TOKYO, April 17. /TASS/. Indonesia plans to begin importing Russian oil this month, with joint investments in the construction of oil refineries in the country also being discussed, said Indonesian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia.

"Perhaps, [regarding] oil, it will happen this month," he was quoted as saying by the Indonesian news portal Tempo. The government is also preparing to import liquefied petroleum gas from Russia, the portal noted. That said, discussions regarding supply volumes are still ongoing, according to head of the Asian republic’s Ministry of Energy.

The government is discussing joint investments with Russia in the construction of refineries and oil storage facilities in Indonesia, Bahlil Lahadalia added, according to the portal. However, further consultations are necessary to reach a deal, he said. "To complete [work on the agreement], we will need one or two more rounds of negotiations <...>, especially regarding refineries and storage facilities," the minister stressed.

The republic’s Minister of Energy said earlier that Indonesia and Russia had reached an agreement on the supply of Russian oil and liquefied petroleum gas to the Asian country. According to Indonesian Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, the countries reached a number of agreements on long-term cooperation in energy and mineral resources following talks in Moscow between Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

On April 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin received his Indonesian counterpart Prabowo Subianto in the Kremlin. During the meeting, the Russian leader stated that the strategic nature of the two countries’ relations is primarily manifested in the economy, with trade turnover expected to increase by 12.5% in 2025. The head of the Asian republic, in turn, noted Russia’s positive contribution to global geopolitical processes, including in the context of global uncertainty. He also expressed gratitude to Vladimir Putin and the Russian government for Moscow’s support for Jakarta and thanked Russia for the republic’s rapid accession to BRICS.