Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi has said that the German gas importer has ignored the EU's agreed policy of paying for Russian gas under contracts exclusively in euros.
The largest importer of Russian gas in Germany Uniper SE already paid for “Russian gas in rubles”, according to Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, – reports DW. The German company denies this.
“In fact, the evidence we saw this morning (shows) that Germany's largest gas importer has already paid in rubles,” Draghi told a news conference on Wednesday, May 11.
According to Bloomberg, a representative of the German company Uniper SE – the largest buyer of Russian gas in Germany – said that the company did not make any payments under the new scheme, as payment is due only in late May.
that the company will be able to maintain gas supplies without violating sanctions. However, her representative declined to comment on whether Uniper opened a ruble account with Gazprombank.
Earlier, the Italian prime minister said that European companies will be able to pay for Russian gas in rubles, without violating the sanctions imposed by the European Union on Russia for its war against Ukraine.
“There is no official statement that It will be considered a violation of sanctions. No one has ever said whether to violate payments in rubles sanctions or not. This is such a gray area, “- said Draghi.
Read also: Hungary has found a way to circumvent all restrictions on buying gas in Russia
This interpretation obviously differs from the position stated earlier in the European Union. Back in late April, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: “Our explanations are very clear: if it is not provided for in the contracts, then payments in rubles are a violation of sanctions.”
Scheme with the opening Gazprombank's two currency and ruble accounts, as demanded by Russian President Vladimir Putin, are also considered by the European Union to be inconsistent with sanctions against Moscow.
