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"I have decided to implement to switch payments for our natural gas supplies into Russian rubles," Russian president Vladimir Putin said in a televised government meeting (Photo: kremlin.ru)

Putin's rouble shift: mistake or masterstroke?

Russia's plans to demand rouble payments for oil- and natural gas purchases from "unfriendly nations," unveiled on Wednesday, further escalated the battle of sanctions with Europe ahead of the two-day EU summit on Thursday (24 March).

EU leaders have sounded unimpressed by the move. "I don't think anyone in Europe knows what roubles look like," Slovenian prime minister Janez Janša said arriving at the summit. "Nobody will pay in roubles."

Likewise, Belgian prime minister Alexande...

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Author Bio

Wester is a journalist from the Netherlands with a focus on the green economy. He joined EUobserver in September 2021. Previously he was editor-in-chief of Vice, Motherboard, a science-based website, and climate economy journalist for The Correspondent.

"I have decided to implement to switch payments for our natural gas supplies into Russian rubles," Russian president Vladimir Putin said in a televised government meeting (Photo: kremlin.ru)

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Author Bio

Wester is a journalist from the Netherlands with a focus on the green economy. He joined EUobserver in September 2021. Previously he was editor-in-chief of Vice, Motherboard, a science-based website, and climate economy journalist for The Correspondent.

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