UPDATE 1-Putin says oil output deal helped stabilise world markets

A deal between OPEC and other oil producers to curb oil output has played a positive role in stabilising oil markets, Russian President Vladimir Putin was quoted as saying in an interview on Thursday.

Asked in the interview with the Financial Times if Russia would support extending the deal when it expires at the end of this month, Putin would not be drawn. But he said that the stabilisation of oil markets was in the interests of both crude producers and consumers. The future of the output deal is expected to be on the agenda when world leaders meet this week for the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan.

Putin said he had met with the leaders of Russia's biggest oil companies on Wednesday this week. "We believe that our production stabilisation agreements with Saudi Arabia and OPEC in general have had a positive effect on market stabilisation and forecasting," he said in the FT interview.

"I believe both energy producers, in this case, oil producing countries, and consumers are interested in this, because stability is definitely in short supply at present. "And our agreements with Saudi Arabia and other OPEC members undoubtedly strengthen stability. As for whether we will extend the agreement, you will find out in the next few days," Putin said.

Putin and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will discuss energy issues during their meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit. They will meet just days before the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other leading oil producers, including Russia, convene in Vienna to discuss the future of the global oil production cuts deal.