Asian Nations Score Putin For Demanding Roubles For Oil, Gas Payments

Asian countries in the list of “unfriendly countries” are fretting about Russia’s demand that oil and gas importers must pay roubles, not dollars, British pounds, or euros.

Photo Insert: Russia's demand for roubles for oil and gas instead of dollars did not sit well with Asian countries.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that members of the European Union (EU) must also pay for Russian energy in rubles and ordered the changes to be implemented within a week, Ukraine Daily, the newsletter of Kyiv Independent, reported.

French carmaker Renault also suspended manufacturing in Russia on Mar. 23, adding that it is assessing its options regarding its stake in Russia’s partially state-owned AvtoVAZ car manufacturer. France’s two largest banks by total assets – Crédit Agricole and BNP Paribas – are pulling out of Russia amid the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

Crédit Agricole added that its priority was to support its 2,400 employees in Ukraine, who were helping ensure essential banking activities continued despite being “struck at full force by the war.”

Nestle is also partially suspending operations in Russia and it has discontinued the production of KitKat and Nesquik in the country. Nestle faced backlash from consumers, activist groups, and politicians for not pulling out from Russia after it invaded Ukraine.

Now, the company says it will partly halt operations in Russia yet continue to provide essential food, such as infant food and medical/hospital nutrition.

Russia’s Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media, or Roskomnadzor, has banned Google News service, accusing it of spreading “false news” about Russia’s war against Ukraine.

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