Poland and Bulgaria did not comply with the new payment requirements imposed by Russia, so Moscow suspended shipments. From the European Commission they branded the move as blackmail, but Putin’s entourage denies these accusations.
Russia announced on Wednesday that the shipment of gas to European countries will be cut off if payments are not made in rubles, all following the suspension of supplies to Poland and Bulgaria precisely for not abiding by the new mechanism..
The news was delivered by Dmitri Peskov, spokesman for the Russian Presidency.
“As payment time approaches, and if consumers reject the new payment system, the presidential decree will be implemented,” he confirmed.
Peskov categorically denied that the interruption of supplies is blackmail, as described by the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
“It is not regarding any blackmail (…) We are categorically once morest that statement”Peskov commented, adding that European countries were warned in advance that Russia would move to a new payment system in response to community sanctions on Moscow and the blocking of the country’s funds abroad.
Von der Leyen assured this Wednesday that the European Union (EU) has contingency plans for possible gas cuts from Russia following the suspension of supplies to Bulgaria and Poland for not paying in rubles.
“Gazprom’s announcement that it will unilaterally suspend gas delivery to customers in Europe is yet another attempt by Russia to use gas as a blackmail tool,” Von der Leyen declared in a statement.
The president of the Community Executive added that the Moscow maneuver “shows once once more the unreliability of Russia as a gas supplier” and that the European partners are “prepared for this scenario (…) unjustified and unacceptable”.
The Kremlin representative replied to von der Leyen that Russia remains a reliable supplier and that if the countries affected by the cuts agree to pay in rubles, supplies would resume.
Peskov insisted that payment in rubles does not imply “any difficulty”, nor does it raise the price of supplies..
“De facto, nothing changes for buyers, the only requirement is that they open two new accounts at Gazprombank”, an entity in charge of receiving payment in foreign currency and converting it into rubles.
Peskov stressed that the price will not vary in relation to the exchange rate and that “it has already been discussed.”