EU companies may be able to comply with Russia's proposed system of payment for gas in rubles without violating the bloc's sanctions against Moscow, but it is not yet clear how such a procedure will work, according to a guidance document sent on April 22 to EU member states by the European Commission.

    The European Commission confirmed that the gas payment mechanism proposed by Moscow, which requires energy buyers to open accounts with Gazprombank, where payments in euros or dollars will be converted into rubles, does not violate EU sanctions. "However, the procedure for deviations from the requirements of the decree is not yet clear," the document says.