Global oil price are set to rise after the cartel that brings together oil producing countries refused calls by the US government to ramp up on production so as to bring the cost of oil down. Instead, OPEC+ the alliance composed of the 13 OPEC members plus 10 other allies led by Russia have decided to cut down production by 2 million barrels a day.

This comes as a shocker to the US as it shows a shift in geopolitics with the gulf states now seemingly playing to Moscow’s tunes. The Biden administration, which for months has engaged in diplomatic efforts to dissuade its Middle Eastern allies from cutting oil production, reacted frustrated at the prospect of pump prices increasing further before a key midterm election. This could potentially rise the cost of living further, making President Biden’s administration to come under heavy criticism at home.

However, Saudi Arabia which is a member of the cartel dispelled accusations of them aligning with Russia against the west by saying that it was not a sole decision but a joint decision by a group of countries in order to stabilize market prices of the commodity.

Kuwait’s acting oil minister, Mohammed al-Fares, said on Wednesday that while the alliance understood consumers’ concerns over soaring prices, their main concern was “maintaining balance between supply and demand”.

The group argues that it was necessary to bring the prices up in tandem with the global economy as they cited an increase in interest rates in the west thus they are using the cut in production as a mechanism to avert a recession which seems on its way.

Nonetheless, the move could well be “a snub” to the Biden administration, whose unsuccessful diplomatic effort to halt the oil production cut is a signal of its weaning influence over Gulf allies.