Iran Press/ Europe: The European Commission said that EU companies would be able to open accounts in a Russian bank to deposit foreign currency, convert it into Russian rubles and make payments. This statement is completely different from what was said a week ago. Media outlets reported in mid-April, citing the European Commission’s unpublished report, that the payment model proposed by Moscow would violate sanctions.
Still, it’s hard to argue that Europe has changed its plan to abandon Russian energy. The European Commission no longer views the new payment model as a violation of sanctions does not mean that all companies from European countries will now move to payments in rubles. The EU countries that are almost independent of Russian energy supplies will continue to advocate for tougher sanctions on Russian energy companies, economist Andrey Loboda said.
Rossiyskaya Gazeta writes, citing Director of the National Energy Security Fund Konstantin Simonov, that though Europe cannot currently abandon Russian gas, it does not mean that it won’t be done in the near future. Europe won’t survive without Russian energy supplies at this point, but Moscow, in turn, is not yet able to redirect exports to Asia-Pacific countries. The expert emphasized that the moment of truth will come in May when payments for April gas supplies will begin to be made, but the process may also be delayed.
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