Russia not to call itself in default - finance minister

Russia will service its external debt obligations in roubles if the United States blocks other options and will not call itself in default, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said.

“We are not going to call any defaults, we have money - unless Western countries make it impossible to service our debts,” Siluanov told a forum. “We will be able to pay and will pay foreigners in roubles as a last resort option if Western (financial) infrastructure is closed for us.”