Definitely not April 1st. The analyst clarified when Russia can buy gas from Europe
According to Putin’s decree, from April 1, the supply of gas to unfriendly states is prohibited if they do not pay for raw materials in foreign currency. It comes to settlements only in Russian rubles. Importers will need to open a special account with Gazprombank, transfer euros, and the bank will independently convert purchases into rubles.
As early as March 25, the head of the European Commission announced that the mechanism does not allow blocking for Russian gas rubrics, since this is how Moscow bypasses the EU’s position. The subsequent countries of the “Big Seven” (G7) – the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, France and Japan – reported that they were also refusing ruble settlements.
Analyst Sergei Pikin explained that immediately from April 1, gas to Europeans is not turned off. Raw materials do not reach consumers immediately, so already ordered gas will be delivered through pipes during April. The new fuel, which will start shipping across Europe from April 1, must already be paid for in Russian currency.
“Payment will have to come in the theses that are written in the contracts. “If the Europeans do not start paying for gas,” the expert said.
At the same time, he believes that the EU refused to switch to a new payment scheme – a purely political one. According to Pikin, the new conditions do nothing to improve Russia’s economic situation. “Essentially, Europe is going for gas in euros. This money will simply be transferred into rubles later in the payment process, ”the analyst added.
Earlier, “Secret” asked the opinion of economists about the new mechanism of payments for gas. According to them, Russia offers a compromise option, as it allows contractors not to look for rubles themselves to pay for raw materials.
Photo: Alexander Avilov / Moskva Agency