A senior European Union official has said that just opening a ruble bank account at Gazprombank could be a breach of EU sanctions against Russia, but the EU has no indication that any EU gas company has done so. .
The official said that "at first glance" the opening of bank accounts in rubles by gas importers seems to violate the sanctions.
The official added that the European Commission has no official indication that EU companies have set up ruble accounts with Gazprombank to pay for gas.
He also clarified that Poland and Bulgaria used the existing payment methods for Russian gas, before Moscow yesterday, Wednesday, suspended the supplies of these countries with gas, and that they did not use the mechanism proposed by Moscow to pay in rubles.
"According to our information, both countries insisted on the original form of payment," the official told reporters.
However, two sources told Reuters today that few European companies have started paying Russia in rubles for gas, although large customers have not yet done so.
"Some commercial companies, perhaps more than five, have started making payments," said a source, speaking on condition of anonymity because he had not been authorized to speak to the media.
Source: RES-EAP