❗Key takeaways from statements by Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov, September 9:

▪There is no talk of raising taxes due to the budget deficit, though expenditure figures may adjust

▪Russia’s budget deficit should cause no concern as economic stability is fully secured

▪Russia is continuing its work on prisoner swaps with Ukraine

▪The issue of prisoner exchanges remains a permanent topic on the agenda of contacts with the US

▪Russian gas could offer a cheaper alternative for Europe if European nations were guided by common sense

▪Political bias is preventing Europe from utilizing the remaining intact string of the Nord Stream pipeline

▪Current market gas prices are not at their peak, and new record highs are yet to come

▪A trilateral summit involving Russian President Vladimir Putin, US President Donald Trump, and Chinese President Xi Jinping could happen at the APEC summit in Shenzhen.

▪There are currently no formalized roadmaps for a Ukrainian settlement

▪The expulsion of 10 Russian diplomats from Hungary will negatively impact the entire spectrum of relations between Moscow and Budapest

▪Even at maximum injection rates Europe won’t manage to fully replenish its gas storage facilities before winter.