only. As such, it may contain some conversion errors and/or missing information. For all formal use please refer to the official version on the website, as linked below. Fantasies of Occupation: 'Occupied' and 'the Man in the High Castle' https://www.e-ir.info/2016/03/07/fantasies-of-occupation-occupation-and-the-man-in-the-high-castle/ ROBERT A. SAUNDERS, MAR 7 2016 Last year saw the premiere of two television series about the politics of occupation. A Norwegian production Okkupert (‘Occupied’), which premiered on TV 2 in Norway and is currently available on the Netflix platform, andThe Man in the High Castle, Amazon’s first foray into television programming. The first, based on an original idea by internationally renowned detective writer Jo Nesbø, is set in the near future. The United States, having attained energy independence and learned the lessons of failed interventionism in the war-torn Middle East, has unilaterally withdrawn from NATO just as a newly elected Green Party government in Norway decides to abandon all oil and natural gas extraction in favour of an untested renewable energy project based on thorium. The result: a European Union-sanctioned Russian ‘velvet glove’ invasion of the Scandinavian country to restart petroleum production. The second is set in 1963, and is an adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s alternative history (published the same year) wherein Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan divide up a defeated America, leaving only a narrow neutral zone in the Rockies.
    [Show full text]