OREANDA-NEWS Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa sent an appeal to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin with a proposal to buy oil, the Daily Mirror newspaper writes, citing a source close to the office of the head of the island state.

According to the publication, both leaders will have a telephone conversation in the coming days and work out agreements, after which the head of Sri Lanka will probably visit Moscow.

Economy Next, citing parliamentarian and presidential ally Mahindananda Aluthgamage, also reported on Rajapaksa's discussion of fuel supplies. He noted that president Gotabaya appealed to the President of Russia and offered to import fuel. Moreover, the head of the state plans to travel to the UAE to discuss the issue of fuel imports with the authorities.

A source in the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry said that attempts of Sri Lankan diplomacy to negotiate supplies with Russia at a lower level were not successful. As a result, the president had to turn to the Russian leadership.

Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that so far, Putin's schedule does not include a telephone conversation with the head of Sri Lanka. "When and if such an appeal comes through diplomatic channels, it will be considered", he added.

Earlier, the island state faced the severest economic crisis in 74 years of its existence. Fuel problems in Sri Lanka started because of a lack of currency.