Gas crisis in the EU: Putin rejects extortion allegations - "Total nonsense"

In view of the gas crisis in Europe, Russian President Vladimir Putin is promoting the rapid commissioning of the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea pipeline in front of an international audience.

Moscow / Brussels - In view of the gas crisis in Europe, Vladimir Putin is calling for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline to go into operation quickly Lowering energy prices.

The President said on the sidelines of the Russian Energy Week, which is taking place in the capital Moscow.

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The 69-year-old's statements are based on the fact that Nord Stream 2 * has been completed, but the operating license from the German authorities is still pending.

Putin regretted that the “administrative barriers” had not yet been overcome.

Russia had already repeatedly denied accusations that Russia was jointly responsible for the sharp rise in prices.

Rather, speculation on the stock exchanges would drive up the gas price, said Alexander Nowak, who is responsible for energy issues, a few days ago.

An investigation of the players on the stock exchanges is necessary here, "because the current price does not objectively reflect the current situation," said the Vice Prime Minister of Russia.

Kremlin boss Putin * again firmly denied responsibility of the energy superpower (main supplier of crude oil and gas to the EU countries) for the enormous rise in energy prices, but offered help.

Russia's gas deliveries are already ten percent above the contractually agreed quantities.

"We are ready to increase deliveries further." However, specific inquiries are needed for this.

At the same time, he again denied allegations that Russia was using its market power to drive up prices and to use gas as a “political weapon”.

"This is total nonsense." Putin said: "We deliver as much as is requested." A few days ago at the Gas Forum in Saint Petersburg, this topic was already a much discussed topic:

Nord Stream 2: Old pipeline ailing - Putin is campaigning for commissioning

Rather, Russia's head of state accuses those responsible in the EU of failing: it was missed to refill the gas storage tanks in time after the cold winter in summer. The current crisis on the gas market arose because of a lack of electrical energy in the EU, Putin explained. He also referred to the weather-related loss of energy from wind turbines. Gas is converted into electricity en masse to generate electrical energy. That is why the demand for gas has also grown. For the EU states themselves, the high energy prices have long since moved up in the list of priorities.

In addition, according to Putin, Russia's energy giant Gazprom * increased transit through Ukraine to Europe by ten percent.

A further increase in delivery quantities is not possible in this way because the gas transmission systems in the ex-Soviet republic have not been rehabilitated for decades.

They threatened to fail with increased use.

If Nord Stream 2 were to go into operation, the transport route from the gas fields in Russia to consumers in EU countries would be 2,000 kilometers shorter - and therefore less expensive.