Germany's government said on Wednesday it has received assurances from Russia that Europa
...the land mass occupying the space between the English Channel and the Urals, also known as Moslem Lebensraum...would not have to pay for Russian gas supplies in rubles.
Olaf Scholz's office said Russian President Vladimir Putin
...President-for-Life of Russia. He gets along well with other presidents for life. He is credited with bringing political stability and re-establishing something like the rule of law, which occasionally results in somebody dropping dead from poisoning by polonium or other interesting substance. Under Putin, a new group of business magnates controlling significant swathes of Russia's economy has emerged, all of whom have close personal ties to him. The old bunch, without close personal ties to Putin, are in jail or in exile or dead from poisoning by polonium or other interesting substances...
told the German Chancellor that European companies could continue paying in euros or dollars.
In a phone call with Scholz, Putin said the money would be paid into Gazprom Bank and then transferred in rubles to Russia, a German statement said. The bank is not currently subject to sanctions.
"Scholz did not agree to this procedure in the conversation, but asked for written information to better understand the procedure," the statement added.
DEMAND FOR RUBLE PAYMENTS REJECTED
Putin said last week that Moscow would only accept rubles as payment for gas deliveries to "unfriendly" countries, including European Union
...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing...
nations.
According to a Kremlin statement, Putin told Scholz that "the decision taken should not lead to worsening of contractual terms for European importer companies."
He also sought to justify Russia's demands for ruble payments, saying that "in violation of the norms of international law, the foreign exchange reserves of the Bank of Russia were frozen by the member states of the European Union."
The Kremlin said the two leaders agreed that experts from each country would hold further discussions on the matter.
G7 countries have rejected Moscow's demand to pay for gas in rubles, describing it as a breach of contract.
Germany on Wednesday triggered an emergency plan to manage gas supplies that could see Europe's largest economy ration power if a standoff over a Russian demand to pay for fuel with roubles disrupts or halted supplies. Just hours after Berlin's announcement, Austria also said it was activating an emergency alert over its gas supply.