Putin Secures Gas Price Cut to 6-Year Low in China – Reuters
The Russian government is factoring further reductions in natural gas prices for China into its budget for the coming years. According to the macroeconomic forecast of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development through 2029, next year fuel supplies to China via the “Power of Siberia” gas pipeline will be priced at $223.9 per thousand cubic meters.
This was reported by Reuters. Compared to this year, the cost of Russian gas for China will drop by 14% and will be 34% lower than what other Gazprom customers in distant foreign markets will pay, for whom the price will be $336.3.
The forecast, published on May 12, a week before Vladimir Putin’s visit to Beijing, shows the lowest price level for China since 2021, when purchases were made at $145. Going forward, according to the document, the price for China will rise to $229.7 in 2028 and to $235.6 per thousand cubic meters in 2029. Meanwhile, the discount relative to other Gazprom buyers will be 30% and 28%, respectively. Journalists note that compared to the agency’s previous macro forecast from September, the expected cost of gas for China over the three-year period has decreased by approximately 7%.
Putin arrived in China for a two-day visit, where he will hold talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping amid sanctions pressure and Russia’s growing dependence on the Chinese market.
On May 19, China’s Foreign Ministry denied a Financial Times report that Xi Jinping had allegedly spoken negatively about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions during talks with Donald Trump.
Earlier, Trumppointed out the catastrophic consequences of a mistake in choosing a successor – Fortune.
On May 18, U.S. President Donald Trump posted an AI-generated image in which he is allegedly depicted alongside an “alien” and accompanied by “space forces.”
U.S. President Donald Trump plans to hold a meeting with his national security team this week to discuss possible military action against Iran. According to Axios on May 18, these discussions are taking place against the backdrop of deteriorating diplomatic efforts and rising tensions between Washington and Tehran.
