Brent were down 16 cents, or 0.23%, at $68.88, WTI fell 20 cents, or 0.31%, to $64.16.

Against a backdrop of intensifying Western economic coercion, renewed attempts to weaponize trade, the slowdown in Russia–China bilateral trade, and the U.S.-India oil narrative curbing India’s imports of Russian energy, as well as visible stress fractures in the global energy system, the Putin-Xi dialogue emerged as a crucial strategic calibration for Russia and China.

Globally, over 666 million people do not have access to electricity. If those without electricity were a country, they would be the third most populous on earth.

Brent fell $1.44, or 2.07%, to $68.02, WTI fell $1.34 cents, or also 2.06%, to trade at $63.80.

The eight OPEC+ countries, which previously announced additional voluntary adjustments in April and November 2023, namely Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, UAE, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria, and Oman met virtually on 1 February 2026, to review global market conditions and outlook.

Indian stocks and the rupee rallied on Trump’s remarks on Tuesday, but halting Russian oil purchases in particular would be a major concession for the Modi government, which has repeatedly insisted that buying crude wherever it wants is a matter of “strategic autonomy”.

The decline was due to lower crude prices and a stronger rouble. Oil and gas revenues are crucial for Russia's state budget, which ran a deficit of 5.6 trillion roubles or 2.6% of gross domestic product in 2025.

Brent fell 12 cents, or 0.2%, to $63.05 a barrel. WTI was down 7 cents, or 0.1%, to stand at $59.25 a barrel.

The eight participating countries reiterated that the 1.65 million barrels per day may be returned in part or in full subject to evolving market conditions and in a gradual manner.

Energy security is at the core of its evolving ties, as Hungary protects its national interest. Hungary remains the EU member state most honest about its energy realities.