MOSCOW--Russia will meet the Organization of the Petroleum
Exporting Countries in early June in Vienna, an Energy Ministry
spokeswoman said Monday.
Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich said earlier this month
that Russia was having "unprecedentedly active" consultations with
OPEC and other major oil producers. But officials said there were
no talks about Russia and OPEC coordinating production cuts to
boost the price of oil.
Russia and OPEC have talked about possible coordination during
previous oil-price slides, but Moscow has never fulfilled the
pledge.
The consultations come after several months of low oil prices
that are putting pressure on Russia's budget and currency.
Energy Ministry spokesman Olga Golant on Monday said by
telephone the Russian delegation was scheduled to meet OPEC in the
first days of June. She didn't provide further details on this, but
said the ministry may announce its agenda some two weeks ahead of
the planned meeting on June 5.
Write to Andrey Ostroukh at andrey.ostroukh@wsj.com
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