MOSCOW, March 30. /TASS/. Moscow’s demand that unfriendly countries pay in rubles for Russian gas supplies does not violate contracts as Russia seeks to protect its interests amid the unprecedented pressure of sanctions, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told RT.

"My hope would be that people in the European Union and elsewhere take the right decisions. I mean, they speak about contracts and how wrong it would be to change contracts the way Russia does at the moment. We are not changing contracts, we are defending our interests against a tsunami, a wave of completely irresponsible sanctions that simply rocked the fundamentals of international trade and the international financial system," he pointed out.

According to Ryabkov, it’s a shame how people instantly abandoned their obligations under contracts with Russia in many other areas. "Still, I believe we will not face a continuation of a desperate economic war. I call to reason for all people who may make decisions these days in Europe. Russia has always been a very reliable supplier of energy to everyone. We intend to continue this way further on but our interests and our demands should be respected and honored," the senior Russian diplomat emphasized.

Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier handed down instructions to start charging in rubles for Russian gas supplies to unfriendly countries. The head of state ordered the government to issue a directive to the Gazprom energy giant to introduce the necessary amendments to the existing contracts.