Russia envoy Ulyanov says EU swapped cheap Russian oil for expensive US oil
In short
Russia's permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, said the EU has exchanged its dependence on inexpensive Russian oil for costlier oil from the United States, according to TASS and RIA Novosti. TASS reported that he was commenting on a decision by the Group of Seven, at Washington's request, to release 100 million barrels of oil and petroleum products from strategic reserves amid a sharp rise in fuel prices. Neither report cited any response from the EU, the US or the G7.
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Russia's permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, said the European Union had exchanged its dependence on inexpensive Russian oil for more expensive oil from the United States, TASS and RIA Novosti reported. Both outlets carried the statement as the core of their reports, and neither quoted him at greater length. [ 1 , 2 ]
TASS reported that Ulyanov was commenting on a decision by the countries of the Group of Seven, taken at Washington's request, to release 100 million barrels of oil and petroleum products from strategic reserves against the background of a sharp rise in fuel prices. RIA Novosti's report did not include that context. The documents do not record any response to Ulyanov's remarks from the EU, the United States or the G7, and give no date for the reserve release beyond the publication times of the two reports. [ 1 , 2 ]
Why it matters
The remarks put Russia's official reading of Western energy policy on the record at a time of rising fuel prices and coordinated reserve releases by the G7. Because both documents come from Russian state outlets and neither carries a response from the EU, the US or the G7, the significance of the statement beyond Russian official messaging is not established by the documents themselves.
Key facts
- Russia's permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, said the EU has traded dependence on inexpensive Russian oil for more expensive oil from the United States [ 1 , 2 ]
- TASS reported that Ulyanov was commenting on a G7 decision, taken at Washington's request, to release 100 million barrels of oil and petroleum products from strategic reserves [ 1 ]
- TASS reported the G7 move was made against the backdrop of a sharp rise in fuel prices [ 1 ]
- The documents do not quote Ulyanov directly and do not include any response from the EU, the United States or the G7 [ 1 , 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Russian envoy Mikhail Ulyanov said the EU has replaced cheap Russian oil with more expensive US oil, as reported by two Russian state outlets [ 1 , 2 ]
- According to TASS, an official outlet, the G7 decided at Washington's request to release 100 million barrels of oil and petroleum products from strategic reserves amid a sharp rise in fuel prices [ 1 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the EU, the United States or the G7 have responded to Ulyanov's remarks Neither document carries any reaction from the governments or blocs named in the statement
- The date and terms of the G7 reserve release, beyond the 100 million barrel figure cited by TASS Only one document mentions the decision and it gives no timing or further detail
- Whether the price effects and the swap of supply sources described by Ulyanov are borne out by market data The claim is reported as Ulyanov's assessment; the documents cite no supporting figures or independent data