Russia Extends Energy Lifeline To China After Earlier Offer To India Amid West Asia War

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Russia, on Wednesday (local time), has now offered to help China with any potential energy crisis, as the US-Iran war in the Middle East heightens geopolitical divisions and threatens global commodity supplies, CNBC reported.

Citing Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's comments, Russian news agency Interfax noted,“Russia can certainly fill the resource gap that has arisen in China and other countries interested in working with us on an equal and mutually beneficial basis.”

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Lavrov also commented on China and Russia's ability to withstand the economic impact of the "aggressive" US military operations against Iran, which have pushed global oil and gas prices to a new high.

At a press conference in Beijing, Russia's top diplomat said, "Thank God, we and China have all the capabilities, both those already in use and those in reserve, and those planned, to avoid being dependent on this kind of aggressive adventure [the situation in the Middle East], which undermines the global economy and global energy."

Lavrov visits China

Sergei Lavrov's remarks came during his visit to China, where he met Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday. According to reports, the officials reaffirmed friendship and strategic cooperation between the two countries, with both sides stating the relationship was“unshakable amid any storms.”

Also Read | Chinese President Xi Jinping meets Russian FM Sergei Lavrov in Beijing today

Separately, China's foreign ministry noted that both Moscow and Beijing "conduct practical cooperation in energy" based on "mutual respect and mutual benefit," Reuters reported.

Moscow's decision to help Beijing comes before a scheduled visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin, which is due in the first half of this year.

Russia, China slam US' Iran war

Both Russia and China have condemned the US and Israel's war against Iran, which began in late February. While a two-week ceasefire is in place as of now, mediators are hoping to renew talks between the two sides after a 21-hour negotiation round in Pakistan's Islamabad failed without an agreement.

However, the Middle East conflict is seemingly proving lucrative for Moscow since the oil prices have soared after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) shut the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway responsible for transporting nearly 20% of the world's oil. Meanwhile, China's resilience has benefited asset prices since the war began, CNBC reported.

Also Read | Amid Hormuz crisis, Russia proposes boosting oil and gas supplies to India Russia and China's interests in Iran

Reports suggest that both Beijing and Moscow want the US-Iran war to end as soon as possible. For Russia, Iran remains an important partner in the Middle East, and Moscow is unlikely to want to risk the weakening or loss of another regional ally.

Meanwhile, China's concerns are more directly tied to energy security. Beijing relies on Iranian crude imports and on the steady flow of commodities that pass through Hormuz, where the US military has enforced a blockade. Data released on Tuesday showed that China's crude oil and gas imports fell in March from a year ago, signalling that disruptions to supplies from the Middle East were starting to take effect.

Although China maintains large oil reserves and has a relatively diversified energy mix, which is helping cushion the immediate impact compared to some other major economies, it still depends heavily on global energy markets. Prolonged instability could therefore carry high economic costs over time.

Russia gains from Middle East war

Russia, a major oil and gas producer, has benefited significantly from the Iran war. Disruptions to Middle Eastern energy supplies have led major buyers like India and China to sharply increase their imports from Russia, boosting its fossil fuel export revenues.

Data shows that in the first quarter of 2026, about 90% of Russia's crude exports were shipped to China and India.

Also Read | US-Israel war with Iran reshapes energy markets, Russia emerges a winner: Report

Earlier in March, days after the war began, news agency PTI reported that Moscow said it is ready to step in and meet New Delhi's complete energy demand if extended disruptions affect the country's oil and gas supplies.

"We are ready to fulfil the demands of India's energy needs in case of continued disruption of energy supplies," an official from the Embassy of the Russian Federation was quoted as saying in the report.

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