The European Union will consider the opening by European energy companies of a second account in rubles in Gazprombank as a violation of sanctions against russia. EU representatives warned about this, writes the Guardian.
European officials claim that the EU cannot agree that payments in euros for russian gas should be considered valid by Moscow only after conversion into rubles.
“Companies do not violate sanctions paying in euros. What we cannot accept is that companies are obliged to open a second account, that between the first and second accounts, the amount in euros is at the full disposal of the russian authorities and the Central Bank, and that the payment will be completed only when converted into rubles,” said the official, whose name the journalists did not disclose.
The russian federation has recently announced that it will charge for gas in rubles. Vladimir Putin signed a decree to this effect. This is based on russia's desire to strengthen its currency and declare economic war on Europe, said Andriy Yermak, the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine.
According to analysts, this move by Putin is an attempt to play on the energy needs of the European Union to weaken sanctions pressure as a result. The russian leadership expects that such a proposal will be accepted by some of the EU countries and thus undermine the unity of the West.
Following this ultimatum, Prime Minister of Slovenia Janez Janša stated before the EU summit in Brussels that no European country would pay russia for gas supplied in rubles.
The Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz also excluded russia's demand to pay for russian gas in rubles. In addition, the economy ministers of the G7 countries agreed not to fulfill this requirement. The Minister of Economic Affairs of Germany said the ruble ultimatum was unilateral and a clearly violation of existing contracts. Chancellor of Austria Karl Nehammer also noted that his country would not pay in rubles. Poland and Bulgaria categorically refused to pay for gas in rubles. Yesterday “Gazprom” announced that it would stop supplying them with gas because of this.
Hungary agreed to pay in rubles.