EU Refuses to Pay in Rubles for Russian Gas

The emergency meeting of European Union energy ministers ended without imposing new sanctions on Russia, while sources said that the European Commission was preparing the sixth package of sanctions.

European Union Energy Commissioner Kadri Simpson said on Monday that using Russia's proposed program to pay for gas by enabling Russia to convert payments into rubles would violate EU sanctions against Moscow.

"Payment in rubles through the transfer mechanism operated by Russian public authorities and a second account designated for it in Gazprombank is a violation of sanctions and cannot be accepted," she said at a press conference after a meeting of EU energy ministers in Brussels.

The French Energy Minister spoke of a European consensus to activate sanctions against Russia and not pay in rubles.