Euro banknotes and coins. Archival photoMOSCOW, 22 Apr. Germany will pay record amounts for Russian oil and gas this year, reports Deutsche Wirschafts Nachrichten. German spending on Russian oil threatens to rise from 11.4 billion euros to 14.3 billion euros. The gas import bill could double from 8.8 billion euros last year to 17.6 billion euros in 2022. In addition, according to the study, about 2 billion euros will have to pay for Russian coal. Germany and other Western countries have faced a sharp increase in fuel prices after they imposed sweeping sanctions in response to the special operation of the Russian army in Ukraine. Nevertheless, calls continue to be heard in Europe to reduce dependence on Russian energy resources. In Berlin, they expect to stop importing coal and oil by the end of 2022, and by mid-2024 from gas. At the beginning of the year, Germany received almost 55 percent of its natural gas imports from Russia, but this share has now been reduced to 40 percent. From the point of view of official Berlin, LNG from Qatar, the USA, and other countries can become an alternative to Russian gas. for rising energy pricesAgainst the backdrop of tightening Western sanctions related to the military operation in Ukraine, Russia has transferred payments for natural gas supplies to unfriendly states into rubles. Gazprombank will open special currency and ruble accounts for foreign buyers. They will be able to transfer funds to the first account in the currency specified in the contract for the supply of blue fuel, the bank will sell it on the Moscow Exchange, after which settlements with the supplier will begin. rubles by unilateral breach of contracts. The Kremlin remarked on this: «No payment — no gas.»
