According to the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation today with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the two leaders agreed that experts from the two countries would discuss how Russian gas exports could be paid for in rubles, according to Reuters, citing TASS.

Russia has said it plans to demand payments in rubles (instead of euros or dollars) for its energy exports, especially in the face of economic sanctions imposed on it by the West over the war in Ukraine.