economic war in Ukraine
According to Economy Minister Habeck, G-7 countries reject gas payments in rubles
From: 3:59 pm | Reading time: 3 minutes
G-7 countries reject gas payments in rubles
The group of seven industrialized countries rejected Russia’s demand to pay its gas bills to Moscow in rubles. Economy Minister Robert Habeck announced this after the virtual meeting of the G-7 energy ministers in Berlin.
You can listen to our WELT podcasts here
To display embedded content, your revocable consent is required for the transmission and processing of personal data, as providers of embedded content as third-party providers require this consent. [In diesem Zusammenhang können auch Nutzungsprofile (u.a. auf Basis von Cookie-IDs) gebildet und angereichert werden, auch außerhalb des EWR]. By setting the switch to “on”, you agree to this (which can be revoked at any time). This also includes your consent to the transfer of certain personal data to third countries, including the US, in accordance with Art. 49 (1) (a) GDPR. You can find more information about it. You can withdraw your consent at any time via the privacy and privacy switch at the bottom of the page.
According to Economy Minister Robert Habeck, the world’s largest industrialized countries reject payment for Russian energy in rubles demanded by Vladimir Putin. “Let’s not let ourselves be divided,” says the green politician.
The G-7 countries have rejected Russian demands that gas bills be paid in rubles. That’s what the Federal Minister of Economy and Climate Protection, Robert Habeck, said on Monday in Berlin, after a virtual meeting with the energy ministers of the G-7. Currently, Germany presides over the group of states, which includes Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Canada, the USA and Great Britain. The EU also participated in the round, Habeck said.
G-7 ministers agreed that the ruble payment requirement was “a clear and unilateral violation of existing treaties,” Habeck said. The contracts concluded are valid, the affected companies must be faithful to the contract. “So that means payment in rubles is not acceptable.”
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) said after a conversation with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson in Berlin: “Companies will pay according to their contracts.”
This is where you’ll find third-party content
To display embedded content, your revocable consent is required for the transmission and processing of personal data, as providers of embedded content as third-party providers require this consent. [In diesem Zusammenhang können auch Nutzungsprofile (u.a. auf Basis von Cookie-IDs) gebildet und angereichert werden, auch außerhalb des EWR]. By setting the switch to “on”, you agree to this (which can be revoked at any time). This also includes your consent to the transfer of certain personal data to third countries, including the US, in accordance with Art. 49 (1) (a) GDPR. You can find more information about it. You can withdraw your consent at any time via the privacy and privacy switch at the bottom of the page.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced last week that gas deliveries to “hostile states” would only be charged in rubles. This would support the troubled Russian currency as importing countries would have to purchase rubles. Germany is also one of the affected countries. Until now, gas deliveries have been paid for in Germany, for example, in euros.
Robert Habeck: “We will not be divided”
“Putin’s attempt to divide us is obvious,” Habeck said. But there is great unity. “We will not be divided, and the response from the G-7 countries is clear: treaties will be respected.”
When asked about preparations in the event that Russia stops supplying gas, Habeck said: “We are prepared for all scenarios.” The federal government has been working on responses to the scenarios since the turn of the year.
Putin’s demand for a payment in rubles must be interpreted in such a way that he “had his back to the wall, otherwise he would not have made that demand,” Habeck said. Payments from the West for energy supplies are not decisive for the direct financing of the Russian war against Ukraine. Putin can finance the army, supply soldiers, supply fuel for tanks or build weapons of war largely in his own country. “For that he needs rubles. He can print the rubles,” Habeck said. “As long as Russian workers accept the ruble as a means of payment, it can finance the war on its own.”
Read too
However, exchanging rubles into foreign currencies is extremely difficult due to sanctions against the central bank, Habeck said. However, one must become independent from Russia’s gas, coal and oil in order not to strengthen the Russian government or keep it alive. Russia is “an unreliable supplier” and its campaign “has significantly contributed to a global disruption of peace and order”.