European customers opening a ruble account to buy Russian gas doubled
10 more European customers have opened accounts at Gazprombank JSC, doubling the total number of prepared customers payment for Russian gas in rubles.
About opening a ruble account Russia To buy gas, a total of 20 European companies have opened accounts, with 14 other customers asking for information about the procedure needed to set up an account, an unnamed source told Bloomberg on May 12.
European customers buying Russian gas have been struggling for weeks to find a way to meet President Vladimir Putin’s demand for Russian gas payments in rubles starting April 1 without breaking sanctions. Russia of the European Union after the military operation in Ukraine.
Under the new mechanism for payment Russian gas, customers must open 2 accounts: One in foreign currency and one in ruble at Gazprombank. After Poland and Bulgaria rejected these terms, Gazprom PJSC cut off gas flows to these countries at the end of April.
At the end of May, when it was time to pay for April gas supplies for many of its major customers in Western Europe, Russia moved to address EU concerns that the payment mechanism could be in breach of orders. punishment.
Specifically, sources close to Gazprom explained, the current terms mean that the transaction is completed after the Russian gas customer pays Gazprombank in foreign currency, the subsequent conversion to rubles is automatic and does not involve the central bank. Russia, which is subject to EU sanctions.
The EU has so far not said whether the Russian changes will allay the bloc’s concerns, but Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said on May 11 that European companies could pay for Russian gas in cash. ruble without violating the sanctions.
“Most gas importers have opened accounts in rubles with Gazprom,” said Mario Draghi. According to the Italian leader, Germany’s top gas importer paid in rubles, just like Italy. , Virtue Russia is a large consumer of Russian gas.
A source close to Gazprom said that the number of gas customers who paid in rubles remained at four, the same number as at the end of last month. Payments from other customers are due at the end of May.
at Blogtuan.info – Source: laodong.vn – Read the original article here