The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemenlu) hopes that the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) exit from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) will support market stability and global energy supply security. 

Kemenlu spokesperson Yvonne Mewengkang stated that the UAE’s departure from OPEC is part of the evolving dynamics of global energy governance. Therefore, the government will continue to closely monitor developments. 

“The Indonesian government will assess the implications of the UAE’s exit from OPEC on the economy and national energy security,” Yvonne said at her office on Thursday, April 30. 

According to Bloomberg, the UAE will officially leave OPEC on Friday (1/5). The UAE is the third-largest oil producer within OPEC, contributing around 12% of the organization’s total production. 

OPEC recorded total crude oil production last year at 3.12 million barrels per day, up 6.84% year-on-year. As of February 2026, Bloomberg reported that the UAE produced 3.6 million barrels of crude oil per day. 

The UAE’s state-owned oil company, ADNOC, has recently set the country’s production capacity at 4.85 million barrels per day. As a result, production capacity is expected to increase by more than 50% compared to last year’s realization. 

Yvonne emphasized that the UAE’s exit from OPEC does not affect bilateral relations with Indonesia across all sectors. The statement follows calls by European Union diplomats for ASEAN countries to seek crude oil supplies beyond Russia. 

According to OilPrice, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas indicated that revenues from Russian oil sales are being used to finance the war in Ukraine. Kallas noted that the global energy crisis triggered by tensions involving Iran, the United States, and Israel has benefited Russia. 

Several ASEAN member states, including Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam, have faced difficulties securing crude oil supplies due to the conflict involving Iran. The Strait of Hormuz, a key route for oil shipments from Gulf countries, remains disrupted. 

“If peace is achieved, we would not face this issue. Therefore, we encourage ASEAN countries to diversify their crude oil sources, not rely on Russia,” Kallas said. 

Indonesia Secures Russian Crude Oil Supply Commitment 

The government claims that Indonesia has secured a commitment to import crude oil from Russia totaling 150 million barrels. The agreement was reached during a meeting between President Prabowo Subianto and President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on 13 April. 

The import scheme will be implemented in stages rather than all at once, as it requires sufficient domestic storage capacity. 

Imports from Russia will not only be absorbed by Pertamina but also allocated to industry, petrochemical feedstock, and mining activities. The imports will follow market pricing. 

Second spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vahd Nabyl Achmad Mulachela, stated that the government’s priority is to ensure energy security for the public. Therefore, the government is working with various partners to maintain energy resilience amid dynamic geopolitical developments. 

“We are working with various partners to ensure national energy security, including the United States and Russia. The key point is to meet national energy needs,” Nabyl said. 

This article is published in partnership with Katadata 

Original article here