AfD Leader Says Freezing Russia's Foreign Currency Assets Counterproductive

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia and Europe should resume economic relations to have a chance at negotiating mutually-acceptable gas payments, whereas freezing Moscow's foreign currency assets was a move harmful for both, Tino Chrupalla, the leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, told Sputnik on Friday.

Chrupalla is a member of German parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs.

"Freezing Russian foreign currency is a destructive measure aimed at harming the Russian economy and the trade relations in Europe. This attack on the ruble forced Russia to start charging rubles for gas. I think that the priority should be the resumption of economic ties to facilitate peace negotiations. Then it will certainly be easier to agree on payment terms", Chrupalla said.

In March, Russian President Vladimir Putin decreed that countries which have sanctioned Russia start paying for Russian gas in rubles beginning from 1 April.

Gazprombank put together a new payment arrangement where foreign buyers would continue to deposit foreign currency as payment for gas which will then be converted to rubles on the Moscow Exchange and paid to Gazprom.

On Wednesday, Gazprom said it will stop pumping gas to Poland and Bulgaria after they refused the new payment arrangement. Gazprom also warned that it would limit gas transit to other countries in the event Poland and Bulgaria begin unauthorised use of Russian gas from the transit pipelines.