“Like other German and European companies, Uniper has changed its method of payment for gas deliveries from Russia. Uniper is paying in euros under the new payment mechanism,” Uniper said in emailed comments.
“The first of these payments was made at the end of May. Uniper is therefore acting in compliance with the sanctions and can continue to ensure timely execution of the contract.”
Russia’s payment system, which involves the creation of accounts that would be paid out in euros and then exchanged for rubles, has exposed the cracks in Europe’s united response to the Ukraine conflict, with some countries refusing to pay and d others finding ways to comply.
Germany is heavily dependent on Russian gas, which accounted for more than half of all imports of this fuel last year. Uniper said last month that the first payment under the new guidelines would be due at the end of May, leaving the exact date open.
Uniper, which is seeking to sell its Russian subsidiary Unipro, said the process has been coordinated with the German government and follows EU guidelines. (Reporting by Christoph Steitz, Tom Kaeckenhoff and Vera Eckert; editing by Madeline Chambers and Jon Boyle)