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The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Maxim Oreshkin, Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller, and Rosneft CEO – Chairman of the Management Board Igor Sechin.

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Colleagues, good afternoon.

Today I suggest discussing not just the current state of the fuel and energy complex but also mid- and long-term tasks, of course, with due regard to our strategic plans outlined in the Executive Order on the Development Goals of the Russian Federation through 2030 and for the Future until 2036, issued on May 7.

I mean addressing problems related to improving the well-being of Russian families, sustainable and dynamic growth of economic sectors, digitisation, ensuring technological leadership and, of course, the implementation of large-scale social projects and programmes, including the continuation of social gas distribution programme.

I would like to emphasise that despite the sanctions and strong volatility on the global and regional energy markets, the domestic fuel and energy complex is developing steadily, opening new areas for exports and reliably and fully meeting growing domestic needs, which is fundamentally important and is a priority for us. The Russian economy is growing, the needs are growing, and they are met by the fuel and energy complex.

In January-April, gas production in Russia amounted to 246.4 billion cubic metres, which is almost eight percent higher than over the same period last year. 

The oil industry performance is also quite stable. For instance, since the start of this year, gross oil production amounted to 195.7 million tonnes, which is a bit – by 1.8 percent – below the figure for the corresponding period last year. But we proceed from the premise that we have the OPEC Plus agreement, and this is a voluntary reduction.

In addition, electricity consumption is steadily on the rise. This reflects the overall positive trends in the economy and production. Since the start of this year, this increase reached 6.1 percent compared to the relevant figure for the past year.

The heads of the Government energy sector and leading energy companies are present at our meeting today.

I will say this in the end – we will also gather in a more expanded format with heads of companies and will discuss everything we will talk about today. But at the first stage, we will talk in a narrow circle.

As is known, the Address to the Federal Assembly determines many industries on which we should stake. We have set a number of major goals facing the fuel and energy complex that is certainly one of the most important industries. We have identified these goals for the next six years.

In addition, at a sectoral meeting two years ago, I instructed the Government to draft and endorse a long-term energy strategy. When I said we would meet in an expanded format, I was referring to a discussion on drafting this strategy. I would like to ask you to speed up this work and complete it as soon as possible.

Let’s get down to business.

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