MOSCOW, April 3. /TASS/. Donald Trump puts NATO in danger of collapsing; Yemen’s Houthis threaten to block the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb; and NASA’s Artemis II mission could provide a boost to Russia’s lunar program. These stories topped Friday’s newspaper headlines across Russia.
Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Trump puts NATO in danger of falling apart
US President Donald Trump and his team members have been repeatedly saying in recent days that the United States’ potential withdrawal from NATO is under serious consideration. However, officials and lawmakers on both sides of the Atlantic say that Trump’s threats should not be taken in good faith because it would be technically difficult - and almost impossible politically - to pull out of the bloc. Still, Trump has put NATO in danger of falling apart, Nezavisimaya Gazeta writes.
What angered Trump was a lack of support for the military campaign in the Middle East, with authorities in Spain, the UK and France refusing to allow the US military to use their bases or airspace to carry out operations against Iran. However, in order to begin the process to withdraw the US from NATO, Trump would require approval from two-thirds of senators. This looks unlikely at the moment, but it’s another thing that the US president may go against political procedures or try to find a way to bypass them.
"For decades, Europe has relied on NATO as the main strategic security guarantee. Although member states have for a while been trying to shape their own defense identity, they haven’t achieved much because NATO was quite effective in this regard," Alexander Tevdoy-Burmuli, associate professor with the Integration Processes Department at Moscow State Institute of International Relations, pointed out.
If the US really leaves the alliance, the remaining members will have to reshape it. "The emphasis in a potential new bloc will certainly be on European nations with nuclear capabilities. Besides, the countries that have the largest armed forces, namely Poland and Turkey, will increase their role. Other countries don’t have effective armies," the analyst explained.
In his view, European countries are in the process of rethinking their priorities and may eventually realize the need to create their own collective defense system. However, it will certainly be less well-resourced and combat-ready than any system involving the United States.
Izvestia: Houthis threaten to block Strait of Bab el-Mandeb
Yemeni Houthis may shut the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb if the Gulf monarchies move to provide military support to the US-Israeli operation against Iran, a source in the Ansar Allah movement told Izvestia. A blockade of this key waterway could lead to a collapse of global trade and another surge in oil prices.
Yemeni economist Nazim Saleh points out that potential instability along two crucial routes, that is, the Bab el-Mandeb and Hormuz straits, is creating significant risks for global oil trade and container shipments. If such a scenario is implemented, the majority of deliveries between Asia, Europe and the Middle East will either be redirected or their costs will rise significantly.
Roman Yanushevsky, editor-in-chief of Israel’s Channel 9 website, notes that US and Israeli statements about great progress achieved in the Iran war may largely be part of a political information campaign, which could, if necessary, make it possible to wrap up the operation or adjust it without major reputational costs. However, in his words, the unresolved issue of security in the Strait of Hormuz could have a backlash effect on the White House administration in case the situation escalates further.
"Trump’s constant statements that the war will end soon and claims that Iranian leaders are ready to surrender are also nothing but a tool. They should not be taken seriously. This is how Trump is trying to manipulate the market to make oil prices go down," the expert added.
According to him, it’s military operations, not statements, that are the key indicator. If there is no political agreement, the conflict could expand to include action to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and increase strikes on Iranian infrastructure, Yanushevsky concluded.
Izvestia: NASA’s Artemis II mission to provide a boost to Russia’s lunar program
The United States’ Artemis II lunar mission is capable of stimulating the development of Russia’s program to explore the Moon, experts interviewed by Izvestia believe.
"Russia is keeping a close eye on the flight. Sending a manned mission to the Moon requires a super-heavy carrier rocket like [NASA’s] Space Launch System (SLS), capable of getting about 100 metric tons of payload to orbit. Otherwise, such missions would have to involve launching a large number of lighter rockets, along with complicated maneuvering and dockings in low-Earth and lunar orbits, which would significantly increase costs," Lev Zelyony, scientific director of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Space Research Institute, said.
