Europe Will Not Receive Enough Gas If Russia's Arms Twisted - Medvedev

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia is ready to supply Europe with gas in the volumes prescribed in the contracts, but if the EU twists Moscow's arms, refusing to supply repaired turbines for Nord Stream or to launch Nord Stream 2, then there will not be the volumes they are counting on, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said.

Medvedev called the issue of gas supplies part of the war being waged against Russia.

"We have never refused to supply gas to Europe. We built Nord Stream 2, we fulfilled all obligations, but we were told that your gas is not needed, moreover, we will not be able to pay in euros and dollars, because now we close correspondent relations with your banks. We then decided that in this case there was only one option for us — to use the ruble as a means of payment. That is, these are the consequences of the sanctions war that was unleashed by the West. Yes, and now we are ready to supply gas to those volumes that are contracted," he said in an interview with French broadcaster LCI.

However, according to Medvedev, the volume of deliveries will depend on the position of Western and European countries.

"If they twist our arms, if they prohibit payments, or if they refuse to supply repaired turbines or to launch Nord Stream 2, this kind of supply will probably not be in the volumes in which Western countries are counting on it," he said.