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Putin's ruble demand and Ukraine's refusal at Mariupol
Summary
A look back at 23 March 2022, when Moscow set new terms for gas payments and Kyiv's stance on surrender and NATO had been stated two days earlier.
What did Russia want from its gas customers on 23 March 2022? Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded that countries he deemed "unfriendly" pay for deliveries of natural gas in rubles, a step that carried the war's economic dimension into energy trade.
The demand came against a backdrop of statements from Kyiv two days earlier, on 21 March 2022.
Mariupol ultimatum rejected
On 21 March 2022, Ukraine rejected a Russian ultimatum to surrender control of Mariupol, which was under siege. Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said that the Russian side had already been informed of the refusal.
Zelenskyy on NATO
On the same day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would consider dropping Ukraine's request to join NATO in exchange for a ceasefire.
The picture on 23 March
Taken together, the statements showed the positions of the two sides in late March 2022. Moscow was setting conditions on how its gas would be paid for, while Kyiv had refused to give up Mariupol and had signalled flexibility on NATO membership if a ceasefire could be secured.
