French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that the European allies are preparing a new package of sanctions against Russia “in coordination with the United States.” Speaking from Tirana, Albania, Macron disclosed that US President Donald Trump intends to “hold discussions with the Russian side in the coming hours or days” to push forward negotiations between Moscow and Kiev. Additionally, he reiterated his support for “an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.” Furthermore, the French leader addressed the situation in Gaza, describing it as “unbearable,” and expressed hope that he will discuss the war in the Palestinian enclave with Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “soon.”
Macron: Moscow ‘buying time’ to continue war
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s refusal to respond to the “unconditional ceasefire” proposal shows that Moscow is not ready for peace and is “merely trying to buy time by continuing the war.” “In this context, as the European Political Community gathers for a summit in Tirana, we will continue to coordinate with our European partners, the United States, and the Coalition of the Willing to define a united response,” he wrote in a post on X. European leaders previously held a phone conversation with US President Donald Trump, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterating that his country remains ready to negotiate and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer insisting that Russia’s stance is “clearly unacceptable.”
nn: i don’t think putin is worried…. he has a hugh stash of french champaign to celebrate his conquering of ukraine
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denied on Friday that the country received a nuclear deal proposal from the United States, “whether directly or indirectly.” “In the meantime, the messaging we—and the world—continue to receive is confusing and contradictory. Iran nonetheless remains determined and straightforward: Respect our rights and terminate your sanctions, and we have a deal,” he wrote in a post on X. Araghchi further reiterated that Iran has no intention to abandon its “hard-earned right to enrichment for peaceful purposes,” underlining that this is a right that all Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) signatories have. He stressed that while Tehran is always open to dialogue, it will never accept “diktat.”
Trump: Iran must move quickly, or something bad will happen
United States President Donald Trump confirmed on Friday that Iran has received a proposal for a nuclear deal and warned that the country must “move quickly, or something bad is going to happen.” Trump did not provide any more information about the proposal or his course of action if Tehran refuses it. Meanwhile, Iranian officials are meeting today with counterparts from the United Kingdom, Germany and France in Istanbul for talks about Iran’s nuclear program.
“I think we are getting very close to getting a deal with Iran,” United States President Donald Trump said on Thursday, speaking in Qatar, mentioning that the two countries are holding “very serious” negotiations. “You probably read today the story about Iran has sort of agreed to the terms,” he stated. Previously, Trump warned Tehran that Washington would use “maximum pressure” on the country if it were to reject a deal with the US on its nuclear program. Meanwhile, yesterday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei insisted that the country would not suspend its nuclear program, further adding that “without receiving specific commitments, no agreement will be achieved.”
NN: stroke his ego with a trumptower covered in enough gold foil and bling bling jets and he will give you everting you want.
He will do anything to get the Noble high explosives’ Peace Prize to put in his trophy cabinmate…. after all its gold… plate
Oil prices decreased sharply following comments from President Trump indicating the U.S. is close to a nuclear deal with Iran.
Iran’s officials have suggested they would consider abandoning uranium enrichment if the United States lifts economic sanctions.
Oil prices dipped by 4% early on Thursday after U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States were close to a nuclear deal with Iran, while a top Iranian officials hinted at Tehran abandoning uranium enrichment if the U.S. lifts the economic sanctions. NB: Amazing people believe them this time The slide in oil prices intensified early on Thursday, after President Trump said “We’re in very serious negotiations with Iran for long-term peace.” “We’re getting close to maybe doing a deal without having to do this… there (are) two steps to doing this, there is a very, very nice step and there is the violent step, but I don’t want to do it the second way,” President Trump told a pool of reporters during his tour of the Middle East. These comments came hours after the U.S. Treasury slapped additional sanctions on Iran, designating nearly two dozen firms operating in multiple jurisdictions in virtually every aspect of Iran’s illicit international oil trade.
nn: It is amazing to me that anyone be lives these maniacs’.. the world has gone stark raving mad!!
The assassination of SSA commander Abdel Ghani al-Kikli has plunged Tripoli into violent clashes.
Despite renewed oil sector optimism, Libya’s energy infrastructure remains under militia control.
Big Oil’s bets on a production rebound ignore the geopolitical and security risks that now threaten every barrel.
On May 12, Tripoli plunged into chaos following the killing of Abdul Ghani al-Kikli (aka “Gheniwa”), the commander who runs the powerful SSA (Stability Support Apparatus), one of Libya’s many militias whose patronage is necessary for either of the two clans that control the country’s east and west in a bitter rivalry.
The gunfire and shelling that started to tear through Tripoli on Monday wasn’t simply on the level of an isolated skirmish; this is a major tremor along a fast-widening geopolitical fault line that won’t just expose Libyan oil to more hijacking. For readers of Oilprice.com’s exclusive weekly newsletter, all will already be clear: The fragile system of mutually beneficial corruption that’s kept the two clans from launching the next civil war is cracking.
For oil investors, it may be time for a rethink, and a recalculation of how much money they are willing to risk on the longer game here.
