The energy situation in Syria... Has the Ministry of Oil signed an agreement with Russia?

The Public Relations Officer at the Syrian Ministry of Oil and Mineral Resources, Ahmed Suleiman, confirmed that "the oil sector in Syria is still in the stage of technical and administrative evaluation," indicating that "the ministry is working on plans to rehabilitate the infrastructure and enhance local production, after years of war, economic collapse, and international sanctions."

Regarding the crude oil and petroleum products sources currently reaching Syria, Suleiman stated, as reported by "Syria TV," that "the ministry relies on announcing tenders based on actual needs, without depending on a specific country," adding: "Tenders are open to all interested parties who meet the contractual conditions."

Responding to reports of a Syrian-Russian agreement to import shipments of Arctic oil to the port of Baniyas, Suleiman said: "We have no knowledge of an official agreement with Russia on this matter, and imports are only done through tenders issued by the ministry."

Several trade sources told Reuters that "Syria is seeking to import oil through local intermediaries after the initial tenders did not attract clear interest from major oil traders due to ongoing sanctions and financial risks."

Documents showed that "the Syrian caretaker government has issued tenders to import 4.2 million barrels of crude oil and 100,000 tons of fuel oil and diesel 'as soon as possible'."