In the face of sharply lower oil prices and geopolitical tensions and sanctions, economic activity in Russia decelerated in late 2014, resulting in negative spillovers on Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and, to a lesser extent, on Baltic countries. The spillovers to eastern Europe have...

In the face of sharply lower oil prices and geopolitical tensions and sanctions, economic activity in Russia decelerated in late 2014, resulting in negative spillovers on Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and, to a lesser extent, on Baltic countries. The spillovers to eastern Europe have...

This Selected Issues paper analyzes Russia's fiscal framework and the oil-price shock. Russia has relied heavily on its abundant natural resource wealth to finance fiscal deficits since the global financial crisis in 2008-09. The pace of adjustment of the oil-price benchmark could be increased...