"If European companies and European buyers suddenly decide to change direction and want long-term and sustainable cooperation, free from political pressure, then they are welcome to come. We have never closed the door," Putin said in a televised appearance.
He also says:
We are ready to cooperate with Europe, but we need to get signals from them that they are ready and willing to cooperate with us.
Want to ease sanctions
The EU countries Slovakia and Hungary still import Russian oil, even though the pipeline that runs through Ukraine was damaged in January - which Ukraine says was the result of a Russian attack.
Earlier in the day, Hungary proposed that the EU must ease sanctions against Russian oil.
"The Ukrainian oil blockade and the war in the Middle East are causing oil prices to skyrocket. Europe must act," writes Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on X.
Orbán adds that he has urged European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to “review” and “remove” sanctions against Russian energy.
Introducing a price cap
At an extraordinary government meeting on Monday, Orbán's government decided to introduce a price cap for both gasoline and diesel starting at midnight between Monday and Tuesday.
Orbán said in a speech that the Hungarian government will release state reserves to guarantee availability. The price cap only applies to vehicles registered in Hungary.
Earlier on Monday, Croatia became the first EU country to introduce price caps on gasoline and diesel.
Oil prices have risen sharply in the past week as a result of the Iran war. On Monday afternoon, Brent crude was trading at $103 per barrel.
