Putin Declares Russia Will Continue Oil and Gas Supplies to Reliable Partners — Europe and Asia Included
MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that Russia will continue uninterrupted supplies of oil and natural gas to countries it considers reliable partners, including both European and Asian nations. The declaration came shortly after Hungary had openly demanded the lifting of sanctions on Russian energy supplies.Hungary remains the only European Union member state to…
MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that Russia will continue uninterrupted supplies of oil and natural gas to countries it considers reliable partners, including both European and Asian nations. The declaration came shortly after Hungary had openly demanded the lifting of sanctions on Russian energy supplies.
Hungary remains the only European Union member state to have consistently opposed the bloc’s energy sanctions against Russia. Budapest argues that these restrictions are causing greater harm to Europe than to Russia, and that Hungary’s economy is bearing an unsustainable burden as a result. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has repeatedly criticised the EU’s energy policy and has advocated for the restoration of practical relations with Moscow.
Putin’s statement is being interpreted on two levels — as a clear signal to European countries like Hungary that Russian energy remains available, and as a reassurance to Asian partners, particularly China, India, and Turkey, that their energy needs will continue to be met. Analysts note that by using the phrase “reliable partners,” Putin is effectively responding to Western sanctions while demonstrating that Russia is far from isolated in the global energy market.
