2022–2023 Russia–European Union gas dispute: Difference between revisions
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On 28 March, German Economy Minister [[Robert Habeck]] announced that the Group of Seven countries had rejected Russian President's demand that payment for gas be made in rubles.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.dw.com/en/g7-rejects-russias-demand-for-gas-payment-in-rubles/a-61282564 |title= G7 rejects Russia's demand for gas payment in rubles |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=28 March 2022 |publisher=[[Deutsche Welle]]}}</ref> On the same day, Russian president′s spokesman, [[Dmitry Peskov]], said that Russia would "not supply gas for free".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/economy/russia-says-no-free-gas-deliveries-if-europe-refuses-to-pay-in-rubles/2548299 |title=Russia says no free gas deliveries if Europe refuses to pay in rubles |date=28 March 2022 |publisher=[[Anadolu Agency]]}}</ref> |
On 28 March, German Economy Minister [[Robert Habeck]] announced that the Group of Seven countries had rejected Russian President's demand that payment for gas be made in rubles.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.dw.com/en/g7-rejects-russias-demand-for-gas-payment-in-rubles/a-61282564 |title= G7 rejects Russia's demand for gas payment in rubles |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=28 March 2022 |publisher=[[Deutsche Welle]]}}</ref> On the same day, Russian president′s spokesman, [[Dmitry Peskov]], said that Russia would "not supply gas for free".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/economy/russia-says-no-free-gas-deliveries-if-europe-refuses-to-pay-in-rubles/2548299 |title=Russia says no free gas deliveries if Europe refuses to pay in rubles |date=28 March 2022 |publisher=[[Anadolu Agency]]}}</ref> |
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In the evening of 29 March, it was reported that the physical gas flows through the [[Yamal-Europe pipeline]] at Germany's Mallnow point had fallen to zero.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/russian-gas-flows-europe-remain-steady-2022-03-29/ |title=Gas flows via Yamal-Europe pipeline fall to zero, other flows steady |date=29 March 2022 |publisher=[[Reuters]]}}</ref> The following day, Germany′s Economy and Climate Minister [[Robert Habeck]] triggered the "early warning" level for gas supplies, the first step of a national gas emergency plan that involved setting up a crisis team of representatives from the federal and state governments, regulators and private industry and that could, eventually, lead to gas rationing; he urged Germans to voluntarily cut their energy consumption as a way of ending the country's dependence on Russia.<ref name="politico30.03" >{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-raises-early-alarm-over-gas-supply-after-putins-ruble-threat/ |title=Germany calls for people to cut energy use as response to Russian threat |date=30 March 2022 |publisher=[[Politico]]}}</ref><ref name="nyt30.03" >{{cite news|author=Melissa Eddy |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/30/business/germany-gas-rationing.html |title=Germany moves toward gas rationing in a standoff over ruble payments |date=30 March 2022 |publisher=[[New York Times]]}}</ref> Gazprom said it continued to supply gas to Europe via Ukraine and Russia′s gas had also begun flowing westward through the pipeline via Poland<ref name="nyt30.03" /> |
In the evening of 29 March, it was reported that the physical gas flows through the [[Yamal-Europe pipeline]] at Germany's Mallnow point had fallen to zero.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/russian-gas-flows-europe-remain-steady-2022-03-29/ |title=Gas flows via Yamal-Europe pipeline fall to zero, other flows steady |date=29 March 2022 |publisher=[[Reuters]]}}</ref> The following day, Germany′s Economy and Climate Minister [[Robert Habeck]] triggered the "early warning" level for gas supplies, the first step of a national gas emergency plan that involved setting up a crisis team of representatives from the federal and state governments, regulators and private industry and that could, eventually, lead to gas rationing; he urged Germans to voluntarily cut their energy consumption as a way of ending the country's dependence on Russia.<ref name="politico30.03" >{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-raises-early-alarm-over-gas-supply-after-putins-ruble-threat/ |title=Germany calls for people to cut energy use as response to Russian threat |date=30 March 2022 |publisher=[[Politico]]}}</ref><ref name="nyt30.03" >{{cite news|author=Melissa Eddy |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/30/business/germany-gas-rationing.html |title=Germany moves toward gas rationing in a standoff over ruble payments |date=30 March 2022 |publisher=[[New York Times]]}}</ref> A similar step was undertaken by the Austrian government.<ref name="bbcaustrgerm" >{{cite news|author=Melissa Eddy |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-60925016 |title=Germany and Austria take step towards gas rationing |date=30 March 2022 |publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref> Meanwhile, Gazprom said it continued to supply gas to Europe via Ukraine and Russia′s gas had also begun flowing westward through the pipeline via Poland.<ref name="nyt30.03" /> Russian President Putin was reported to have had a phone call with Germany′s Chancellor [[Olaf Scholz]] to "inform him on the decision to switch to payments in rubles for gas".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://tass.ru/ekonomika/14231385 |title=Путин информировал Шольца о сути решения о переходе к оплате газа в рублях |date=30 March 2022 |publisher=[[TASS]]|language=ru}}</ref> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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Revision as of 23:59, 30 March 2022
The Russia–EU gas dispute flared up in March 2022 following the escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War that occurred in late February that year as Russia and the major EU countries clashed over the issue of payment for pipeline natural gas exported to Europe by Russia′s Gazprom.
