The head of the European Union’s foreign policy, Kaja Kallas, called on Southeast Asian countries not to purchase oil from Russia, even amid a fuel shortage caused by the escalation in the Middle East and supply restrictions through the Strait of Hormuz.
This is reported by Finway
Threats of financing the war and closing the Strait of Hormuz
According to Kallas, Russia has gained significant profits amid the U.S.-Israeli armed conflict against Iran, as the effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has led to a reduction in global energy supplies. This strait facilitates the transport of about 20% of the world’s oil and gas volumes, and its closure has increased the demand for alternative fuel sources among Asian countries.
“Let me remind you that oil revenues are the funds that Russia uses to finance the war (in Ukraine – ed.). We are interested in this war coming to an end,” she told reporters after a meeting with the foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Brunei.
The European Union’s position and ASEAN countries’ interests
Kaja Kallas emphasized the importance of diversifying energy resource sources for countries in the region, urging them to seek alternatives beyond Russian supplies. She also highlighted that the European Union seeks an end to the war in Ukraine, as supporting the Russian economy through oil purchases will only prolong the conflict.
At the same time, Kallas did not specify whether this issue was discussed directly during negotiations with the ASEAN ministers. It is known that Southeast Asian countries, including Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia, are interested in increasing oil purchases from Russia, especially given the current shortage.
It should be noted that oil prices currently do not fully reflect the scale of the supply crisis caused by the war in Iran and the restrictions on transit through the Strait of Hormuz, which may influence the decisions of importing countries regarding energy resource supply sources.