Russian President Vladimir Putin presented the reasons this Wednesday to German Chancellor Olaf Scholes and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi. To pay for Russian gas Ruble, which ensures that it does not harm European companies.
“The change in the payment mechanism is being implemented because EU (EU) member states have frozen the foreign exchange reserves of the Russian bank in violation of international law,” the Kremlin explained in a statement summarizing a telephone conversation today. Putin and Scholes.
The Russian president also spoke with the head of the Italian government, who explained the details of the move, the Kremlin said.
Putin assured the German leader that the decision would not “worsen the conditions established in the agreements for European companies importing Russian gas”, which the Russian president said did not provide details. According to the Kremlin, “it was agreed that there will be additional talks between experts from both countries.
Nevertheless, this Wednesday afternoon, the German government explained Report Officially, Russian gas will continue to be pumped into euros by European countries. These euro payments will be converted into rubles by Gazprom Bank, which is “not affected by sanctions”.
Germany is one of the countries most reluctant to include the energy sector in sanctions against Moscow during the war in Ukraine, as 55% of the gas it uses comes from Russia.
Following Putin’s announcement that Russia would pay in rubles for gas, the EU flatly rejected the request, saying it violated existing agreements.
In addition to the issue of gas deals, Putin spoke to Scholes and Drake about the talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul on Tuesday and issues related to the “withdrawal of civilians from war zones, especially Mariupol.”
Russia launched a military offensive in Ukraine on February 24, killing at least 1,189 civilians, including 108 children, according to the latest UN figures.
The war has displaced more than 10 million people, more than four million of whom have fled to neighboring countries, and the UN says about 13 million people in Ukraine need humanitarian assistance. Estimated.
The Russian invasion was generally condemned by the international community, which responded by sending arms to Ukraine and strengthening economic and political sanctions on Moscow.