Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, stated that Europe would not last a week without Russian gas.

The European Commission announced on Friday that EU companies may open an account with Gazprombank to pay for Russian gas using a new payment method devised by Moscow without violating the bloc's sanctions against Moscow.

"We value the consistency and integrity of our European partners. Especially given the fact that, according to recent data from the IMF, Europe will be able to last for no more than six months without our gas. But seriously, it will not last even a week," Medvedev wrote on his Telegram channel.

After Western countries and their allies slapped tough sanctions on Moscow over its military operation in Ukraine, Russia decided to make what it deemed as "unfriendly nations" pay for its gas in rubles.

EU Commission: Companies can pay for Russian gas under new scheme

The European Commission said on Friday that EU companies can pay for Russian gas using a new payment scheme devised by Russia.

On March 31, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree that stipulated that all contracts for gas supplies with companies registered in "unfriendly" countries be paid for in rubles. 

The measure only concerns Gazprom's pipeline exports, and the company is set to receive the first payments in rubles in the second half of April and in May.

The European Commission replied in a FAQ document on the question of whether it is "still possible to pay for gas after the adoption of Decree no. 172 of 31 March without getting in conflict with EU law" in the affirmative.

Know more: The European dependence on Russian gas