The Western “anti-market” price limit disrupts supply chains amid rising energy demand, Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko has said
Moscow will not supply oil to countries backing an “anti-market” price cap scheme, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko has said, as demand for crude rises amid the Middle East conflict.
Western countries backing Ukraine, including the G7 members and Australia, said they would phase out Russian oil and gas imports following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. These countries cut purchases and forced Russia to sell crude at a discount to global benchmarks under a price cap system, currently set at about $44 per barrel.
However, in recent weeks this trend has partially reversed: Russia’s Urals crude has been sold to India and other buyers at a premium, with Urals DAP West Coast India prices exceeding $121.5 per barrel on March 19, 2026, and trading about $3.9 per barrel above Dated Brent, compared to a discount of around $12 per barrel in early March.
Rudenko told Izvestia on Tuesday that energy markets are volatile due to tightening supplies and rising prices. When asked about talks with “unfriendly” states like Japan to resume buying Russian oil, he said Tokyo is bound by the price cap, which he called an “anti-market” measure that disrupts supply chains. Rudenko added that Russia will not sell oil to “provocative” countries.
Energy prices surged after the US and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran on February 28, prompting retaliatory attacks across the region. The crisis has led to the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s daily oil supply. Iran has effectively blocked transit for ships from non-friendly nations, sending oil prices up nearly 50% to almost $120 per barrel earlier this month.
Amid the price spike, the US temporarily lifted sanctions on Russian oil loaded onto tankers before March 12, with a license allowing its sale until April 11. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the move could bring Russia about $2 billion in budget revenues.
Several Asian countries have already moved to secure Russian crude after Washington eased the restrictions. Nations including Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam have signaled an interest in buying Russian oil, while major importers India and China have continued to snap up available cargoes under the waiver.
