Sri Lanka’s president says he has asked Russia’s Vladimir Putin to help his cash-strapped nation import fuel, as it faces its worst economic crisis since independence from Britain in 1948.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa said he “had a very productive” discussion with Mr. Putin.
It comes after Sri Lanka’s energy minister warned at the weekend that the country may soon run out of petrol.
On Wednesday, hundreds of people took to the streets of the capital Colombo to protest against the government.
“I requested an offer of credit support to import fuel,” Mr Rajapaksa tweeted in reference to his conversation with the Russian leader.
Mr. Rajapaksa also said he had “humbly made a request” for flights between Moscow and Colombo to resume, after the Russian flag carrier Aeroflot suspended services last month.
