Original title: Russia allows natural gas buyers in ‘hostile’ countries and regions to pay off debts in foreign currencies
Xinhua News Agency, Vladivostok, December 31 (Reporter Chen Chang) Russian President Vladimir Putin recently signed a decree allowing buyers from “hostile” countries and regions to pay off their debts to Russian natural gas suppliers in foreign currency.
According to relevant documents published on the Russian legal information website on Dec. 30, Russian natural gas suppliers are required to open special accounts in licensed banks, through which they can settle with buyers from “hostile” countries and regions in the currency stipulated in the debt agreement. . Remittance of funds to this account by foreign buyers may be regarded as repayment of relevant debts. Failure to comply with the procedures set out in this decree for the settlement of debts cannot be considered a prerequisite for the resumption of gas supply.
On March 31, 2022, Putin signed a presidential decree on trade agreements in natural gas in rubles with “hostile” countries and regions, which entered into force on April 1 of that year.
