Russia calls reports on termination of gas deliveries to Finland 'fake'

MOSCOW

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday called some Finnish media reports about the termination of Russian gas deliveries to Finland "most likely just another fake."

Speaking at a press briefing in Moscow, Peskov recalled that the media mentioned Finland's stance to join NATO as a reason for a possible ban on supplies of energy resources and reminded that Russia delivers gas to many NATO countries, including Germany.

"Gazprom supplies gas to various consumers in Europe, including countries that are members of NATO. Gazprom has repeatedly demonstrated its reliability as a company that supplies energy resources to the European continent. Therefore, these reports are most likely just another fake," the spokesman said.

But Peskov made a reservation, recalling the decree by Russian President Vladimir Putin that prescribed "unfriendly countries" to pay in rubles for Russian energy resources, and said that if Finnish companies do not abide by the new requirements, then "the decree will be implemented."

"It is necessary to make it clear with Gazprom how it is with the payment regime. Because there is a decree of the president on a new gas payment regime. I do not know the nuances of how Finnish companies pay, when they need to make payments, and whether they carry out them according to the new rules," he said.

On March 31, Putin said "unfriendly countries" -- those that introduced sanctions against Russia -- must pay for gas supplies in rubles after they froze the Russian central bank currency assets over the Ukraine war that started 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 and that the new payments could be frozen as well, so Russia cannot take the risk of continuing trade in euros and dollars.

Under the order, Western countries have to open accounts in rubles in Russian banks to pay for gas.

Asked about the gas deliveries to Moldova, Peskov stressed that there is no political motive in Russia's decision to stop supplies to this country, only due to a huge debt that Chisinau accumulated over the past years.

"If the product is delivered, it must be paid for. Some reasonable relief may take place, but the debt cannot constantly grow. This does not fit into any economic concepts and regimes," he said.

Earlier, Moldovan President Maia Sandu said she associates Gazprom's demands for repayment of all gas debts accumulated since 1994 with the "political approach."

According to Gazprom's official representative Sergey Kupriyanov, the debts of Moldova's national gas distribution company Moldovagaz total $709 million. He recalled that the company resumed gas deliveries to Moldova several times under the promises of the country's authorities to repay the debt, but each time the promises were not held.