Russian gas will keep coming, Europe will pay in euros, there will be no ceasefire yet - Draghi
Gas supplies in euro
Draghi, speaking at the Foreign Press Club in Rome, said, according to Reuters:
"No they are not in danger," Draghi told a news conference when asked about supplies from Russia, which account for a significant proportion of Italian imports.
Draghi, who spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone on Wednesday said that Putin told him that current gas contracts remained in force and that European firms will continue to pay in euros and dollars, rather than in roubles.
I don't think the Western countries have done anything except say that it would be unacceptable to pay in roubles, if not impossible,
Draghi told journalists at Rome's Foreign Press Club.
"What I understood, but I may be wrong, is that the conversion of the payment ... is an internal matter of the Russian Federation," Draghi said.
The Italian PM's reassuring messages are important, given that the first stage of a gas emergency was already declared in Germany and Austria yesterday.
However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that "unfriendly" countries will have to buy roubles for the currency stipulated in their contracts for subsequent Russian gas purchases.
Peskov said Gazprombank could be involved in the gas-for-roubles buying scheme, adding that the details of the scheme could be disclosed later on Thursday
Asked whether the plan included the possibility that German customers would continue to pay in euros and convert their payments to Moscow's official EUR/RUB exchange rate through Gazprombank, he said, according to Reuters, that yes, it was among the options outlined.
Mindez összecseng a már tegnap este, a német kancellárral folytatott beszélgetés után kiszivárgott részletekkel is, miszerint valójában továbbra is euróban fizethetnek majd az európai gázvásárlók:
This is in line with details leaked after a conversation between Putin and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz last night that European gas buyers will in fact continue to pay in euros:
Ceasefire and Italian defence spending
Putin also told Draghi that conditions were not yet in place for a ceasefire in Ukraine or for a meeting between him and Ukrainian President Vlodimir Zelensky.
"Zelensky's willingness has always been total to initiate peace, the problem is to see if conditions are found for Russia also to want peace, so far the facts say that there has been no such desire," Draghi said.
"So far the facts say that it was only the defence of Ukraine that slowed down the invasion and that perhaps today leads to the beginning of a peace process."
We all want to see a ray of light ... in some ways, the sanctions are working. Peace will be reached if Ukraine has the possibility to defend itself; otherwise there will be no peace. There is a desire to move forward soon, but it is also too soon to overcome scepticism
, the Guardian cited Draghi as saying.
Asked about increased Italian defence spending following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Draghi said Italy will reach the NATO goal of spending 2% of GDP on defence in 2028, adding that this was not in dispute among members of his coalition.
Media reports this week said the issue was causing tensions in the government a year ahead of national elections.
However, Draghi said that the government's upcoming economic forecasting document would not spell out a specific increase in defence spending.
Cover photo: European Union, Closing press conference of the European Council Summit in Brussels, 24-25 March 2022.
