However, he did not give further details or explanations. Katja Yafimava, a senior researcher at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, told Reuters: “I think this means that Gazprom is pulling the curtain on being an active participant in the European gas market. He basically goes home because he no longer feels welcome. “I think Gazprom understands that it is going to face a hostile political and regulatory environment in Europe and therefore wants to consolidate and carry out all its activities in one place – St. Petersburg, probably with the political support of the Russian government.” The move further complicates energy ties between Russia and Germany, a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree imposing ruble tariffs on gas to buyers from countries Moscow considers unfriendly. On Thursday, Putin warned “unfriendly” countries, including all EU members, that they would be cut off from Russian gas if they did not open a ruble account to pay for deliveries. Putin said during a government meeting televised: “Ruble accounts must be opened in Russian banks. “Payments for the natural gas that will be delivered from tomorrow, April 1, will be made from these accounts.” He continued: “If such payments are not made, we will consider that this is a breach of obligations on the part of our buyers with all the consequent consequences.” READ MORE: EU “lies” intensify as inflation in the Netherlands jumps to 11.9% While the United States has banned the import of Russian oil and gas, the European Union has maintained deliveries from Moscow. According to the decree, all payments will be processed by the Russian Gazprombank, a subsidiary of the state energy giant Gazprom. The buyers will transfer payments to Gazprombank’s account in foreign currency, which the bank will then convert into rubles and transfer to the buyer’s account in rubles. Western countries have imposed crippling sanctions on Moscow since its invasion of Ukraine, including a $ 300 billion freeze on its foreign exchange reserves. US State Department spokesman Ned Price said Putin’s demand for a ruble payment was a sign of Moscow’s economic and financial “despair” caused by Western sanctions.
