Germany will continue to pay for Russian gas in euros, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said, Reuters reported.

He said he told Russian President Vladimir Putin that Berlin had checked its gas contracts with Russia and would continue to pay for them in euros and sometimes in dollars.

Scholz reiterated that Germany hopes to become independent of Russian oil and coal imports this year, but it will take longer to reduce its dependence on Russian gas, he said.

Scholz added that loopholes in the sanctions imposed on Russia must be closed in order to keep pressure on Putin.