The OPEC+ alliance decided at yesterday's meeting to accelerate the increase in oil production, it announced on its official website. The rate will be increased by 50% this summer - production will be increased by 648,000 bpd in July and August instead of the previously planned 432 bpd. The decision, which came as a surprise to the market, might have been driven by Russia's reduced oil production amid sanctions. Reuters suggests that months of pressure on the alliance from Western countries suffering from the consequences of their sanctions, in particular, the lack of electricity. The United States announced on the same day that it was very happy with the outcome - as the White House spokeswoman said, Washington will continue to use all means available to it to mitigate the situation. The news stimulated oil prices, which stood at about $114.3 during the first half of the day while waiting for the announcement of the results, and then rose sharply, approaching $118 a barrel by late afternoon.