EU says Russian gas payments possible without breaching sanctions

The European Union’s executive body told EU members this week they can continue to buy Russian gas without violating sanctions imposed on Russia after the Ukraine invasion, but advised against opening ruble bank accounts to make payments, EU officials said. HUH.

The European Commission gave the advice at a closed-door meeting on Wednesday, according to officials with knowledge of the matter.

European Union companies are struggling to confirm how they could maintain purchases of Russian gas after Moscow demanded that foreign buyers start paying in rubles and cut gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria for refusing to do so.

At the EU meeting, the Commission repeated its position that companies can continue to buy Russian gas without violating sanctions if they pay in the currency of their existing contracts and declare that this meets their contractual obligations, EU officials said.

The Commission did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Most EU companies’ contracts with Russian gas giant Gazprom are in euros or dollars.

The commission said it did not have a more conclusive position on whether companies can open ruble accounts with Gazprombank to make payments, but advised against companies, officials said.

Source: CNN Brasil

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