3 January: Turkey had its largest export earnings ever with nearly $135 billion in 2011, Turkish Economy Minister Zafer Çağlayan said on Monday. This constituted a 20% increase over the figures of 2010. (Todays Zaman)

Russian President Vladimir Putin  remains focused on the "near abroad". Tomorrow and on Monday (21-22 December) Putin will attend a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council and an informal meeting of CIS leaders in St. Petersburg. The Kremlin press service reported that during the EAEU meeting, the leaders plan to discuss current issues related to the EAEU's activities, outline guidelines for further deepening integration processes and developing the Union's single market, and approve a number of significant documents and decisions. Furthermore, at Vladimir Putin's initiative, the traditional informal meeting of the leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States will take place in St. Petersburg on December 22. The Russian President will also hold bilateral discussions with the leaders of a number of countries.