History
As a response to a new round of severe sanctions introduced by the EU countries against Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin on 23 March 2022 announced that he had made a decision whereby payments for Russian pipeline gas would be switched from "the currencies that had been compromised" (US dollar and euro) to payments in roubles vis-à-vis the previously formally designated "unfriendly countries", including all European Union states; on 28 March, he ordered the Central Bank of Russia, the government, and Gazprom to present proposals by March 31 for gas payments in rubles from "unfriendly countries".[1][2][3] President Putin′s move was construed to be aimed at forcing European companies to directly prop up the Russian currency as well as bringing Russia's Central Bank back into the global financial system after the sanctions had nearly cut it off from financial markets.[4] ING bank's chief economist, Carsten Brzeski, told Deutsche Welle he thought the gas-for-ruble demand "[wa]s a smart move".[4]
On 28 March, German Economy Minister Robert Habeck announced that the Group of Seven countries had rejected Russian President's demand that payment for gas be made in rubles.[5] On the same day, Russian president′s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said that Russia would "not supply gas for free".[6]
In the evening of 29 March, it was reported that the physical gas flows through the Yamal-Europe pipeline at Germany's Mallnow point had fallen to zero.[7] The following day, Germany′s Economy and Climate Minister Robert Habeck triggered the "early warning" level for gas supplies, the first step of a national gas emergency plan that involved setting up a crisis team of representatives from the federal and state governments, regulators and private industry and that could, eventually, lead to gas rationing; he urged Germans to voluntarily cut their energy consumption as a way of ending the country's dependence on Russia.[8][9] A similar step was undertaken by the Austrian government.[10] Meanwhile, Gazprom said it continued to supply gas to Europe via Ukraine and Russia′s gas had also begun flowing westward through the pipeline via Poland.[9] Russian President Putin was reported to have had a phone call with Germany′s Chancellor Olaf Scholz to "inform him on the decision to switch to payments in rubles for gas".[11]
See also
References
- ^ "Путин поручил поставлять газ в недружественные страны только за рубли" (in Russian). TASS. 23 March 2022.
- ^ "Putin Orders Preparation Of Proposals For 'Unfriendly Countries' To Pay In Rubles For Gas". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 28 March 2022.
- ^ "Russia issues list of 'unfriendly' countries amid Ukraine crisis". Al Jazeera English. 8 March 2022.
- ^ a b "Putin's gas-for-rubles plan set to worsen EU energy crunch". Deutsche Welle. 24 March 2022.
- ^ "G7 rejects Russia's demand for gas payment in rubles". Deutsche Welle. 28 March 2022.
- ^ "Russia says no free gas deliveries if Europe refuses to pay in rubles". Anadolu Agency. 28 March 2022.
- ^ "Gas flows via Yamal-Europe pipeline fall to zero, other flows steady". Reuters. 29 March 2022.
- ^ "Germany calls for people to cut energy use as response to Russian threat". Politico. 30 March 2022.
- ^ a b Melissa Eddy (30 March 2022). "Germany moves toward gas rationing in a standoff over ruble payments". New York Times.
- ^ Melissa Eddy (30 March 2022). "Germany and Austria take step towards gas rationing". BBC.
- ^ "Путин информировал Шольца о сути решения о переходе к оплате газа в рублях" (in Russian). TASS. 30 March 2022.