Draghi: European companies to pay in euros or dollars

EPA-EFE/JULIEN WARNAND

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi declared on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin assured him that current "contracts remain in place" and that "European companies will continue to pay in euros and dollars."

Draghi reaffirmed that "it is not easy"; however, "in the goods traded worldwide such as oil, gas, commodities, products such as wheat, major agricultural products, prices have always been set in dollars." Besides, he also said that Moscow would convert gas payments from euros and dollars into rubles internally.

On the other hand, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the scheme for countries to pay Russia for natural gas deliveries in rubles is ready and could be published today.

Baha Breaking News (BBN) / JG