Kazakhstan opposes the use of only the ruble in the Eurasian Union
Kazakhstan’s Energy Minister Bolat Agsholagov said that Russia it is wrong to pay for gas only in rubles, as Mokva demands
Kazakhstan’s Energy Minister Bolat Agsholagov said that Russia It is wrong to pay for gas only in rubles, as requested by Mokva, and countries should be given a choice of currency in this matter.
The minister told reporters on October 21 that payments within the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) should not be limited to rubles.
Russia After starting the war against Ukraine Europe and, facing Western sanctions, demanded that payments for Russian gas be made only in rubles.
The main purpose of the decree signed by Vladimir Putin was to remove Russian banks from Western sanctions.
Freedom to choose currency
Aksholagov said about this:
“Our position is that partners should make this choice themselves. It should be a commercial term of bilateral agreements. The buyer of Russian gas should be able to make the payment in the currency of his choice. This is the freedom to choose a currency.”
Aksholagov said that Russia is the Eurasian Union’s oil and gas future for unit the use of rubles in the market offer did and unit the market creation proposal is currently under discussion.
Eurasian Economic Union as well Armeniaincludes Belarus and Kyrgyzstan.
The second economy of the Eurasian Economic Union
Last March, Moscow demanded that Western countries, which imposed restrictions on it, pay for Russian gas only in rubles.
The purpose of this is to prevent the freezing of Russian energy supply assets, and USA was to reduce the global role of the dollar.
Three other members of the EU – Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan agreed to pay for Russian gas in rubles.
Kazakhstan, the second largest economy in this union, to Russia gas in addition to exporting, but also from Russia for its eastern regions gas imports.