So far, a total of ten European gas companies have opened accounts with the Russian Gazprombank, and four have already paid Russia for natural gas in rubles, the American news agency Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.
According to the official, even if several countries refuse the Kremlin's demand to pay for Russian gas in rubles, a measure similar to stopping Polish and Bulgarian gas deliveries is unlikely until the second half of May, as payment for the next gas shipment is due only then.
KNOWING THAT TEN EUROPEAN COMPANIES HAVE ALREADY OPENED ACCOUNTS WITH GAZPROMBANK SO THAT THEY CAN FULFILL THE PAYMENT TERMS DEMANDED BY MOSCOW.
Gazprom has not yet commented on Bloomberg's report.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Russian gas holding company confirmed that it had stopped gas deliveries to Bulgaria's Bulgargaz and Poland's PGNiG because they had not been paid in rubles within the set deadline.
GAZPROM EMPHASIZED THAT THE PAYMENT MECHANISM PROPOSED BY IT DOES NOT VIOLATE THE WESTERN SANCTIONS IMPOSED FOLLOWING THE RUSSIAN OPERATION IN UKRAINE.
In response to the punitive measures, Moscow ordered that the consideration for energy exports be paid in rubles.
Russia supplies natural gas to 23 European countries through various pipeline systems.
Source: Origo
Featured image: RIA NOVOSTI/RIA NOVOSTI/MAKSIM BLINOV
