All suppliers must fulfill contracts, the minister warned.
Russia's decision to suspend gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria because of their unwillingness to pay in rubles against signed documents is a breach of contract, said French Environment Minister Barbara Pompili.
France currently holds the presidency of the European Union.
” We all condemn Gazprom's unilateral decision on Poland and Bulgaria. All suppliers are obliged to fulfill contracts, “Pompili said after a meeting of EU energy ministers.
She stressed the need to abide by EU rules and contracts, in the form in which they were concluded.
EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson reiterated that the new mechanism for paying for Russian gas in rubles was a violation. She promised that the European Commission would prepare detailed explanations on this issue later.
Read also: Control shot in the foot: Russia's Gazprom withdraws from Western exchanges at the request of the Kremlin
Recall, after the EU imposed sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, Putin, represented by Putin, demanded that the payment be made in rubles from April 1 . Commenting on the possible refusal of the EU to pay for gas supplies in rubles, the Kremlin said: “No payment – no gas.”
Russia supplies gas through pipelines to 23 European countries. Of these Putin was going to demand payment for gas in rubles only from “unfriendly countries”.
Interestingly, as of April 27, the only country that dared to declare its readiness to pay Russia in rubles was a very friendly Hungary, and even then under a “cunning” scheme, when payment will still be made in euros , but then “Gazprombank” will exchange euros for rubles, and this will be counted as payment in rubles.
Earlier, the same scheme was described by Putin in telephone conversation with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The Russian dictator has said that European companies will be able to pay for Russian gas in dollars or euros. Like, the money will be transferred to Gazprombank, which is not under sanctions, and later will be transferred in rubles to Russia. The irony of the situation was that Scholz did not understand the intricacies of this scheme, and asked for a written explanation to better understand the proposal .
27 The fake was also launched in the media in April about Austria's alleged willingness to pay for gas in rubles. This lie was immediately exposed and refuted in Austria itself.
It is also known that G7 countries and of the European Union have stated that they will not pay for Russian gas in rubles, as it violates, first, existing contracts. And second, it violates sanctions against Russia.
On April 27, after Bulgaria and Poland refused to comply with Russia's demand to pay for gas in rubles, and demonstratively cut off their supply of natural gas . At the same time, the Bulgarian side has fully fulfilled its obligations and made all payments required under the current contract. Deliveries to Poland were made under a long-term “Yamal contract”.
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