According to the Kremlin, the conversion of payments for Russian gas supplies to Europe from euros and dollars to rubles will not take effect on Thursday. Delivery and payment for gas are separate processes, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday. President Vladimir Putin’s instruction to switch to payments in rubles is not yet valid for this Thursday.
Putin wants to meet with representatives of Russian gas giant Gazprom and the central bank on the day to be briefed on the current state of affairs. The announced meeting and the refusal of Western countries to switch to the ruble sparked fears in Europe that Russia could quickly shut off gas supplies. Peskow had also said that if you didn’t pay, there would be no gas; Russia is not a charity. Russia wants to switch to ruble payments because of Western sanctions after the war in Ukraine because, according to Putin, the country can no longer do anything with euros and dollars. (pa/dpa)