Ukraine urges nations to boost energy exports during war

DOHA, Qatar — Ukraine’s president called Saturday on energyrich nations to increase their production of oil and natural gas to counteract the loss of Russian supplies amid sanctions over Moscow’s war on his country.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a surprise video appearance at Qatar’s Doha Forum, an annual summit in the gas-rich nation that will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup later this year. It’s part of a rhetorical offensive of addresses he’s given around the world since the start of the war Feb. 24.

Zelenskyy asked countries to increase their energy exports — something particularly important as Qatar is a world leader in the export of natural gas. Western sanctions have deeply cut into Russian exports, which are crucial for European nations.

“The responsible states, in particular the state of Qatar, you are reliable and reputable suppliers of energy resources,” Zelenskyy said. “And you can contribute to stabilizing the situation in Europe. There is much that can be done to restore justice.”

He added: “The future of Europe

depends on your efforts. I urge you to increase energy production to make Russia understand that no state should use energy as a weapon and to blackmail the world.”

He compared Russia’s destruction of the port city of Mariupol to the Syrian and Russian destruction wrought on the city of Aleppo in the Syrian war. He also warned the war could affect Ukraine’s agricultural exports to the world, which he described as “the basis of stability and internal security of many countries.”

“Russian troops mine fields in Ukraine, blow up agricultural machinery, destroy fuel reserves needed for sowing. They blocked our seaports. Why are they doing this?” he asked. “Our state will have enough food. But the lack of exports from Ukraine will hit many nations in the Islamic world, Latin America and other parts of the world.”

The loss of Ukrainian wheat already has worried Mideast nations like Egypt, which rely on those exports. Zelenskyy on Friday spoke by phone with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Also on hand was Saudi Foreign

Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the top diplomat for the world’s biggest oil exporter. Saudi Arabia so far has said it would stick with an OPEC+ production schedule the cartel struck with Russia and other producers. The kingdom also said it wouldn’t be responsible for higher prices as it deals with attacks from Yemen’s Houthi rebels amid its yearslong war in the Arab world’s poorest country.

Qatar Energy CEO Saad Sherida al-Kaabi also later said that his nation likely couldn’t help “immediately” with sending more gas to Europe.