China News Service, March 29. According to a report by the TASS news agency on the 29th, Russian Presidential Press Secretary Peskov said on a PBS program that Russia does not intend to provide free natural gas to Europe for charity if the EU refuses to pay in rubles. Pay, Moscow will study the situation and make further decisions.
Since the special Russian military operation on February 24, the EU has introduced a series of sanctions against Russia.
In this regard, Russia chose the issue of natural gas supply, which is crucial to Europe, and introduced countermeasures.
Data map: The pipeline of the "Beixi-2" natural gas pipeline project landing facility.
On March 23, local time, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia will switch to rubles when supplying natural gas to all "unfriendly" countries and regions, including the European Union.
The leaders of some EU member states responded immediately on the 24th, saying they would ignore Russia's request.
However, the Russian side quickly implemented this plan.
On the 28th local time, the Kremlin website announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin asked the government, the central bank and Gazprom to submit a report on the supply of natural gas to "unfriendly countries" by rubles before the 31st. .
At the same time, he ordered the government to approve a directive on amending Gazprom's existing gas supply contracts to change payments in currency "while maintaining the supply, price and pricing principles stipulated in the contract" by March 31. for Russian rubles.
On the same day, the Group of Seven (G7) expressed its rejection of Russia's request to purchase natural gas only in rubles.
German Economy Minister Habeck said all G7 energy ministers agreed that "this is a clear violation of existing agreements" and that "rouble payments are unacceptable, and we call on the companies concerned not to comply with Putin's demands".
Data map: ruble.
At the same time, in the context of Russia's emphasis on the "ruble settlement order", Europe has again mentioned energy diversification.
On the 28th local time, German Chancellor Scholz said in an interview with the media that EU countries currently rely on Russian supplies, and Germany is trying to get rid of its dependence on Russian coal and oil this year, and is ready to get rid of the technical conditions of dependence on Russian natural gas as soon as possible.
Claudio Descalzi, chief executive of Italian multinational oil company Eni, told the Dubai Global Energy Forum that Russia's requirement to pay in rubles for exporting natural gas is a problem for the energy market because it creates price volatility and pays rubles. Very difficult, Europe should look to Africa for more gas supplies.
In this regard, TASS reported on the 29th that Russian Presidential Press Secretary Peskov said that Western countries have actually launched a full-scale "economic war" against Russia.
On gas ruble settlement, "No payment - no gas."