The gas battle continues between Moscow and the West.
The Russian gas giant Gazprom announced Monday that it would drastically reduce from Wednesday, to 33 million m3 daily, deliveries of Russian gas to Europe via Nord Stream, or about 20% of the pipeline's capacity against some 40% currently.
The company highlights the need for maintenance of a turbine.
“There is no technical reason for the delivery cuts.
The turbine is ready to be delivered to Russia,” German Economy Minister Robert Habeck was carried away, quoted by Der Spiegel.
He denounces the "perfidious game" of Vladimir Putin.
Contrary to claims by the Russian gas company, Siemens Energy's export documents are complete, but Russia refuses to issue import documents.
“Russia breaks treaties and blames others,” asserted the environmental minister, whose country is particularly dependent on Russian gas brought in by the pipeline via the Baltic Sea.
Gazprom will “fully” fulfill its obligations, the Russian president had assured.
Under maintenance for ten days by Gazprom teams, the Nord Stream gas pipeline was effectively restarted on July 21, contrary to what many feared in Germany in particular.
Volumes lowered twice
Russia had already cut the volume of its deliveries twice in June, saying that the gas pipeline could not function normally without a turbine which was being repaired in Canada and which had not returned to Russia because of the sanctions imposed by the Westerners following the Russian assault on Ukraine.
But she is ready now.
The German group Siemens Energy, in charge of the maintenance of the turbine, also assured to see “no link between the turbine and the gas reductions which have been implemented or announced”, according to a press release sent.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had warned him that if his country did not receive the missing turbine, the gas pipeline would operate at 20% of its capacity this week, due to the upcoming maintenance of a second turbine.
Zelensky blows on the embers
Westerners accuse Moscow of using the energy weapon in retaliation for the sanctions adopted after the offensive against Ukraine.
In kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelensky blows on the embers: “Russia is waging an open gas war against a united Europe.
They don't care what happens to people, how they suffer - from hunger due to blocked ports, from winter cold and poverty… or from occupation.
These are just different forms of terror, ”said the Ukrainian president.
“That's why you have to fight back.
Don't think about how to bring the turbine back, but strengthen the sanctions,” he concluded.
The European Commission has proposed to the Member States to reduce, between August 2022 and March 2023, their gas consumption by at least 15% compared to the average of the last five years over the same period.
This Brussels plan is opposed by several countries (Spain, Greece, Portugal, etc.).
“It is difficult to discuss the mandatory mechanisms prepared by the European Commission in a few days, we can say in a hurry, which oblige countries to make mandatory reductions.
We cannot agree to it, ”said Polish Climate Minister Anna Moskwa in turn on Monday, quoted by the PAP agency.