Russia’s gas sales may exceed $100 billion

According to Sputnik, The number is quoted by journalist Vincent Colin in the French newspaper Les Echos citing analytical data from Citi.

Specifically, according to Colin, despite “sanctions, aggressive statements and promises of an embargo,” EU member states are paying $200 million to Russian oil company Gazprom every day.

“Thanks to soaring prices, Russia will receive $100 billion in gas deliveries to Europe this year, almost twice as much as before, when prices were already high. That doesn’t include revenue from oil, coal and other raw materials.” journalist said.

Colin believes that Russia has “won the first round” in the “battle of energy”.

After Russia launched a “special military operation” in Ukraine, the US and its allies imposed sanctions on Moscow, and made calls to reduce dependence on Russian energy sources. The move is seen as exacerbating already soaring gas prices. Russia then demanded that “unfriendly countries” pay for gas in rubles.

Even if the EU starts buying less gas, the price increase will offset the drop in orders, according to Colin.

In early March, the EU (which normally receives about 40% of its natural gas from Russia) announced a plan to cut its dependence on Russia by two-thirds by 2022.

After the US and UK banned Russian oil production in March, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on May 4 proposed a sixth package of sanctions, which should be unanimously approved by member states. new in force. One of the package’s proposals is said to ban Russian oil imports. However, countries such as Hungary and Slovakia have requested exemptions because they are not ready to switch energy supplies so soon.

In response to the sanctions, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a decree requiring gas to “unfriendly” countries to be paid for in rubles.

About half of Russia’s 54 gas importers have opened ruble accounts with Gazprombank, subject to new payment rules, the country’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on May 19.

“In the coming days we will see the final list of those who paid in rubles and those who refused to pay,” he said. Mr. Novak said.