Germany will keep paying for Russian gas in euros-Scholz

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Thursday he had told Russian President Vladimir Putin that his country has checked its contracts with Russia for gas deliveries and will keep paying for them in euros and sometimes dollars.

Scholz reiterated that Germany hoped to become independent of Russian oil and coal imports this year, but it would take longer to reduce its dependence on Russian gas, he told a news conference with his Austrian counterpart Karl Nehammer.

Scholz added that loopholes in sanctions introduced over Russia's invasion of Ukraine must be closed to keep up the pressure on Putin.