European Council calls to refrain from paying in rubles for Russian gas

The European Commission (EC) considers paying in rubles for Russian gas a violation of the anti-Russia sanctions, but in the coming days, it will provide European Union (EU) companies with detailed explanations of possible actions.

This was announced by European Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, at a press conference following an emergency meeting of the EU Council in Brussels, according to TASS.

“We are clear that paying in rubles and opening a second account in Gazprombank would be a violation of the sanctions and cannot be accepted. The Council of the EU declared the need for solidarity and unity. I promised the ministers that my service, together with the EC legal services and the Council of the EU, will prepare more detailed instructions on what companies can and cannot do under the sanctions,” she said.

The European commissioner added that there are no risks to EU gas supplies yet. Bulgaria and Poland, which no longer receive gas from Russia, are being supplied on alternative routes via Greece and Germany.

In addition, the EC considers erroneous Italy's proposal to temporarily allow European companies to pay in rubles for gas.

“As far as I understand, the statement of the Minister [of Italian Environmental Modernization and Transformation Roberto] Cingolani, who didn’t attend the meeting today [May 2], is wrong. Last Friday, I explained to him the EC position that EU companies have every right to reject the demands of the Russian side. We should not disclose already signed contracts, which say that payment is made in dollars or euros,” she said.

Simson noted that most European companies have to pay for gas in mid or late May.

The EC "knows nothing" about companies that have already opened accounts in Gazprombank in rubles, without specifying that companies are not required to inform the EC about this since control of payments under private contracts is beyond Brussels’ competence, the EU official added.

The European Commission also urges EU countries to develop action plans in case of cessation of gas supplies from Russia.