{"id":62137,"date":"2026-05-20T03:38:29","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T07:38:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/russia-and-china-solidify-strategic-alliance-as-stellantis-inks-major-european-ev-deal\/62137\/"},"modified":"2026-05-20T03:38:29","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T07:38:29","slug":"russia-and-china-solidify-strategic-alliance-as-stellantis-inks-major-european-ev-deal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/russia-and-china-solidify-strategic-alliance-as-stellantis-inks-major-european-ev-deal\/62137\/","title":{"rendered":"Russia and China Solidify Strategic Alliance as Stellantis Inks Major European EV Deal"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Russia and China signed 20 cooperation agreements<\/strong> to deepen their &quot;comprehensive strategic partnership,&quot; focusing on <strong>energy, critical minerals, and trade settlements in local currencies<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Stellantis (<a href=\"\/stock\/STLA\">STLA<\/a>)<\/strong> and <strong>Dongfeng<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/0489.HK\">0489.HK<\/a>) announced a <strong>51\/49 European joint venture<\/strong> to manufacture and distribute <strong>Voyah-branded electric vehicles<\/strong> at the Rennes plant in France.<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>European Parliament<\/strong> moved to expedite a <strong>US tariff deal<\/strong> to avoid a threatened <strong>25% duty on European automobiles<\/strong> by the Trump administration, setting a <strong>15% tariff ceiling<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Despite broader energy cooperation, the <strong>Kremlin<\/strong> confirmed that technical and pricing details for the <strong>Power of Siberia 2 pipeline<\/strong> are still being finalized.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Vilnius Airport<\/strong> briefly suspended all flight operations following a <strong>drone warning<\/strong> originating from Belarusian airspace, highlighting persistent regional security tensions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Russia and China Cement &quot;Multipolar&quot; Strategic Ties<\/h2>\n<p>Russian President <strong>Vladimir Putin<\/strong> and Chinese President <strong>Xi Jinping<\/strong> met in Beijing on Wednesday to sign a joint declaration focused on <strong>comprehensive strategic coordination<\/strong>. The leaders oversaw the signing of <strong>20 bilateral agreements<\/strong> designed to sustain economic cooperation and promote a <strong>multipolar world order<\/strong>. <em>The summit marks a significant pivot toward de-dollarization<\/em>, with Putin confirming that nearly all trade settlements between the two nations are now conducted in <strong>local currencies<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>A major pillar of the new agreements involves <strong>critical minerals<\/strong> and energy security. While both nations expressed readiness to expand energy supplies, the high-profile <strong>Power of Siberia 2 pipeline<\/strong> remains a work in progress. The <strong>Kremlin<\/strong> noted that while the project is a symbol of strategic cooperation, specific details regarding <strong>gas prices and supply terms<\/strong> are still to be agreed upon.<\/p>\n<h2>Stellantis and Dongfeng Form European EV Joint Venture<\/h2>\n<p>In a landmark corporate move, Stellantis (<a href=\"\/stock\/STLA\">STLA<\/a>) and its long-term partner <strong>Dongfeng<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/0489.HK\">0489.HK<\/a>) have signed a memorandum of understanding to form a <strong>Stellantis-led joint venture<\/strong> in Europe. The new entity will manage the <strong>sales, distribution, manufacturing, and engineering<\/strong> of Dongfeng\u2019s <strong>Voyah-branded new energy vehicles (NEVs)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>To bypass rising import duties and meet &quot;Made-in-Europe&quot; requirements, the partners intend to localize production at the <strong>Stellantis Rennes plant in France<\/strong>. This partnership comes as Stellantis (<a href=\"\/stock\/STLA\">STLA<\/a>) seeks to bolster its EV portfolio amid a challenging global market, with the company holding a <strong>51% stake<\/strong> in the new venture.<\/p>\n<h2>EU Expedites US Trade Deal to Avert Tariff Hike<\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>European Parliament<\/strong> has moved to fast-track the implementation of a trade deal with the <strong>United States<\/strong> originally inked last summer. The urgency follows threats from the <strong>Trump administration<\/strong> to double duties on European cars to <strong>25%<\/strong> if the pact is not ratified by <strong>July 4<\/strong>. The deal establishes a <strong>15% tariff ceiling<\/strong> on the bloc&#39;s exports in exchange for the removal of levies on US industrial goods.<\/p>\n<p>While the agreement aims to stabilize transatlantic relations, European lawmakers have included <strong>safeguard mechanisms<\/strong>. These provisions allow the <strong>European Commission<\/strong> to suspend the deal if the US imposes new duties or if imports of specific products spike by more than <strong>10%<\/strong>, threatening domestic industries.<\/p>\n<h2>Monetary Policy and Regional Security Concerns<\/h2>\n<p>On the macroeconomic front, <strong>Bank of France<\/strong> governor nominee <strong>Emmanuel Moulin<\/strong> emphasized during his confirmation process the critical need to pay &quot;close attention&quot; to <strong>inflation<\/strong>. His remarks come as the central bank navigates a volatile energy market influenced by ongoing geopolitical conflicts.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, security incidents continue to disrupt regional stability. <strong>Vilnius Airport<\/strong> was forced to suspend flights on Wednesday morning due to a <strong>drone alert<\/strong> from the <strong>National Crisis Management Centre<\/strong>. Additionally, French Defense Minister <strong>Vautrin<\/strong> addressed rumors regarding the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>, stating he could not confirm reports that mines had been laid in the strategic waterway, though <em>market concerns regarding maritime energy routes remain elevated<\/em>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Russia and China signed 20 cooperation agreements to deepen their &quot;comprehensive strategic partnership,&quot; focusing on energy, critical minerals, 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