The European Union has warned member states that President Vladimir Putin’s demand that “unfriendly countries” effectively pay for Russian gas in rubles would violate sanctions imposed on Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine.
The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, has presented its analysis of Putin’s decree, according to people familiar with the matter. The assessment raises the stakes for Europe’s energy security since Putin threatened to halt gas supplies to buyers that don’t comply with the edict.
