The Chancellor of Austria Karl Nehammer denied the information which was raised in media that Austria agreed to pay russia for gas in rubles. On his Twitter account, he wrote that these payments would be in Euro. “Before fake russian propaganda news is spread. Of course, OMV will continue to pay for gas from russia in Euro”, - were his words.
Nehammer highlights that Austria is keeping all the approved EU sanctions.
Bevor hier Fake News der russischen Propaganda weiter verbreitet werden. Die OMV bezahlt Gaslieferungen aus Russland selbstverständlich weiterhin in Euro. Österreich hält sich auf Punkt und Beistrich an die gemeinsam beschlossenen EU-Sanktionen.
— Karl Nehammer (@karlnehammer) April 27, 2022
Interfax-Ukraine and ARA media wrote about the agreement to pay for gas in rubles with the reference to some Austrian media. It was indicated that this decision had been confirmed with OMV, which had participated in the construction of “Nord stream – 2”.
Austria earlier declared that would not agree to the gas embargo against russia and was against joining Ukraine in the EU.
Nehammer visited Ukraine on the 9th of April. He met the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and visited Bucha, where russian soldiers had tortured, raped and murdered peaceful citizens. Upon that Nehammer visited russia and, according to his words, he conducted “very strict, rough and transparent negotiations”.
Russia stated that they would charge payments for gas only in rubles. They just want artificially make their currency stronger and announce an economic war on Europe. The strategic communications center stated that such putin’s action was an attempt to weaken sanctions playing a game with the energy resources demand in the EU. Russia expects to force any EU country to pay in rubles to ruin the union of the West.
In reaction to this ultimatum, the prime minister of Slovenia Janez Janša stated before the EU summit in Brussels that not a single European country would pay russia for gas in rubles.
The chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz also refused to pay for russian gas in rubles. Ministers of Economy of G7 countries agreed not to comply with this requirement. The Minister of Economy of Germany stated that the ultimatum was one-sided and violated existing contracts.
Poland and Bulgaria refused to pay for the gas in rubles. Today Gasprom has stopped the supply of gas to these countries.
Hungary was ready to pay in rubles.