Shell’s inability to buy Russian gas is a side effect of London’s anti-Russian policies, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has told TASS.
"London wants to be the leader of everything anti-Russian, it even wants to be ahead of Washington [in this matter]. Well, here are the side effects," Peskov said, commenting on the fact that, in contrast with other EU countries, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on Gazprombank and is now unable to pay for Russian gas, even in rubles.
Bloomberg reported on Friday that Shell will most likely be unable to pay for Russian gas this month, because the United Kingdom has imposed sanctions on Gazprombank.
Last week Russian President Vladimir Putin requested moving payments for gas supplies to unfriendly countries to rubles, saying that Moscow would refuse accepting payments on such contracts in discredited currencies, including dollars and euros. He also tasked the government with giving Gazprom an instruction on amending present contracts. On March 31, Putin signed a decree on rules of gas trade with unfriendly countries, which stipulates a new system of contract payment.
Earlier, Bloomberg, citing its sources, said that Shell will not be able to pay for Russian gas this month.
