Russian President Vladimir Putin says Russia will build market-based cooperation in the energy sphere with all countries.
The Russian leader told foreign ambassadors that genuine energy security can be achieved only through joint participation of all countries engaged in the process. He pledged that Russia will seek to unconditionally move energy relations with other countries onto a transparent market foundation free of what he called "political opportunism."
Mr. Putin's comments came just days after the settlement of major disputes with neighboring Belarus over hikes in oil and natural gas prices.
The dispute led to a Russian shut-off of oil supplies through the main oil pipeline across Belarus to western Europe, cutting supplies to Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary
Russia acted after the Belarusians diverted thousands of tons of crude.
The cut-off came a year after Russia cut natural gas supplies to Ukraine in a price dispute, sharply reducing deliveries to western Europe.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
