Why does Indonesia want to buy Russian oil when other countries prohibit it?

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened to cut off gas supplies to “unfriendly” countries if they do not pay for gas imports in Russian rubles.

The threat came after the United States, European Union and Britain imposed restrictions on oil and gas imports from Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine last February.

In the midst of countries’ efforts to limit or stop energy imports from Russia, Indonesia, through the state-owned company Pertamina, plans to buy crude oil from Russia which is cheaper than the international market.

Also read: Pertamina’s Plan to Buy Crude Oil from Russia Spotted by Foreign Media

The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that Indonesia is free to cooperate with any country, including Russia – unless there are sanctions regulated by the UN Security Council.

Meanwhile in Indonesia, some time ago the President Director of Pertamina, Nicke Widyawati, in a meeting with Commission VI of the DPR, said that the state-owned energy company plans to buy crude oil from Russia which will be processed at the Balongan refinery.

Nicke added that Pertamina is currently coordinating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Bank Indonesia to ensure this purchase process does not cause political problems.

“We see an opportunity to buy from Russia at a better price,” Nicke was quoted as saying Reuters.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its spokesman, Teuku Faizasyah, emphasized that Indonesia was free to establish cooperation in the economic and other fields with any country.

Indonesia will comply with international prohibitions or sanctions if regulated by the UN Security Council.

“Indonesia has never followed the call for sanctions imposed unilaterally by certain parties,” Faizasyah said in a press conference Thursday (31/03) as quoted Compass.

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