Russian President Vladimir Putin. File photoMOSCOW, Mar 26The decision of Russian President Vladimir Putin to transfer payments for natural gas for unfriendly countries into rubles provoked nervousness in Western energy markets, writes the German magazine Spiegel. frown foreheads.» As economist Jens Südekum noted in an interview with the magazine, the Russian leader managed to «stupefy the West.» «Thus, Putin is forcing us to circumvent our own sanctions,» Südekum explained. In turn, currency expert Peter Bofinger believes that Moscow is acting by such actions trying to strengthen the ruble.
The Kremlin answered a question about the West's objections to paying for gas in rubles «If Western customers are forced to buy rubles for dollars and euros, then the demand for the Russian currency will increase and its rate will rise accordingly,» Bofinger said. Spiegel observers suggested that these goals quite achievable. At the same time, economist Klaus-Jürgen Gern added that, probably, in this situation, the Central Bank will start selling rubles to gas consumers through Russian banks, which will stabilize the currency.
"However, by doing this, Putin will put the West in an extremely difficult position, since Western sanctions will look absurd", Gern concluded.
Vladimir Putin, at a meeting with members of the government, said that Moscow was converting payments for gas supplies into rubles to unfriendly countries, since it makes no sense to supply Russian goods to the EU and the USA and receive payment in their currency. At the same time, the head of state stressed that Russia would continue to supply gas in volumes and at prices fixed in contracts, as the country values its reputation. On the morning of February 24, Russia launched a military special operation to demilitarize Ukraine. According to the Ministry of Defense, the armed forces strike only at military infrastructure and Ukrainian troops. Western countries in response approved a series of new sanctions against Russia, and in Europe statements about the need to reduce dependence on Russian energy resources began to sound louder. statements by European leaders about the rejection of Russian gas