The German energy minister has announced that the Group of Seven major economies (G-7) had agreed to reject categorically Russian President Vladimir Putin’s demand that payments for Russian natural gas be made in rubles. On Monday, when asked about Putin’s ultimatum demanding that “unfriendly countries” must make payments for natural gas in Russian fiat currency, German politician Robert Habeck told reporters “all G-7 ministers agreed completely that this (would be) a one-sided and clear breach of the existing contracts.” Habeck continued, “payment in ruble is not acceptable and we will urge the companies affected not to follow Putin’s demand.” The remarks follow after a demand issued by President Putin on Wednesday, requiring that all payments for exports of Russian natural gas must be made in the country’s fiat currency, the ruble, which has lost more than 50 percent of its value relative to the U.S. dollar since the beginning of the …