Germany and Austria, who rely on Russia for 50% and 80% of their natural gas respectively have now taken the first steps towards rationing the fuel.
The German government has urged citizens and businesses alike to begin to cut back on their use of gas while in Austria the government have tightened its monitoring of the gas market with Chancellor Karl Nehammer’s office stating that measures such as gas rationing would only come into effect in an “immediate crisis”.
President Putin’s move to demand payment for his country’s natural resources in the Russian currency come after broad and stringent sanctions were imposed on the nation by the West following Moscow’s launching of an invasion of Ukraine.
At a meeting in March the G7 nations declared they would not accept President Putin’s demand to pay for gas or oil in Rubbles and in return Putin has said that gas will not be supplied for free.
As peace talks progress between Moscow and Kiev it remains to be seen if Putin will stick to his words in relation to the sale of gas in Rubbles or soften his demands in a bid for reproachment with the West.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.