While global energy majors have expressed a great deal of excitement about Libya’s potential oil production rebound, the resurgence of clashes in Tripoli make clear what seasoned analysts have warned all along: Libya is still one political misfire away from collapsing into violent fragmentation. For oil investors, the timing of these clashes couldn’t be worse. This is not a market opportunity—it’s a geopolitical storm in the making.
The images out of Abu Salim—a Tripoli district that has long served as Gheniwa’s stronghold—were grim. Clashes between the SSA and the Misrata-based 444 Brigade intensified within hours of news of his death. Multiple reports, including from Libya Observer and Al Jazeera, indicate that armored vehicles and heavy weaponry were deployed deep into residential areas. By nightfall, civilian life in Tripoli had ground to a halt, with the UN issuing an urgent call for calm, warning of “significant risks to civilians.”
Gheniwa’s SSA is one of many militias co-opted into state structures by the Government of National Unity (GNU), led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah. His death leaves a power vacuum that other groups will waste no time attempting to fill, on behalf of General Khalifa Haftar, who rules the east and largely controls oil production and exports, if not oil revenues.
Haftar, Dbeibah, and the Weaponization of Institutions
While the Tripoli clashes played out in real time, another headline flew mostly under the radar: the public prosecution ordered the detention of top executives at Al-Madar, Libya’s largest mobile company. Ostensibly, the arrests target corruption. But in Libya’s hyper-politicized environment, few believe this is mere legal housekeeping. The fatal flaw in investor optimism is that oil, unlike minerals or digital assets, requires physical infrastructure and physical security. Libya has neither. Every pipeline, refinery, and offshore platform sits within a zone of contested control. And with the central government unable (or unwilling) to disarm its own proxies, the industry is one factional dispute away from collapse. The assassination of a key Dbeibah militia commander is just that.
Oil futures prices jumped by 3% on Tuesday, following the looming threats of sanctions against Iran. United States President Donald Trump threatened Tehran with “maximum pressure” in order to slash Iranian oil exports to zero if the country rejects a peaceful and economic deal with the US. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for deliveries in June jumped by 3% at 1:14 pm ET to sell for $63.81 per barrel. One minute later, Brent for settlements in July added 2.71% to go for $66.73 per barrel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on Tuesday with reserve injured soldiers, telling them that in the coming days, the Israeli army will “go into Gaza with full might.” “You are an example and a role model, and with your spirit we are heading for complete victory,” he told them, while reiterating that Hamas must be defeated. Meanwhile, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) recently shared that the Gaza Strip is at a “critical risk of famine,” explaining that as 60 days passed since the ban on aid was imposed by Israel, goods needed for survival are expected to run out soon.
nn: food aid for free to your enemy. So he can sell it to his starving citizens to buy more weapons.
The United States and China agreed to temporarily lower tariffs on goods from the other country, the two sides said in a joint statement on Monday. Washington agreed to cut duties on Chinese goods from 145% to 30% for 90 days, while Beijing agreed to lower levies from 125% to 10% during the pause. “After taking the aforementioned actions, the Parties will establish a mechanism to continue discussions about economic and trade relations,” the US and China stated.
The United States and China have agreed to temporarily lower tariffs on each other’s products, resulting in a significant jump in oil prices.
Both WTI and Brent crude saw increases as the market reacted positively to the news of easing trade tensions.
Discussions between U.S. and Chinese officials will continue to address economic and trade relations following the initial tariff suspension.
Oil jumped by 3% early on Monday after the United States and China agreed to slash tariffs on each other, easing concerns about global trade and the economy. As of 6:52 a.m. on Monday, the U.S. benchmark, WTI Crude, was up by 3.13% at $62.93. The international benchmark, Brent Crude, moved up above $65 per barrel and traded at $65.79, up by 2.93% on the day. The market was expecting on Monday the outcome of the initial U.S.-China trade talks in Geneva this weekend. Early on Monday, the White House announced that the United States and China will each lower tariffs by 115% while retaining an additional 10% tariff. Other U.S. measures will remain in place. The U.S. and China will suspend the tariffs for 90 days except the 10% baseline rate. “After taking the aforementioned actions, the Parties will establish a mechanism to continue discussions about economic and trade relations,” the United States and China said in a joint statement at the end of the talks in Geneva this weekend. He Lifeng, Vice Premier of the State Council of China, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent, and United States Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer, will continue to hold future discussions. “Crude oil jumps together with other pro-cyclical commodities on news the U.S. and China will temporarily lower tariffs on each other’s products, thereby reducing fears of a prolonged economic fallout hurting demand,” Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank, commented on Monday. “WTI and Brent may take a closer look at key resistance near $65 and $69, respectively. However, the key question is whether today’s news marks peak optimism, given the low likelihood of a full U.S. retreat from its stance on China,” the strategist noted. The oil price jump was mirrored by the equity markets on Monday, with the Dow futures also soaring in the wake of the news that the U.S. and China are backing down from 100%-plus tariffs, for now.
