Neither the increasing escalation of the war in Ukraine nor the conversion of gas payments into rubles have so far impacted transit supplies of Russian gas through Ukraine. After 108.4 million cubic meters were pumped through the pipeline system on Sunday, 108.3 million cubic meters have been ordered for Monday, energy giant Gazprom said, according to the Interfax agency. Both parameters almost correspond to the contractually possible maximum daily amount.
The high delivery volumes are partly due to the weather change in Europe. After a cold spell, the values in many countries are currently well below the average temperatures of previous years. This means that there is an increasing demand for gas as a fuel.
Despite Russia’s war on Ukraine, gas transit through the neighboring country, which derives significant transit fees from it, has continued in high volumes since February 24.
Payment in rubles
A week ago, Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin announced that in the future he would only sell Russian gas to Western countries for rubles, which they reject. On Thursday, he signed a decree requiring Western customers to open accounts at a Russian bank, which will continue to be financed in euros and dollars. The bank then wants to exchange the money for rubles itself. The rule went into effect on Friday.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
