VLADIVOSTOK, September 5. /TASS/. Russia is not currently discussing the possibility of switching to payment in rubles for liquefied natural gas (LNG), Russian Energy Minister Nikolay Shulginov said in an interview with TASS at the Eastern Economic Forum. When asked if the authorities are considering sale of LNG from the Sakhalin 2 project for rubles, he said:

"At the moment, there are no such discussions, as well as [there are not such discussions] on the transfer of LNG trade to rubles in general."

In July, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said that his ministry supported a proposal to sell LNG for rubles rather than for dollars or euros, similar to Gazprom's pipeline gas trading mechanism.

In August, Bloomberg reported that Sakhalin Energy, the former operator of Sakhalin-2, asked buyers to pay for LNG supplies in a currency other than the dollar. According to agency sources, Sakhalin Energy notified customers to use alternative currencies, including the ruble, euro, yen or pound sterling. Such a measure may be required if the settlements in dollars, which are provided for by the terms of current contracts, turn out to be unavailable due to sanctions.

Organized by the Roscongress Foundation, the Seventh Eastern Economic Forum will be running from September 5 to September 8 in Vladivostok. TASS is the event's general information partner and its official photohost agency. This year, the theme of the forum is: "On the Path to a Multipolar World."