On Monday, the US President played down the step taken by major oil countries on Sunday, according to which they decided to sharply reduce their production, after the White House had criticized the move, stressing at the same time its limited impact on the US economy.

"It won't be as bad as you might think," US President Joe Biden told reporters when he went to Minnesota to defend his economic policy.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters, "We do not believe that cutting production is an appropriate step at this time, given the uncertainty in the market."

He added that the United States "made this clear," stressing at the same time that Washington "focuses on moving forward."

And Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Kuwait, the Sultanate of Oman and Algeria decided on Sunday, in a coordinated manner, to reduce their daily production by more than one million barrels per day in total, starting from next May until the end of this year, in the largest production cut since the decision of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its partners in the “OPEC Plus” alliance in October 2022 Cut production by two million barrels per day.

In turn, Russia, a member of the OPEC Plus alliance, announced that it would extend its crude oil production cut by 500,000 barrels per day until the end of 2023, referring to a "responsible and preventive measure."

Kirby said that the situation has improved since production was cut a year ago, in a move that angered US President Joe Biden and his administration, which was then facing difficulties in curbing the rise in fuel prices in the United States.

Kirby added, "We are in a different position now in terms of the market compared to last year," noting that crude oil prices are around $80 per barrel, after they were around $120 a year ago.

"Our focus is on pricing," he said.

In response to a question about troubled relations with Saudi Arabia, Kirby said that the kingdom "is still a strategic partner," but "views are not always identical."

Kirby stressed that the recent decision to cut production did not completely surprise the United States, noting that Washington "received warnings."