Germany has prepared an emergency programme to overcome gas crisis as it has refused to make payment to Russia in rubles.
Gas rationing is being introduced in Germany under its emergency plan as fears grow over a potential stop in Russian deliveries amid a standoff over payments in rubles.
Russia has asked the European countries to pay in rubles for buying gas amid the economic sanctions imposed by the United States.
“A crisis room will now be established in the ministry,” Germany’s economy minister Robert Habeck told reporters in Berlin, adding that the team will be consisted of members from the economics ministry, the country’s regulator and the private sector.
The “early warning” measure, the first of three alarm levels under the government’s emergency gas plan, was “preventative” and intended to assure supply of the fuel, said Habeck, who is also energy minister and vice chancellor.
Gas reserves were currently at 25 percent of capacity, Habeck added, cautioning that a stop to deliveries from Russia would have “serious” consequences, though supplies continued to flow normally.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Russia will soon only accept payments for gas in roubles. It seems an effort to bolster falling value of Russian currency, however, the Western countries have said they will not comply.
On Tuesday, the Kremlin reiterated the payment demand for gas deliveries to the EU – after ministers from the Group of Seven countries called this arrangement “unacceptable”.
“We are not going to accept a breach of the private contracts” for gas deliveries, Habeck said in the news conference.
