Trump says Saudi Arabia, Russia ‘close’ to oil production deal after OPEC+ meeting

US President Donald Trump said Thursday that Russia and Saudi Arabia are “close” to agreeing on production cuts to prop up oil prices.

“I would say they are getting close to a deal. We will soon find out,” Trump told a press briefing at the White House immediately after a conference call with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Arabia's King Salman.

“They’re getting close to a deal. That’s OPEC and many countries outside of OPEC,” he said in further comments.

They will “probably announce something either today or tomorrow,” he said.

Trump said he would be having further discussions on the oil market crisis later Thursday.

Prices have plummeted after being hit simultaneously by a Russian-Saudi price war, in which both countries ramped up production, and the global economic paralysis triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.

“There’s not enough room to even store it,” Trump said of the surplus oil around the world.

The situation was “catastrophic,” Trump said, but added the market was “hitting bottom.”

Read more:

OPEC+ confirms agreement on cuts of 10 mln bpd in May, June: Statement

Saudi Arabia, Russia closing in on record oil cut deal: Sources

Russia, Saudi Arabia overcome differences holding up big oil cut deal: Dmitriev