Countries heavily dependent on Russia’s natural gas, such as Germany and Austria, are preparing to accept Russia’s ultimatum, demanding payment in rubles or it will suspend deliveries. But European Union (EU) member countries cannot decide whether it is a violation of sanctions against Russia.
Before the war in Ukraine, Russia’s natural gas accounted for 55% of Germany’s natural gas imports. It has succeeded in reducing this proportion to 35% since the conflict began, but ensures that it does not completely get rid of Russia’s gas, otherwise it could fall into recession.
Therefore, German energy company Uniper announced on Thursday that it will continue to source Russia’s natural gas, but it believes it can do so while respecting sanctions byEU and promises of Germany.
Austria and Hungary are in the same situation, while Italy, which is highly dependent on Russian gas, has not yet made a decision and is asking for clarification on possible violations of sanctions.EU.
Why is Russia’s gas purchase against EU sanctions?
To respond to the sanctions of Western countries – who want to punish Moscow for invading Ukraine on February 24 and for launching a violent war there – Russia is demanding that certain countries be punished. hostile pay in rubles for their supply of natural gas.
To do this, European consumers will be required to open two bank accounts with Gazprombank, a private bank in Russia fully controlled by Russian energy giant Gazprom. The first account allows them to deposit euros or dollars, which are then converted into rubles by Gazprombank. These rubles were deposited in the second account and finally transferred to the Gazprom company.
Payment is considered completed only when the conversion into rubles is made, according to the Russian decree. The problem is that the conversion of euros or dollars into rubles must go through the Russian central bank, which is subject to sanctions from the European Union.
This is a clear avoidance of penalties said a senior official ofEU.
Is it possible to buy Russian gas without violating EU sanctions?
Member countries do not agree on this issue, while the leaders ofEU so far has not been able to give a clear answer.
A senior official said on Thursday that if a consumer reports their payments as complete after they have been deposited in euros, but before they can be converted into rubles, penalties will be met.
But since Russia only considers payments complete when they are converted into rubles and deposited in the second account of Gazprombank, even this fraud seems complicated.
Poland and Bulgaria also understand this, which have refused to comply russian blackmail and thus saw their supply of natural gas suspended by Moscow.
Poland also believes that countries agreeing to pay in rubles should sanction itself. It is expected that there will be consequences for these countries so that eventually they will stop paying in rubles , said Polish Climate and Environment Minister Anna Moskwa. However, he did not specify what those consequences would be.
And Poland is still going strong. What he wants is for the EU to ban Russia’s gas and oil outright, as the US and UK have already done. This will solve Gazprom’s problem, the problem of confusion over sanctions explanation by Anna Moskwa.
Several other countries, including Denmark, Finland, Greece and Spain are askingEU to quickly clarify the situation.
With information from Reuters, CNN and BBC
Source: Radio-Canada
