Von der Leyen Says Russia’s Demand to Pay in Rubles Is a Bluff That Won’t Work

"We will not allow our sanctions to be circumvented"

Source: Radio Free Europe

Several leaders from European Union members have scoffed at Russia’s demand that some “unfriendly” countries will be forced to pay for its natural gas and oil in rubles, saying the move is a breach of contract.

“This would be a unilateral decision and a clear breach of contract, and it would be an attempt to circumvent the sanctions,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at the start of an EU summit in Brussels on March 24.

“We will not allow our sanctions to be circumvented…the time when energy could be used to blackmail us is over,” she added.

Putin gave the government and central bank one week to figure out the details on moving operations into the ruble, with energy giant Gazprom charged with making the corresponding changes to contracts.

“This is basically a breach of contract, this is important to understand,” Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said of Putin’s move. [Suddenly they’re all about the sanctity of contracts. What does the contract when the Russian Central Bank opens an account in the EU look like, I wonder.]

Added Slovenian Prime Minister Janesz Jansa, “I don’t think anybody in Europe knows what rubles look like, nobody will pay in rubles.”

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called Moscow’s demands “humiliating” and warned countries potentially affected by the move not to give in.

“If any EU country bows to Putin’s humiliating demands to pay for oil and gas in rubles, it will be like helping Ukraine with one hand and helping Russians kill Ukrainians with the other. I urge relevant countries to make a wise and responsible choice,” he said on Twitter.

29 Comments
  1. Michael Petrovich says

    If you can´t or won´t pay then i guess you won´t get any gas or oil from Russia.

    1. Rightiswrong says

      Or wheat, grain, fertiliser, urea, palladium, titanium, aluminium, nickel, bauxite etc, etc.

      Ursula doesn’t understand that it is not up to her how someone else takes payment for their products, and it seems beyond her silly little mind that when Russia has been banned from shopping in Milan, why would they even need Euros, lol.

      1. Helga Weber says

        made me laugh!

      2. Helga Weber says

        Try to get paid in rubel or yuan, that will be the world currency and you will even be richer!

        1. Algo says

          Yup and Merica will be broke.

      3. Romeo LeBlanc says

        Spoken like a true follower of the USA that wants to control the globe

    2. Abraham Lincoln says

      No unbiased court would take the side of the EU in this.

      So they want to pay in a currency they won’t allow Russia to use thus breaking the contract with their illegal sanctions.

      its a good way to cut off all the gas, oil, minerals metals for computer chips etc. They will be cutting it off themselves if they refuse to pay Rubbles which they can do at any time.

      1. Helga Weber says

        Have to look for unbiased courts though.

        1. kkk says

          Unbiased ???

  2. Cap960 says

    The western is on its way to be very hungry…with nowhere to go due to high gas price!

  3. Cooky says

    From the elites mouth.

  4. edwardi says

    It is just going to take a little while to sink in, this lady’s life of pomp and privilege makes it extra hard for her to understand. Actions have consequences, and you get what your sow. But good luck to the European sheep still being fleeced by the US, you have bet on the wrong horse.

    1. Abraham Lincoln says

      Criminals like her have lived with a silver spoon in their mouth all their lives and never had to compete for anything, had it all given to them, never had to face any of the consequences of their actions never got into trouble when they screwed up.

      1. Helga Weber says

        Her father was also in politics and a crook.

  5. MHC says

    I’m going to enjoy watching these folks eat an extra large serving of humble pie. Unfortunately for them, it has no calories and will not satiate their hunger.

    1. MHC says

      …or produce gas

  6. mijj says

    whatever you do or say, Von der Leyen, you must maintain your pomposity and smug sense of superiority. Otherwise the Russians will not know who’s boss.

    1. Mama Ursula says

      That chick is priceless. So deliciously embarrassing.

      « This would be a unilateral decision and a clear breach of contract »

      As if the gang she’s speaking for weren’t exactly doing that.

      « and it would be an attempt to circumvent the sanctions »

      Yeah because the sanctions came down from Heavens and also because “you punished pupils have to do just as the schoolteacher says”. Oh God…

  7. SteveK9 says

    I really don’t understand these people at all. Stealing $300B in Russian Central Bank Reserves and they are talking about contracts? And, they refuse to pay because that would ‘circumvent’ their ‘sanctions’, which are precisely the reason Russia is demanding this. It’s bizarre, absurd theatre.

  8. ken says

    The West/US steals Russia’s reserves,,, steals Russian assets,,, in the Czech republic they want to steal ALL assets of ALL Russians and then talk about international law.The West/US fascist (nazi) governments are broke, in debt up to their ears, have zero concern for their citizens. They are pirates on the seas, robber barons on land. They are a despicable lot. For over two years they have locked down their people, eliminated their livelihoods, forced them to get experimental injections and now it appears they want to be incinerated over a useless fascist nation (Ukraine)controlled by mostly Jewish Zionists.

    Folks,,, it doesn’t get much stupider than this….

    And if you don’t think those injections mess with the minds of those taking them check out this Canadian poll. The injection has changed them into mindless bots.

    1. Andra Saltzberg says

      Confirmed. The jabbed are brainless.

  9. anon says

    This must be the ‘rules based order’ we have heard so little about… whereby the regime expects compliance from what it perceives to be it’s vassals… but exempts itself.. from all reasonable conduct and adherence to such rules..

    it’s all very talmudic.. which when one examines the imperiums policy makers is rather unsurprising…

  10. anon says

    This imbecile von der lying had the German army marching with broom sticks…. and like all these EU miscreants is steeped in corruption and shady dealings.. a christine lagarde clone and a recommendation to keep this type of unprincipled sticky fingered woman well away from any decisions of consequence..

    Vlad should take the war directly to these people.. mossad style…

  11. XSFRGR says

    Doesn’t this stupid cow understand that China has agreed to take all of Russia’s oil, and gas?? Russia/China is decoupling from the West, and they don’t care whether the West freezes in the dark or not.

  12. coronistan.blogspot.com says

    That might be a silly remark from the mother of 70, housewife and part-time EU boss. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8pnec4Hxps

  13. kkk says

    Stupid Nazi bitch

  14. Steve Kastl says

    What a psycho! She tells Russia it is the Western Way or the highway—take euros/dollars and like it! Russia wonders why take dollars or euros if you cannot use them or the USA steals them? Recommend to Russia to put a “pay in gold” clause in all future contracts of all commodities and tell the EU and USA to F—- themselves.

  15. Richseeto says

    It is not up to buying countries to demand the kind of payment for goods.
    It is up to the selling country to want to sell for the currency it requires.
    In this day and age, energy is more important than gold.
    Take it or leave it.

  16. charlotte says

    Ursula should go home take care of her 7 children in a overpopulated world.
    She had never any idea what she is doing in the military department.
    And now she meddles with Pfizer and her husband working for a scientific company in the USA.
    What’s next Miss??
    In Switzerland the Ukrainians drive Maserati and Swiss pay their food triple.
    The Swiss government goes tu kiss Zelensky hand on taxpayers’ cost.
    Sending tank after tank to the Ukraine.
    I move to China
    Ciao

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