The Kremlin’s decision to start paying for Russian gas for exports in rubles is an attempt to declare economic war on the European Union.
It was stated by the Head of the President’s Office of Ukraine Andriy Yermak.
– The decision to convert gas payments into rubles is an attempt to strengthen the ruble and declare economic war on the EU, – wrote Andriy Yermak.
He added that Western countries may enlarge pressure on Russia’s economy by tightening the oil embargo which lead to the collapse of Russia’s economy.
– Now it will be a key economic battle and Western countries must win it, – added the Head of the President’s Office.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to transfer the payment for gas supplies for export from Russia to “unfriendly countries” in Russian rubles. He also instructed the Central Bank of Russia and the government to determine the procedure for buying rubles in the Russian domestic market for buyers of gas from Russia.
At the same time, on March 23, Mykhailo Podoliak, an adviser of the Head of the President’s Office, said sanctions were a key fear of the Kremlin and that Russia was trying to find asymmetric responses to reduce the destructive effects of Western sanctions. Thus, in his opinion, Russia has officially opened a full-fledged financial anti-European front.
Source: Andriy Yermak