WASHINGTON: The United States has defended Pakistan’s decision to purchase Russian energy, adding that steps are needed to be taken to ensure that Russians – Russian energy markets are not turning out to be a windfall for Putin’s war machine.
Just two days back, reports emerged that Pakistan had placed its first order for discounted Russian crude oil under a new deal struck between Islamabad and Moscow, the country’s petroleum minister said, with one cargo to dock at Karachi port in May.
Also read: Pakistan buys its first cargo of discounted Russian crude oil
Reports quoted Minister Musadik Malik as saying that the deal would see Pakistan buy only crude oil, not refined fuels, with imports expected to reach 100,000 barrels per day if the first transaction goes through smoothly.
Addressing a press briefing, State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel, when asked to comment on Pakistan which recently purchased its first oil from Russia, said Pakistan’s purchase of Russian energy – look, each country is going to make its own sovereign decisions as it relates to its energy supply.
He said “one of the reasons that the United States, through the G7, has been a big proponent of the price cap is to ensure that steps are not being taken to keep Russian energy off the market because we understand that there is a demand for supply. But we also need to take steps to ensure that Russians – Russian energy markets are not turning out to be a windfall for Putin’s war machine. And so, again, countries will make their own sovereign decisions. We have never tried to keep Russian energy off the market.”
