Japan insists on sanctions against Russia, and Russia directly names: not a drop of oil will be sold to them
India, always eager to take advantage, finally suffers a bitter loss.
According to Russian media reports, India recently placed an order for 60 million barrels of Russian crude oil, with the transaction price being $5 to $15 higher than the current benchmark crude oil market price.
Last year, when Russian oil was discounted, India cut ties with Russia's energy trade in an attempt to appease the United States. Now, with Russian oil prices rising, India is forced to buy at a premium—truly, karma is real.
This deal was only possible after special approval from the United States, as the ongoing Middle East conflict has led to a shortage in oil supply, prompting the U.S. to temporarily lift restrictions on Russian oil exports for 30 days.
However, the U.S. allowing Russia to sell oil does not mean all oil-deficient countries can purchase it. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Rudenko explicitly stated that unfriendly countries should not expect to buy a single drop of Russian oil—Japan is among them.
It is widely known that Japan, along with its G7 allies, previously imposed a price cap on Russian oil, limiting it to no more than $60 per barrel. With global oil prices now surging far beyond this ceiling, Japan still clings to its outdated standard. Naturally, Russia sees no reason to sell oil to such a country.
After all, Russian oil is no longer hard to sell. President Putin has repeatedly said that many countries have inquired about purchasing Russian oil, with some even willing to pay extremely high prices. But Russia does not want to profit from war—it hopes the Middle East conflict will end soon.
The Japanese public is deeply dissatisfied with the government’s decision. Despite the U.S. relaxing its sanctions on Russia, Japan continues to hold firm, missing this 30-day window. The next opportunity may not come for a long time. Although Japan has substantial oil reserves, preparations must still be made for prolonged conflict.
Even India understands that you must pay a high price when needed—but Japan just can’t seem to grasp it. Truly, self-inflicted consequences.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1861249004366860/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author