Will Russia's Oil Scramble Shift Southeast Asian Alliances?
Southeast Asian governments are turning to Russian oil and gas sources amid fuel shortages due to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. Analysts question if this desperate energy sourcing will lead to Russia gaining long-term regional political influence.
Across Southeast Asia, governments are seeking Russian oil and gas to ease fuel shortages triggered by the continuing chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, a crisis that has sent energy prices higher and forced import-dependent countries to look beyond their usual suppliers. But analysts say the scramble for Russian fuel also raises a bigger question for the region: whether Moscow can turn a short-term role as an emergency energy supplier into longer-term influence there. Member states of the...