MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th October, 2022) All countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) except Kazakhstan have agreed to pay for Russian gas in the Russian Currency ruble, with Astana ready to join if others consider trading in national currencies, a minister of the Eurasian Economic Commission, Arzybek Kozhoshev, told Sputnik on Thursday.
The EAEU includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia.
"Concerning the question of mutual gas settlements within the EAEU, several countries have agreed to pay for Russian gas only in rubles, with Russia, Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan supporting the move. Kazakhstan is reviewing the issue, as the country also wants to trade in national currencies," Kozhoshev said on the sidelines of the Russian Energy Week (REW) in Moscow.
The official also said that the Russian ruble would strengthen amid the mutual settlements in national currencies with the countries which receive Russian fossil fuels.
The REW conference, dedicated to global energy in a multipolar world, started on Wednesday and will run until Friday. The agenda covers cooperation on global markets, new solutions for the fuel and energy sector, technological sovereignty and digital transformation, as well as ecology and climate issues.
Sputnik is an official media partner of the forum.
