The President of Russia signed a decree on payment for gas exclusively in rubles. These are the new rules for “unfriendly countries”

Russian President Putin has signed a decree for "unfriendly countries" to pay for gas exclusively in rubles.

The new rules will take effect on April 1. According to the decree, Russiaʼs "Gazprombank" must open two accounts for Western countries — in foreign currency and in rubles. First, the funds will go to accounts in foreign currency, then the bank will buy rubles for it, transfer them to the account in rubles and pay for gas. The decree also states that Russia will have a special commission that can issue a permit to pay for gas in foreign currency. In addition, Putin threatened that if Western countries do not pay for gas in rubles, the contracts will be terminated.

At the same time, the ministers of the economy of France and Germany have already stated that they will not pay for gas in rubles because the terms of the contracts must be maintained. In addition, they stressed that they would not allow Putin to blackmail them. In Germany, they said they were preparing for any scenario, even a complete cessation of gas supplies from Russia.