The National Patriotic Front (NPF) has said the NPP government owes the public an explanation regarding the status of negotiations with Russia to secure energy supplies.

NPF General Secretary Dr. Wasantha Bandara said that Sri Lanka was in such a desperate situation, the current dispensation couldn’t, under any circumstances, miss the opportunity to reach consensus with Russia in this regard.

Dr. Bandara was responding to The Island query in the wake of the NPF, in a letter, dated 27 April, warning President Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the catastrophic consequences for the country if it failed to obtain energy supplies on affordable terms.

Alleging that various interested parties, within the government, and the Western diplomatic community, hindered the successful conclusion of an agreement/agreements between Sri Lanka and Russia, Dr. Bandara pointed out that those in authority seemed to have conveniently forgotten that Sri Lanka received two Russian delegations. In late March and early April 2026, Russian Deputy Energy Minister Roman Marshavin and Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko, visited Colombo where the focus was on long-term fuel supplies, investment, and tourism.

Dr. Bandara said that Anura Karunatilleke, who succeeded Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody, embroiled in the coal scam, was yet to meet the Russian Ambassador in Colombo Levan Dzhagaryan, who wants to explore ways and means of expediting the process. Instead,

British High Commissioner Andrew Patrick meets Energy Minister
Karunatilleke and Deputy Civil Aviation Minister Janaka Ruwan Kodithuwakku

Karunatilleke and Deputy Civil Aviation Minister Janaka Ruwan Kodithuwakku recently met British High Commissioner Andrew Patrick, Dr Bandara said. Referring to BHC post that they discussed how Sri Lanka could maximise its ports and airports, including through existing and new UK partnerships, alongside UK support for green energy, particularly offshore wind, Dr. Bandara emphasised that the UK and EU struggling to meet their own energy demands couldn’t help Sri Lanka.

In the NPF letter to President Dissanayake, Dr. Bandara alleged that Sri Lanka could secure a barrel of Russian crude for USD 150 to 160 whereas procurement through India cost a lot more. The NPF emphasised the responsibility on the part of the NPP government to maintain close relations with China, Russia and Iran, Sri Lanka’s long-time friends.

The NPF has urged President Dissanayake to intervene without further delay to ensure national interest in this matter is given utmost importance.

Dr. Bandara pointed out that those in charge of coal procurement told a parliamentary committee how the trouble started after Sri Lanka moved from Russian coal to South African products through disgraced Indian firm Trident Chemphar Ltd. Dr. Bandara asserted that political parties, represented in Parliament, should take up this matter vigorously and shouldn’t be distracted by vile NPP strategies.

By Shamindra Ferdinando