Putin seeks expert group on trade payments with allies, 'unfriendly' states

The group will look into payment terms in roubles and other national currencies with India and other Russian partners, although countries were not named.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered the creation of a working group on international payments whose tasks will include figuring out terms for transactions with "unfriendly" states.

Putin said in March that Russia, the world's largest natural gas producer, would require countries it deems hostile to pay for fuel in roubles by opening accounts at Gazprombank and making payments in euros or dollars, to be converted into Russian currency.

Poland and Bulgaria refused to comply, and Russian energy giant Gazprom cut them off last month. The Kremlin has said the same will happen to anyone else who rejects the new payment