IAEA - IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano visited Sochi to take part in the opening of the 10th ATOMEXPO nuclear power forum and to inaugurate the third Russia-IAEA Nuclear Management School. While in Sochi, Mr Amano met President Vladimir Putin.

REUTERS - Washington was focused on using diplomatic means to halt Nord Stream 2, one of several Russian projects to export gas to western Europe via routes avoiding Ukraine, with which Moscow is involved in a series of disputes.

REUTERS - A consortium of western companies and Russia’s Gazprom that is due to build the controversial subsea Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Germany said on Tuesday it was starting preparatory work in the Greifswald bay off Germany’s Baltic coast.

GAZPROM - The parties reviewed the issues of cooperation in the energy industry, focusing on, inter alia, substantial growth in Russian gas exports to Austria. According to preliminary data, from January 1 through May 14, 2018, Gazprom delivered to Austria 4.7 billion cubic meters of gas, an increase of 70.4 per cent from the same period of last year.

WNN - Rosatom, the Russian state nuclear corporation, signed a series of agreements with overseas companies during the Atomexpo conference and exhibition being held this week in Sochi, Russia. The agreements, with Chile, China, Cuba, Finland, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Spain and Zambia, include the engineering and medical sectors, among others.

REUTERS - “We urge relevant parties to earnestly respect China’s sovereign and jurisdictional rights and not do anything that could impact bilateral relations or this region’s peace and stability,” the spokesman, Lu Kang, told a regular news briefing on Thursday.

ROSATOM - “Signing the contract opens a new chapter in the partnership between Russia and Zambia. In the nearest future, we plan to start extensive practical works, including engineering surveys at the site of the centre, assessment of nuclear infrastructure and subsequent development plan in accordance with IAEA recommendations as well as global and Russian best practice. Construction of the center will enable the Republic of Zambia to become one of the leading players in nuclear technologies application in the Central and Southern African region”.

ROSNEFT - Financial results for 1Q 2018 - Revenue growth by 22% to RUB 1.72 trln in 1Q 2018 - EBITDA increase by 15.6% up to RUB 385 bln in 1Q 2018 - Net income jumps by more than by 7 times to RUB 81 bln - Considerable improvement in free cash flow to RUB 142 bln - Short-term financial liabilities cut by 49%

FT - “Any action will be taken in co-ordination with other producers,” the person said on Wednesday, adding that Saudi Arabia was already in talks with Russia and other producers, including the UAE.

PLATTS - Saudi Arabia's energy minister Khalid al-Falih said Wednesday that the country would work closely with OPEC as well as non-OPEC producers to mitigate the impact of any shortages that might arise following the US' decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal.