Russia has said it will require payment for gas only in rubles. This is an attempt to strengthen its currency - the ruble, as well as to declare economic war on the European Union.
This opinion was voiced in his Telegram by the head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak.
"But the West may strike an oil embargo on Russia, which will lead to the fall of the Russian economy. Now it will be a key economic battle, and the collective West must win it," - said the head of the OP.
The Center for Strategic Communications cited analysts who said Putin's move was an attempt to play on the European Union's energy needs in order to ease sanctions pressure. The Russian leadership hopes that such a proposal will be accepted by one of the EU countries and thus the unity of the West will be weakened.
Earlier the Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbán stated that the European Union will not apply sanctions against Russian oil and gas. He said that sanctions against Russia in the energy sector would be a disproportionately heavy burden for Hungary.
And German Vice Chancellor Robert Gabeck, Germany's economy and climate minister, said Germany's dependence on Russian gas was "just ridiculous." The other day, Germany agreed with Qatar on an energy partnership to reduce its dependence on Russian natural gas.
This week, EU leaders will discuss with US President Joe Biden the application of an oil embargo against Russia. Back in early March, almost a hundred European Parliament deputys called for an EU embargo on gas and oil imports from Russia.