By Kelum Bandara   

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is reported to have written to Russian President Vladimir Putin asking for cooperation in oil purchases, a source close to the President’s Office said.   

The two presidents are expected to make a phone call one of these days and work out arrangements with the likely involvement of an official visit to Moscow. Sri Lanka is now facing a huge fuel shortage.   

According to the source, the shortage will last till July 10, 2022. The source said the next shipment can be expected between July 10 and 12. The source also confirmed that India agreed to provide four shipments of fuel on cash payment terms.