Cutting off gas is a provocation, says EU chief
Russia's decision to halt gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria is an aggressive move that the EU considers to be a form of blackmail, EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has said.
Russia's decision to halt gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria is an aggressive move that the EU considers to be a form of blackmail, EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has said.
"We will ensure that Gazprom's decision has the least possible impact on European consumers," she said at a press conference this afternoon.
The EU chief also warned European energy providers against complying with Russian demands to pay for their gas in roubles, saying that this would most likely be a breach of EU sanctions.
"To pay in roubles, if that is not foreseen in the contract, is a breach of our sanctions," she said.
She said companies without contracts specifying payment in roubles should not give into the Russian demands as it would be "high risk" for them.