Europeans stole Russia’s money

We took note of the article “Russia cuts gas supplies” by AFP published in The Citizen on 28 April. Its author failed to give a clear and unbiased picture of the subject matter and, in fact, did his best to confuse readers and leave it with nothing more than a perception of “aggressive Russia developing evil schemes”. This is exactly how propaganda works.

One thesis we would like to particularly point out is Moscow’s alleged “use of gas as a weapon”. The real reason for Russia’s suspending gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria is obvious: rouble payments for gas have been enforced by Russia for both said countries and since they refused to pay, the contracts have been halted.

“Nobody sells us anything for free, and we are not going to do charity either,” President Vladimir Putin, pictured, noted.

Let us once again explain the essence of Russia’s roubles-forgas demand. Why has Russia made such move? Because the West stole Russian money (about $300 billion) a large part of which had been paid for gas and oil supplies. It was only possible because Gazprom had to keep the money in Western banks. Europeans wanted to punish Russia, so they stole Russia’s money.

That’s the reason why Moscow cannot trade with Europe as before and continue to store the money in their accounts – Europeans will steal it again. (And they can do it at any time to anybody else, as the precedent has been set.)

What has been proposed by Russia is that supplies are to be considered paid for not at the moment when Gazprombank receives euros or dollars, but when they are converted into roubles, which cannot be stolen.

Note that absolutely nothing has changed for buyers. They still pay the sums specified in the contract in euros and dollars.

Next time, before you accuse Russia of “gas blackmail” and “weaponising gas supplies”, please try to give evaluation to outright robberies of Russia’s assets as well as countless bans and illegal sanctions, misappropriation of Russian citizens’ private property (even those of them who have nothing to do with the special military operation in Ukraine).

This is the context that cannot and shouldn’t be ignored. Alexander Arefiev, Press-attaché, second secretary – Embassy of Russia