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Moscow has warned Europe it risks having gas supplies cut unless
it pays in roubles as he seeks retaliation over Western
sanctions for Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which the Kremlin
describes as a "special military operation".
Nehammer said he held "very direct, open and tough" talks with
Putin near Moscow on Monday about the invasion of Ukraine. But
the Austrian leader had not publicly mentioned any discussion of
Austria's security of gas supply.
Austria gets 80% of its natural gas from Russia and opposes an
immediate European Union gas embargo on Moscow, arguing it is
not possible to suddenly switch to alternative suppliers.
Putin said "that the gas supply is secured, that Russia will
deliver the contractually agreed quantities and that payments
can continue to be made in euros", APA quoted Nehammer as saying
in a joint interview on Wednesday with German news agency DPA.
The European Commission has said those with contracts requiring
payment in euros or dollars should stick to that, which Nehammer
has said Austria will do.
At the same time, Russia appears to have opened a door to
continued payment in euros.
Two weeks ago Moscow decreed foreign buyers of Russian gas would
have to open rouble accounts in state-run Gazprombank, which is
not under the same crippling sanctions as many other Russian
banks, or risk being cut off.
European gas buyers could therefore deposit payments in euros
and let Gazprombank buy roubles on their behalf - a work-around
that Austria has said appears to make continued payment in euros
possible.
Nehammer repeated his opposition to an embargo in Wednesday's
interview, which quoted him as saying it "would mean that both
(Austrian) industry and households would suffer serious harm
from the non-delivery of that gas".
(Reporting by Francois Murphy; Editing by Jason Neely and
Alexander Smith)
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