Paris and Berlin also reiterated their opposition to any payment in rubles for deliveries.
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The showdown begins. Germany and France “prepare” to a potential stoppage of Russian gas imports, the governments of the two countries said on Thursday (March 31). “There may be a situation in which tomorrow (…) there will be no more Russian gas”and “It’s up to us to prepare these scenarios”French Economy and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said during a press conference with German Economy Minister Robert Habeck.
>> War in Ukraine: how Russia pushes the Europeans to arm wrestle by demanding payment for gas in rubles
Berlin and Paris have at the same time reiterated their refusal to pay in rubles for deliveries of Russian gas. “It is written in the contracts that payments are made in euros and sometimes in dollars”German Chancellor Olaf Scholz explained at a separate press conference. “I made it clear to the Russian president that it will stay that way” and “companies want to be able to pay in euros and will do so”.
Earlier, Vladimir Putin assured that his country will no longer deliver gas to countries “unfriendly” refusing to pay in rubles from Friday, April 1. He added that in case of refusal, “current contracts will be stopped”. Before the war, the European Union imported 40% of its gas from Russia. Germany was particularly dependent, with a proportion of 55%.