Russia respects UAE’s OPEC exit as ‘sovereign decision,’ hopes OPEC+ survives

Russia on Wednesday described the United Arab Emirates’ decision to withdraw from OPEC and the wider OPEC+ group as a “sovereign decision” that Moscow respects. “This is a sovereign decision of the United Arab Emirates, and we respect it,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. He added that Russia welcomes Abu Dhabi’s commitment to continue taking a responsible position in energy markets through bilateral coordination, and that Moscow expects to maintain “constructive and effective” contacts with the Gulf country, including energy dialogue.

OPEC+ future

Peskov expressed hope that OPEC+ will survive despite the UAE’s departure, calling the platform a “very important area of work, particularly crucial in the current climate, when energy markets are, to put it mildly, in turmoil.” He argued that the OPEC+ format helps minimize fluctuations in non-energy markets and stabilizes them. The UAE announced its withdrawal on Tuesday, marking one of the most significant ruptures within the oil producer group in years. The decision comes as global energy markets face severe disruption from the US-Israeli war against Iran, which has driven crude prices sharply higher and intensified concerns about Gulf supply security.