From RT.com…
“It seems to me that the United States is making a very big mistake by using the dollar as a sanctions instrument… by preventing payment in dollars for the sanctioned products,” Putin told CNBC’s Hadley Gamble on Wednesday, after a panel at the Russian Energy Week.
Countries facing US sanctions, like Russia, “have no other choice, we are simply forced to switch to settlements in other currencies,” he added. Gamble had asked about the possibility of using cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin to sell oil and gas, something Putin welcomed in principle but said it was “too early,” citing crypto’s volatility.
Russia is happy to use dollars in energy trade – for now – and has now plans to ditch the US dollar entirely, Putin noted, but “if the policy of the American authorities continues… then we will not have to do anything, the US will itself undermine confidence in the dollar.”
