MOSCOW, May 20. The issue of Russian gas supplies to Europe will be resolved by Russia based on its national interests in each specific case. This statement was made by Dmitry Birichevsky, Director of the Department of Economic Cooperation at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in an interview with RIA Novosti.

"Those who loudly declare that we don't want to, we won't, but secretly try to buy, I think the government is considering the possibility of refusing those who want to breathe their last," the diplomat said, emphasizing that such a policy of "double standards" would not go unnoticed.

 Birichevsky added that decisions regarding European countries that, despite their anti-Russian rhetoric, still seek to purchase Russian gas, would be made "on a case-by-case basis." This implies a flexible approach, where Moscow will assess each situation separately, based on its own preferences.

 Earlier, President Vladimir Putin instructed the government, together with gas companies, to work on the issue of reorienting natural gas supplies to promising markets. The President emphasized that it may be economically more advantageous for Russia not only to stop supplying to the European market before the restrictions imposed by the European Union come into force, but also to actively develop new directions.

As a reminder, the Council of the European Union approved a regulation in January that provides for the phased withdrawal of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) and pipeline gas imports. The ban on LNG imports under short-term contracts came into effect on April 25, 2026, and for long-term contracts, it began on January 1, 2027. The restrictions on pipeline gas imports will take effect on June 17, 2026, for short-term contracts, and on November 1, 2027, for long-term contracts.

Thus, Russia is demonstrating its readiness to adapt its energy policy in response to the actions of its European partners, prioritizing its own economic and geopolitical interests while hinting at its selective approach to further gas cooperation.