Nord Stream: the European Commission accuses Gazprom of looking for excuses to no longer deliver to the EU

Gazprom's arguments on the impossibility of delivering by Nord Stream 1 because of European sanctions did not convince the European Commission.

It is "an excuse not to supply gas to the European Union", she said on Friday.

“There is nothing to prevent the return and installation of a Siemens turbine in Russia.

Everything that is said on the issue is false, ”said the spokesperson for the European executive Éric Mamer.

“Nord Stream 1 is not subject to EU sanctions,” he recalled.

The Europeans have decreed a halt to their coal and oil purchases from Russia, but the European sanctions do not concern gas purchases.

"The gas is not on the table and we will not speculate on a possible package of sanctions to come or not," replied Éric Mamer.

Gazprom and its bank Gazprombank are not affected by the six sets of sanctions imposed by the EU on Russia since the invasion of Ukraine.

"Everything the Russians say about this is basically an excuse not to supply gas to the European Union", he accused before denouncing: "There is blackmail on the part of Russia in with regard to the energy supply of the European Union.

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Gazprom had further reduced its gas deliveries to Europe

Russian gas giant Gazprom on Wednesday accused EU sanctions of blocking the return of a Siemens turbine essential to ensure the proper functioning of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline between Russia and Germany through which a third of European purchases of Russian gas are transported. .

The turbine had been sent to Canada for repair.

"The sanctions regimes in Canada, the European Union and the United Kingdom, as well as the inconsistencies of the current situation regarding Siemens' contractual obligations make it impossible to deliver" by Nord Stream 1, Gazprom explained in a press release. .

Russia thus justifies the reduction of its deliveries by Nord Stream 1 in June and July.

Read alsoWar in Ukraine: Russian giant Gazprom suspends gas deliveries to Latvia

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on July 20 called on member states to prepare "for the worst-case scenario" of a cessation of gas supplies by Gazprom and called for a 15% reduction in consumption from August 1 and to build up stocks to get through the winter.

Russia accounted for some 40% of EU gas imports until last year.