These 4 European countries refuse to pay for Russian gas in rubles, what happens?

JAKARTA – President Vladimir Putin’s demands for countries that are labeled unfriendly to pay Russian gas with rubel become a weapon against Western sanctions. Putin’s policies have proven to be a nuisance for many European countries, given their dependence on Russian oil and gas.

But not a little European countries who categorically refused to pay for Russian gas in rubles. Spearheaded by the United States, Britain, which echoed the Russian energy embargo in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has pressured other European countries to do the same.

Also Read: Europe condemns Russian blackmail after stopping gas shipments from Poland to Bulgaria

With encouragement from their allies, several European Union (EU) countries objected to the policy of paying for gas in rubles and rejected it. As a result, Gazprom stopped supplying gas to countries that did not want to pay in rubles.

Most recently, Russia’s state-controlled energy company has shut off gas supply taps to Poland and Bulgaria. So, which countries refuse to pay for Russian gas using the ruble? Compiled from various sources, here are the reviews.

1. Poland

Poland is one of the countries that supports international sanctions against Russia. As a gesture towards a country deemed unfriendly, Vladimir Putin himself made a new policy for buyers of Russian gas, including Poland, to pay for it in rubles.

Quoted from The Moscow Times, responding to the policy, the Polish energy company said it would not pay for gas in rubles. “The contract stipulates the means of payment. It is not possible when one party changes it according to his own will,” said the head of the Polish Oil and Gas Company, Pawel Majewski.

Poland’s own contract for Russian gas is due to expire at the end of this year. Warsaw hopes to end its dependence on Russian gas and replace it with shipping liquefied gas in ports and gas from Norway via the Baltic Sea pipeline.

–