Russia sends mixed signals on oil output

A worker controls the arrival of a supply ship to the West Alfa drilling platform, which is anchored at the Cara Sea some 250 km north off Russian shore. Russia needs an oil price of US100 per barrel to balance its budget. — AP

MOSCOW: Russia, in desperate need of higher oil prices, is making a last-ditch attempt to sway this week’s Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) meeting by suggesting Moscow could cut output if the group does the same.

But in a sign that it has yet to take a final decision, Russia has also said instead of cutting output it could just keep it flat.