Shell sorry and pledges to stop buying Russian oil

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Shell apologized for buying cheap Russian crude at the weekend and will stop buying it.

The energy giant said it would close all of its service stations in the country.

At the weekend, Shell came under huge criticism after it purchased a cargo of Russian crude at a discounted price.

It was wrong to buy Russian oil according to its boss.

Mr van Beurden apologized for the decision to purchase a cargo of Russian crude oil.

The company said it will stop buying Russian crude oil immediately, as well as shutting down service stations and suspending operations in the country.

The rest of the company's exit from Russian oil and gas is expected to take some time.

Mr van Beurden said that it was a complex challenge.

Changing this part of the energy system will require concerted action by governments, energy suppliers and customers, and a transition to other energy supplies will take much longer.

When Shell was forced to defend its purchase of Russian crude over the weekend, it insisted that it had no alternative in order to maintain timely supplies of fuel to Europe.

Russian oil makes up 8% of Shell's working supplies. One of the firm's refineries is one of the biggest in Europe.

It said that cargoes from other sources wouldn't have arrived in time.

It's not clear how Shell will replace the energy produced by Russia.

The dilemma between putting pressure on the Russian government over its atrocities in Ukraine and ensuring stable, secure energy supplies across Europe is highlighted by these societal challenges.

It is for governments to decide on the incredibly difficult trade-offs that must be made during the war in Ukraine.

He said that the firm would work with governments on how to manage any impact on energy supplies.