Slovakia says agrees to pay for Russian gas in rubles

PRAGUE/PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, Apr 4 (PRIME) -- Slovakia cannot stop gas imports from Russia and will pay for them in rubles if needed, Economic Development Minister Richard Sulik told a local TV channel on April 3.

President Vladimir Putin ordered to charge rubles for gas and consider payments in any other currency non-fulfillment of the contracts since April 1. The payments will be done via Gazprombank that will exchange the other currencies for rubles.

"We cannot stop gas imports. This is why I say that although for some it is too a pragmatic position, if there is a condition to pay in rubles, we will pay in rubles," Sulik said, adding that Russia accounts for 85% of the country’s needs.

Bloomberg reported that Shell could be unable to pay for gas in rubles due to the U.K. sanctions on Gazprombank. The contracts with Shell account for about 1.5% of Gazprom's exports.

Russia's presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told channel Russia 1 that the ruble payments are meant to prevent stripping Russia of the U.S. dollars and euros paid for gas.

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