Russian President Vladimir Putin is escorted by Energy Minister Alexander Novak and co-owner of Russian gas producer Novatek Leonid Mikhelson, as he inspects a construction site of Yamal LNG, Russia’s second liquefied natural gas plant, in the Arctic port of Sabetta, Yamalo-Nenets district, Russia December 8, 2017. Sputnik/Alexei Druzhinin/Kremlin via REUTERS

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin offered Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih to buy Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) in order to spare Saudi Arabia’s oil, the Interfax news agency reported citing him as saying on Friday.

“Buy our gas and you’ll save oil,” Putin told Falih after having given the order to start loading the first gas tanker with liquefied natural gas at the Novatek-led Yamal LNG project in the Arctic.

“That’s why I’m here,” Falih replied.