Sri Lanka begins talks with Russian Govt. to secure fuel supplies

Sri Lanka has initiated discussions with the Russian government to secure fuel supplies, as announced by Cabinet Spokesman Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa. During the weekly Cabinet media briefing at the Department of Government Information on October 24, Minister Jayatissa explained that the government is exploring the option of acquiring fuel through agreements between the two governments. He confirmed that talks at the government level have already started. Additionally, he noted that the Russian Deputy Energy Minister is expected to visit Sri Lanka soon, and discussions regarding fuel supplies will occur during this visit. In response to the Iranian Ambassador's remarks in Colombo about Iran's willingness to supply fuel to Sri Lanka, Minister Jayatissa acknowledged the offer but stated that only countries with tankers can take advantage of this opportunity, which Sri Lanka currently cannot. The Minister also mentioned that several fuel orders have been placed, and some shipments are anticipated to arrive in the country in April. “We are in ongoing discussions with Russia, but previously we faced challenges in securing oil supplies from them. We are working to see if we can accomplish this through intergovernmental agreements. The upcoming visit from the Russian Deputy Energy Minister should help move these talks forward. Regarding Iranian oil, only countries that own tankers can benefit from this opportunity, which we do not have. However, we have placed multiple orders for bunker fuel and light fuel oil. We have opened tenders and expect supplies soon. Another tender is set to open today, and based on the current tenders, we anticipate some fuel shipments in April. This is our strategy for managing fuel supply,” he added.