Algiers - Foreign Minister Anže Logar met with senior Algerian officials on Wednesday as Slovenia strives to secure alternative energy sources from Algeria in an attempt to reduce its reliance on Russian natural gas.

He held talks with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra, Energy Minister Mohamed Arkab, and chairman of the state-owned energy company Sonatech Tufik Hakkar.

Vanja Lombar, the director of Slovenia's largest natural gas trader Geoplin, was present for the talks with the Sonatach chairman, according to the Foreign Ministry.

The talks with Algerian officials revolved around the strengthening of bilateral cooperation and current events in Europe and North Africa, and cooperation in the Mediterranean.

Algeria is one of the countries Slovenia is counting on to supply natural gas.

Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec recently said Slovenia wanted to fill its gas reservoirs before next winter with gas from Morocco and Algeria and was working on expanding the capacity of a gas pipeline through which it can receive North African gas via Italy.