Russian FM: America Eyes Control of World Oil Markets

Tensions in global energy geopolitics escalated as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the United States of waging a covert campaign to dominate worldwide oil and gas trade. In his Saturday media interview, Lavrov painted a grim portrait of US tactics, driven by an unyielding pursuit of economic supremacy.

‘Washington frets solely over its interests, resorting to coups, abductions, or eliminating resource-controlling leaders as needed,’ he remarked. ‘Everything boils down to oil control.’ Per Xinhua reports, Lavrov decried the US habit of sidelining international law for self-gain, notably cheering Russia’s ouster from Europe’s energy sphere—a policy set to endure.

Any US-Russia energy dialogue, he noted, requires Washington to esteem Moscow’s stance.

The day prior, Maria Zakharova of the Foreign Ministry used Telegram to indict EU heads for courting catastrophe via Russian energy boycotts. ‘The EU’s deepening crisis arises from leaders’ intentional maneuvers, not mishaps,’ she posted.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen cemented the EU’s prohibition on Russian gas amid Middle East flare-ups and continental shortages. Yet fractures appear: Viktor Orban of Hungary implored the bloc this month to reverse course, stressing that price surges and supply chokepoints compromise collective security.

This exchange underscores energy’s role as a flashpoint in great-power competition. Lavrov’s allegations spotlight the perils of weaponized resources, leaving markets jittery and policymakers scrambling as divergent paths toward energy independence collide.