Russia cut off Denmark’s gas supply on Wednesday because it refused to pay in rubles, the latest escalation over European energy during the Ukraine conflict.
For refusing to pay in rubles, Russia previously cut off natural gas supplies to Finland, Poland, and Bulgaria. The tap was turned off to the Netherlands on Tuesday.
rsted, a Danish energy company, stated that it expects to continue to serve its customers.
“We are adamant about our reluctance to pay in rubles, and we’ve been planning for this,” rsted CEO Mads Nipper stated. “The situation reinforces the necessity for the EU to become independent of Russian gas by speeding up renewable energy deployment.”
In reaction to Western sanctions placed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an order on April 1 requiring international importers of Russian gas to pay in rubles.
Customers getting natural gas from Moscow were given the option of opening an account with Russia’s third-largest bank, Gazprombank, in dollars or euros, followed by a second account in rubles. The importer would pay the gas bill in euros or dollars, as per the contract, and instruct the bank to convert the money into rubles.
Mette Frederiksen, the Danish Prime Minister, stated, “This is completely unacceptable.” “This is a form of blackmail on Putin’s part.” We will continue to assist Ukraine while distancing ourselves from Putin’s and Russia’s actions.
Featured Image: Belga
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