Overview
- Putin said Russia stands ready to deliver oil and gas to European buyers if they signal a durable, depoliticized willingness to cooperate.
- He pledged uninterrupted supplies to Hungary and Slovakia, calling both countries reliable partners.
- Physical capacity remains constrained by sanctions and halted routes, including the inoperative Nord Stream lines and the Druzhba pipeline damaged in January.
- Oil prices topped $100 a barrel on Monday, with reporting linking the surge to US‑Israeli bombardments of Iran and knock‑on effects for Gulf exporters.
- Since 2022 many EU countries have reduced reliance on Russian hydrocarbons, while Moscow has redirected more exports to India, Turkey and China.