Moscow-Sana
Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed that the decision to price Russian gas in rubles was not taken in order to "discipline the West", but rather in Russia's keenness not to lose dollars and euros due to Western sanctions.
In an interview broadcast by Russia 1 TV channel today, Peskov said that “Moscow’s goal in this decision is to secure Russian trade, not to discipline countries,” explaining that it was Russian President Vladimir Putin who put forward the idea of creating a mechanism to protect against risks to the national reserves of dollars and euros. The background to the growing declining confidence in the reserve currencies and so that no one will try to rob us again.”
Peskov added that "the principle of gas pricing in rubles will be applied to other groups of goods that Russia exports to foreign countries, which will lead to an expansion of the role of this system in Russia's trade relations with the rest of the world."
Peskov stressed that "Western countries will pay for the Russian gas supplied to them in euros, as stipulated in the agreements concluded between them and Moscow, but the seller (Gazprom) will receive the final payments in the Russian currency after buying rubles against the euro," noting that European companies will not face difficulties. In opening accounts in rubles in order to pay for Russian gas.
Peskov indicated that Russia is interested in preserving its reputation as a reliable supplier of natural gas and will not take any steps that would harm its reputation, pointing out that the refusal of gas buyers to open accounts in rubles would contradict the decree signed by President Putin, which confirmed that supplies that come after April 1 The current price will be paid for at the end of this month or at the beginning of next May in rubles, so there is still time.
In response to a question about the possibility of stopping gas supplies in the event that European countries refuse to accept the new payment rules, Peskov said that the European countries’ stifling of their economies in pursuit of fleeting political interests would be illogical, and therefore Russia relies on the rationality of the parties that buy Russian gas, “considering that” The festival of sanctions imposed against Russia was organized at the expense of the Europeans, and it is usually Washington that issues the bill.”
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