There aren’t that many countries that are on good terms with Russia now, with only five nations - Belarus, North Korea, Syria, Eritrea, and Iran - consistently voting in support of Russia at the United Nations on key resolutions since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. This represents just 2.6% of the global population, underscoring Russia’s growing isolation on the world stage

Moreover, Russia’s trade has been hit hard by sanctions, with its exports to the European Union dropping by 47% in 2023, according to Eurostat. However, trade with China has surged, with Chinese imports of Russian oil and gas increasing by 36%, making China Russia’s largest economic partner.