President Vladimir Putin's spokesman denied Wednesday a report that Saudi Arabia was pressuring Moscow to drop its support for Syrian President Bashar Assad in exchange for a reduction in Saudi oil production, Russian News Service reported Wednesday.
The New York Times reported Tuesday that Riyadh has promised Moscow to decrease its oil production in a move that could reduce global supply, raising the oil price at a time when Russia's ailing economy is suffering from lost revenue.
"If oil can serve to bring peace in Syria, I don't see how Saudi Arabia would back away from trying to reach a deal," a Saudi diplomat was anonymously cited as saying by the newspaper.
Russian officials, however, were quick to deny that any negotiations had taken place.
"It is nothing more than the newspaper's fabrication," Dmitry Peskov, Putin's spokesman, was cited as saying by Russian News Service.
The head of the Duma Committee for International Affairs, Alexei Pushkov, also dismissed the report as "a rumor," tweeting that no "negotiations to reduce oil production by the Saudis in exchange for Moscow not supporting Assad" ever happened.
Russia's steadfast support of Assad has helped keep the regime in power since the Syrian civil war broke out in 2011. Russia has been criticized by the international community for continuing to sell the Assad regime arms, and for blocking several United Nations Security Council resolutions on Syria.
It has been widely reported that Saudi Arabia has been arming the Syrian rebels to strengthen their fight against Assad.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
