Russia, Under Fresh U.S. Sanctions Threat, Says Ready to Issue Eurobond Soon

Russia stands ready to tap the Eurobond market any moment, and it expects foreigners’ share among holders of its OFZ treasury bonds to stabilize in 2021 despite the threat of fresh U.S. sanctions, a deputy finance minister told Reuters.

The risk of new sanctions increased after U.S. President Joe Biden said Russian President Vladimir Putin would “pay a price” for directing efforts to swing the 2020 U.S. presidential election to Donald Trump. Moscow denies any wrongdoing.

Timur Maksimov said the latest “hostile statements” had increased volatility on the Russian market, referring to a sell-off in the ruble and bonds following Biden’s rhetoric.

“But this situation cannot last forever and, as we know, there is always calm after the storm,” Maksimov said in an interview with Reuters.

Russia last tapped the global market with euro-denominated Eurobonds in November, in the face of U.S. sanctions that banned U.S. banks from buying sovereign Eurobonds directly from Russia.

“We are ready [to issue a Eurobond] virtually any moment. Nervousness on the market creates some negative background, and we are in no rush,” Maksimov said.

Maksimov did not say what currency the bond would be denominated in.

Russia’s 2021 Eurobond plan envisages borrowing the equivalent of $3 billion, the amount it is able to raise via a couple of weekly OFZ bond auctions, Maksimov said.

Ruble-denominated OFZ bonds are popular among foreign investors thanks to their lucrative yields.

While non-residents increased their nominal OFZ holdings to 3.2 trillion rubles as of Feb. 1, up 6% year on year, their share among OFZ holders slid to near 23% from 34% a year ago as Russia stepped up bond issuance.

Maksimov said non-residents’ share among OFZ holders would stabilize at around 25% in the mid-term as Russia scales down state borrowing and returns to its fiscal rule that was relaxed in 2020 amid the pandemic.