Kaja Kallas warned Southeast Asian states about the risks of buying Russian oil amid fuel shortages after Middle East disruptions.
The EU’s High Representative for Foreign Policy, Kaja Kallas, has urged Southeast Asian partner countries not to turn to Russia for oil supplies amid rising fuel shortages caused by the conflict in the Middle East.
Reuters reports that Russia is benefiting from the U.S.-Israel wave of actions against Iran, which has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz – the main route for supplying oil and gas that influences global markets.
Let me remind you that oil revenues are the funds Russia uses to finance its war (in Ukraine – ed.). We are interested in seeing this war end
– Kaja Kallas
That is why we, of course, advocate diversifying resources and seeking them elsewhere, not in Russia
– Kaja Kallas
The EU did not specify whether this issue was raised during the meeting with ASEAN ministers in Brunei. According to Reuters, the region’s countries – notably Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia – had previously expressed intentions to increase purchases of Russian oil.
Reuters also notes that these states strive to diversify energy sources and reduce dependence on Russia in the context of global energy stability.
The EU’s Position on the Region’s Energy Security
The EU calls for strengthening diversification of fuel suppliers and reducing dependence on individual suppliers to bolster energy security not only for the region but also on a global level.
In summary, the EU emphasizes the importance of energy diversification and reducing dependence on individual suppliers to support a stable and transparent energy market.