Moscow rejects the accusations of European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen of "blackmail" due to the transition to gas payments in rubles, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 27th April, 2022) Moscow rejects the accusations of European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen of "blackmail" due to the transition to gas payments in rubles, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.
The European Commission head said earlier in the day that Russian energy giant Gazprom's decision to suspend gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland is yet another attempt of blackmail, calling the move "unjustified and unacceptable." The EU is prepared for this scenario, she said, adding that the bloc has been "mapping out ... coordinated EU response."
"This is not blackmail, Russia has been and remains a reliable supplier of energy resources to its consumers, and Russia remains committed to its contractual obligations," Peskov told reporters.
The official recalled that the terms of the new payment scheme are fixed in the relevant presidential decree, noting Russia had to switch to a new scheme due to unprecedented unfriendly steps in the economy and the financial sector taken by unfriendly countries.
"Therefore, we are not talking about any blackmail here, all these new modalities were brought to the attention of buyers in advance. We strongly disagree with this definition," he noted.
When asked whether it is possible to restore gas supplies to those countries that refused to pay in rubles if they change their mind, the spokesman said that payment for Russian gas in rubles will be basis for the resumption of exports.
De facto, there will be no changes for buyers of Russian gas, when switching to payment in rubles, he added, noting there is no talk of losses and changes in the price.
Additionally, Peskov said that President Vladimir Putin has no plans to hold phone conversations on gas issues with EU leaders yet.
