No response from Gazprom to increased demand from the EU

According to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the Russian energy giant Gazprom has not recently responded to the increased demand from the EU.

Strasbourg - "While the company Gazprom has kept its long-term contracts with us, it has not responded to higher demand as in previous years," she said on Wednesday in the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The whole world is affected by the rise in energy prices, but there is "something specific" in the European situation. Von der Leyen did not comment on possible reasons for the lack of reaction to the increased demand from the EU. Critics of the Russian energy giant suspect that this could try to force a rapid commissioning of the controversial Baltic Sea pipeline Nord Stream 2. A permit is still pending for the line between Russia and Germany.

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently took the view that deliveries via Nord Stream 2 would ease the pressure on the heated gas market and lead to a reduction in prices. Even Russia is not interested in an endless increase in energy prices, Putin said on Wednesday at a video link with ministers. “Such a situation can ultimately lead to a decline in demand. »The drastic rise in energy prices will be the topic of the EU summit this Thursday and Friday. Von der Leyen said the current situation shows that Europe is currently too dependent on gas and gas imports. “We import 90 percent of the gas we use. And that makes us vulnerable, ”she said.According to von der Leyen, the situation could be improved through greater diversification of supply sources and an acceleration of the transition to clean energy.