The EC urged companies not to comply with Russia's demands to pay for gas in rubles

The European Commission still considers the transition to paying for Russian gas in rubles as a violation of sanctions. As the head of the EC von der Leyen said, if companies go to Moscow's demands,

Payment for Russian gas in rubles by European companies violates EU sanctions , said the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

According to her, companies whose contracts provide for payment in dollars or euros should not switch to rubles.

“Companies with such contracts should not agree to Russian demands. This would be a violation of sanctions, which means it would carry a high risk for companies, ”Bloomberg quotes the words of the head of the European Commission.

Bulgaria and Poland refused to pay for gas in rubles. What is important to know Business

Earlier, an agency source close to Gazprom said that ten European buyers had already opened special accounts with Gazprombank to pay for Russian gas supplies under the new scheme, and four European buyers had paid in accordance with Moscow's requirements.

In total, the list of unfriendly countries for which the new payment mechanism was introduced includes 23 states. This mechanism was introduced by Russia after the new Western sanctions, which were a response to the events in Ukraine, including the freezing of part of the Central Bank's reserves abroad. To avoid freezing the funds received for the sale of gas, Russia has obliged buyers to open two special accounts with Gazprombank: currency and ruble. After the payment is received on the first account, the bank sells this currency on the stock exchange, after which it credits the received rubles to the ruble account.

In the European Union, this method of payment was considered an attempt to circumvent sanctions. A number of European countries did not agree with him, in particular Poland and Bulgaria, to which Gazprom subsequently suspended deliveries.

Pro You have moved abroad. What laws of your country should not be forgotten Articles Pro Not a word about discontent:

After the suspension of supplies, the EC accused Russia of blackmailing with gas. The Kremlin said they don't think so. As Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov noted, the need to switch to a new system of payment for Russian gas was dictated by the fact that Russia "was robbed of a significant amount of reserves", but the country "has been and remains a reliable supplier of energy resources to its consumers" and is still "committed to its contractual obligations.

See also Lukashenka threatens to stop the transit of goods and gas to Europe 06:15

Favorable course inFavorable exchange rate at VTB officesThe larger the amount, the greater the benefit.More than 1,000 branches across the countryPreliminary calculation inonline converter