Russia may cut off natural gas supplies if Western countries decline payment in rubles in line with a decree issued by President Vladimir Putin last month, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.
Peskov's remarks came hours after Russian energy giant Gazprom announced its suspension of gas deliveries to Bulgaria and Poland due to their refusal to pay in rubles.
Gazprom said neither Bulgaria nor Poland had paid for supplied volumes as of Tuesday, April 26.
On March 31, Russian President Vladimir Putin said 'unfriendly countries' must now pay for gas supplies in rubles after they froze Russian Central Bank currency assets over the Ukraine war, which began on Feb. 24.
Putin said that by freezing Russia's assets in dollars and euros, the West had effectively seized payments for fuel deliveries and taken them for free. He said Russia could not take the risk of continuing trade in euros and dollars as new payments could be frozen as well.
In line with Putin's decree, Western countries have to open accounts in rubles in Russian banks to pay for natural gas.
The decision by Western countries to freeze Russian assets prompted Russia to demand payments for natural gas in rubles, Peskov said in a news conference, adding those countries had actually 'stolen' these assets in an 'unprecedented unfriendly way.'
Peskov argued that Russia has remained a reliable energy resource supplier and has fulfilled its contractual responsibilities.
Dismissing claims that Moscow is using natural gas supplies as a blackmail tool, Peskov explained that clients have been informed in advance of any additional conditions.
'When the payment deadlines approach, if some consumers decline to pay under the new system, then the president's decree of course will be applied,' Peskov said in response to the question of whether Russia would block natural gas supplies to other nations. 'The appropriate payment method is a must for the continuation of natural gas deliveries,' he added.
Peskov said they weighed all the risks of stopping natural gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria but took the necessary measures to halt these.
'All risks have been calculated. As for who has agreed and who hasn't, you know that President [Putin] has repeatedly explained that nothing has actually changed. The only necessary thing is two accounts in Gazprombank. There will be no problems and losses or price changes arising from exchange rate differences,' he added.
Sibel Morrow
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr