Eni announces that it cannot pay for gas in rubles
The head of the Italian oil and gas company Eni, Claudio Descalzi, said that the company will not be able to pay for Russian gas supplies in rubles.
He explained that the company does not have assets in Russia, but buys Russian gas, and since it “has no rubles” and the contract provides for payment in euros, the company’s management is not sure about the prospect of Russian gas supplies in the future. .
When asked by a reporter whether the company would buy Russian oil, Descalzi replied that Eni had already announced its withdrawal from the Blue Stream project with Russia and frozen joint ventures with Rosneft in 2014.
On March 23, Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a meeting with the Cabinet, announced that the sale of natural gas and other exports from Russia to European countries and the United States would be converted into rubles. At the same time, he confirmed that Russia will continue to supply natural gas according to the volumes and prices that were established in the previously concluded contracts.
To implement the order, Putin turned to the Bank of Russia and the government, asking them to determine the procedure for financial transactions with Europe in rubles within one week.
Putin also instructed Gazprom to give directions on the rapid conversion of all gas supply contracts in rubles.
