RT.com
28 Jun 2022, 08:13 GMT+10
Attempts to prevent Moscow from paying its foreign debt may undermine the Western financial system
Western media is reporting that Russia is facing a default on its foreign debt for the first time since 1918. Moscow was forced to make interest payments on bonds in rubles after Washington blocked dollar payments.
Moscow has rejected the assertions and has accused Washington of trying to engineer an artificial default, explaining that the country is willing and able to service its foreign debt. The transition to ruble payments does not imply a debt default, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov has stressed.
Under a new payment mechanism, which was recently announced and signed into law by President Vladimir Putin, Moscow considers its obligations completed "if they are fulfilled in rubles in an amount equivalent to the value of obligations in foreign currency" at the exchange rate on the day the funds are transferred to the central depository (NSD), through which they will be paid to creditors.
In May, the US ended a bond payment waiver that had allowed Moscow to service its debt in dollars. The Russian Finance Ministry subsequently said that, in order to defend its reputation as a reliable borrower, Russia would service its Eurobond obligations in the national currency, the ruble, if it were unable to pay in foreign currency.
Countries in default cannot borrow money cheaply through international financial institutions because they are considered a risk.
There is no reason for Moscow to issue bonds. The country runs a low debt of around 16% of GDP, because it traditionally doesn't rely heavily on borrowing. In comparison, most Western countries run debts close or well over to 100% of their GDP.
In terms of the Western financial system, it doesn't matter. Sanctions make it impossible for Russia to trade as it used to. Most Western companies have pulled out and borrowing money from Western financial institutions is not possible. This makes Russia's credit rating in the West meaningless.
However, investment analysts acknowledge that holders of Russian bonds could take serious losses as a result of Western actions and file lawsuits against the US government, which prevented Russia's dollar payments. Moscow points out that attempts to push Russia into default only undermines the reputation of the Western financial system.
For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section
(RT.com)
Get a daily dose of South East Asia Post news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to South East Asia Post.
More InformationHARTFORD, Connecticut: Following a state Senate debate and vote to approve Connecticut's most comprehensive gun legislation since the laws put ...
SPENCER, Massachusetts: Spencer, Massachusetts Fire Chief Robert Parsons has said that a June 2 fire that burned down a 160-year-old ...
MOSCOW, Russia: Journalists from countries that are "unfriendly" to Russia will be banned from covering this year's St. Petersburg International ...
SAN FRANCISCO, California: Landowners in California participated this week in a class organized by the El Dorado Amador Prescribed Burn ...
RAMALLAH, Wet Bank - A two-and-a-half-year-old Palestinian boy shot in the head by Israeli troops has died in hospitalThe boy, ...
NEWARK, New Jersey: Six years after his 2016 presidential campaign failed to succeed, Chris Christie, former New Jersey Governor, will ...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks were directionless Tuesday as investors had little to digest ahead of next week's ...
MENLO PARK, California: Facebook parent Meta has said that under a trial that could last through the end of June, ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: The Biden administration is expected to approve a deal allowing General Electric to assemble jet engines in India ...
TAIPEI, Taiwan: Taiwan and the United States are set to sign the first deal under a new trade framework, marking ...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks started the week under pressure on Monday. "Markets are catching their breath after ...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: A JPMorgan Chase & Co spokesperson has confirmed that as part of the bank's efforts ...