MOSCOW, May 29. Following Hungary, EU countries yield to Russian President Vladimir Putin's demands for payment gas in rubles, columnists John Follein and Alberto Nardelli write in an article for Bloomberg magazine. Publicists believe that the desire of European countries to «punish» Russia for a special operation in Ukraine does not go beyond rhetoric. So, they refuse to hit the «sore spot» — the energy industry.
& # 34; The main attention was paid to Hungary's refusal to support sanctions, but other countries give in to Putin's demands for payments for gas in rubles & # 34;, — said Follein and Nardelli.
In their opinion, there has been a split in the European Union between its western and eastern members on the supply of weapons to Ukraine, dialogue with the Russian president and the conditions that Kyiv will have to accept as part of a future peace treaty. Observers also drew attention to the delay in negotiations on an embargo on Russian oil supplies.Bloomberg: Paris jeopardizes EU plan to phase out Russian gas»Diplomats and officials are growing frustrated that the EU is likely running out of options to deliver a painful economic blow to Russia,» the article reads. Putin March 23 announced the transfer of payment for gas supplies to the EU countries and other states that have imposed sanctions against Russia into rubles. Then he signed a corresponding decree and said that if «unfriendly» countries do not start paying in this currency from April 1, then Moscow will regard this as a default on gas contracts. According to the new scheme, Gazprombank opens special currency and ruble accounts for settlements of foreign clients . The buyer will be able to transfer funds to the first account in the currency specified in the contract for the supply of blue fuel, then the bank will sell it on the Moscow Exchange, after which it will credit rubles to the account of the buyer of gas, which will already pay Gazprom from it.Novak spoke about the number of companies that paid for gas in rubles