An oil duel takes center of global diplomacy

DEBKA Weekly: German ex-chancellor Schroeder turned-Russian-oil executive and oil executive Tillerson turned-diplomat make intriguing new duelers. Sign here to subscribe.

Gerhard Schroeder, an old friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was placed last week in the chair of the executive board of the Russian oil giant Rosneft, creating a never-before-seen situation on the world scene. With energy again evolving as a decisive factor in Russian foreign affairs, Moscow has put forward a non-Russian as a senior international player against America’s Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who is the former executive of the the ExxonMobil Oil giant.
Schroeder is therefore entrusted not just with pushing Russia’s interests on the energy markets, but the fortunes of Putin’s policies in Europe and the Middle East.

The new DEBKA Weekly 772 out Friday, Oct. 6, will explore the repercussions of these topsy-turvy appointments on the global policies of their masters, Donald Trump and Putin.

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