Work is currently underway to develop an approach for advanced lunar research involving automated stations and robotic systems. According to the expert, the majority of missions that are usually carried out by humans can be implemented using these kinds of technologies. Notably, much groundwork has already been laid by Russian researchers in this regard.
"It’s difficult to find additional funding in the current situation, so focusing on automated missions is reasonable. The point is that placing a flag on the Moon’s surface and ensuring permanent presence there are different things," science journalist Roman Belousov pointed out.
According to Zelyony, Russian specialists are also considering the north pole of the Moon as an option for lunar exploration missions. While other countries are focused on the south pole, this region could become Russia’s sovereign area. Notably, experts believe its qualities are in no way inferior. The plan is that the Luna-27 mission, scheduled for 2029-2030, will kick off lunar exploration activities. It is expected to involve sending missions to both poles of the Moon.
Vedomosti: Russia’s LNG exports to EU reach record highs in March
Russia increased the export of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to European Union countries by 38% in March compared to March 2025, according to data from Europe’s Bruegel economic think tank. The level of Russia's LNG deliveries to Europe was the highest on record, Vedomosti notes.
The EU was forced to increase imports due to critically low levels of gas in storage facilities and limited supplies via pipelines, Yekaterina Krylova, managing expert with the PSB Center of Expertise and Analytics, noted.
The escalating conflict in the Middle East provoked market panic and forced European importers to contract more gas despite a hike in prices, Krylova pointed out. Companies are seeking to ensure LNG deliveries in advance, fearing that prices will rise further in the coming months, Ivan Timonin, senior manager at the Implementa consulting company, elaborated.
As the EU’s overall LNG imports are on the rise, demand for Russian gas remains high, experts say. According to Bruegel, Russia’s share in the EU’s LNG imports stood at 14% last year. However, it grew to 17% in the first three months of 2026.
About 70-80% of Russian LNG is supplied to Europe based on long-term contracts, experts point out. Under such contracts, the price is usually either tied to the cost of oil or based on hybrid formulas, Timonin says. In a situation where gas prices are rising, such deliveries are often cheaper than stock market purchases, which is prompting European buyers to get as much as possible of the contracted volumes.
LNG imports will probably remain high in the EU in April but they are unlikely to exceed the March level, Timonin believes. Krylova, however, does not rule out that supplies could grow if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed and Asia records a seasonal drop in demand.
Media: What OPEC+ will do amid Gulf crisis
The crisis in the Middle East and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have almost totally halted oil supplies from the Gulf countries. That is about 20% of the global oil market, coming from the largest oil exporters that are members of the OPEC+ group, which is expected to hold an online meeting on April 5, Rossiyskaya Gazeta notes.
Given the current developments, reports started coming in that the meeting could be called off, some countries could leave the group or the OPEC+ deal could collapse. However, Daniil Tyun, director general of the DA-Consulting company, points out that there are no economic reasons for countries to withdraw from the alliance. With the Brent benchmark price rising by 64% in March, the participating nations will benefit more from sending less oil at higher prices than from competing for market shares amid logistics chaos. That said, the changes that are going to take place will not be about the collapse of the deal but about greater flexibility.
According to National Energy Security Fund Director Konstantin Simonov, the Gulf countries are unable to meet their output quotas at the moment. Reducing the quotas would mean adjusting them to the current situation, which makes no sense. Increasing production quotas in order to calm down the market is also pointless because no one will believe it. It would be reasonable to wait for the US and Iran to make an agreement and a decision to be made on the Strait of Hormuz before thinking about what to do in the new circumstances, the expert emphasized.
Dmitry Skryabin, portfolio manager at the Alpha Capital asset management company, did not rule out in a conversation with Izvestia that the April 5 meeting could increase output quotas for the countries beyond the conflict zone.
Vyacheslav Mishchenko, head of the Center for Analysis of Strategy and Technologies for the Development of the Fuel and Energy Complex, believes that Russia has emerged as an alternative supplier of commodities amid the Middle East conflict. "Our country's goal at this crucial moment is to satisfy all requests from the countries that need our hydrocarbons - first and foremost, nations in Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific region. We must sell our oil in the most effective manner," the expert stressed.
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