Russian oil could lose a significant share of the Syrian market

Syria has informed the United States of its readiness to significantly reduce purchases of Russian oil.

This was reported by Reuters on August 4, citing sources familiar with the negotiations.

According to their information, Damascus sent a corresponding signal to the American side as part of contacts to develop relations between Syria and the US. The possible timelines for reducing supplies and the volumes that the country intends to replace with oil from other sources have not yet been disclosed.

Russia became the main supplier of crude oil to Syria after the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024. At the beginning of 2026, Russian supplies increased by approximately 75% and reached about 60,000 barrels per day.

In 2025, Syria received about 16.8 million barrels of oil from Russia. Deliveries were made by tankers, many of which are under Western sanctions. Russian crude covered a significant part of the deficit in the Syrian market.

At the same time, Syria had previously tried to diversify imports and sought alternative suppliers. Oil supply negotiations were held, in particular, with Turkey, but at that time an agreement could not be reached.

Giving up a significant portion of Russian oil will require Damascus to negotiate new supplies and rebuild logistics. The country's domestic production remains insufficient to meet the needs of the economy, and years of war have seriously damaged the oil infrastructure.

A possible reduction in purchases will be a new sign of Syria's rapprochement with Washington and will weaken Moscow's economic influence. Russia also maintains a military presence in Syria and is developing trade and logistics projects in the port of Tartus. 

Official public statements by the Syrian authorities on the scope and timing of reducing Russian oil imports have not yet been provided.