Mixed signals are coming from Russia: After Vladimir Putin reportedly promised German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) gas payments in euros on Wednesday, he announced on Thursday that he would only accept rubles from April 1. Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Olaf Scholz received this message as they were holding a press conference together.
So Chancellor Karl Nehammer spoke to PULS 24 about what that means. What counts for Austria now is securing the energy supply and preparing for the coming winter, he says. But it remains to be seen how Russian Gazprom approaches OMV. Nothing in writing would be available yet, we would have to wait and see. However, Nehammer points out that there are “valid contracts” in euros and dollars.
Unchanged amounts of gas
It is reassuring that the weather is improving and gas consumption is dropping. For private homes, however, gas is guaranteed anyway, Nehammer tries to calm down. A solution is being developed with OMV for the industry. The gas supply quantities have not changed however, the Chancellor said.
If gas becomes scarce, there will be “a kind of war economy”
At the press conference with Olaf Scholz, Nehammer stressed that Austria was “in no way prepared to relax sanctions”. However, the two heads of government again spoke out against a complete oil and gas embargo on Russia. “Sanctions only make sense if they hit those who should hit them and don’t weaken those who pronounce them,” Nehammer explained. It is a “terrible feeling to be dependent on Russian gas”. His task as federal chancellor is also to guarantee energy security.