Gazprom’s arguments about the impossibility of delivering by Nord Stream 1 due to European sanctions are “an excuse not to supply gas to the European Union”, the European Commission said on Friday.
“Nord Stream 1 is not subject to EU sanctions,” he said. The Europeans have decreed the cessation of their purchases of coal and oil from Russia, but the European sanctions do not affect gas purchases.
“The gas is not on the table and we are not going to speculate on a possible sanctions package to come or not,” Eric Mamer told AFP.
“Blackmail”
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 charged.
The Russian gas giant Gazprom accused this Wednesday the EU sanctions of blocking the return of a Siemens turbine essential to guarantee the proper functioning of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline between Russia and Germany through which a third of European purchases are transported Russian gas. The turbine had been shipped to Canada for repair.
“Worst Case”
“The sanctions regimes in Canada, the European Union and the United Kingdom, as well as the inconsistencies of the current situation with regard to Siemens’ contractual obligations, make the delivery of Nord Stream 1 impossible,” Gazprom said in a statement.
Russia thus justifies the reduction of its deliveries by Nord Stream 1 in June and July.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, asked the Member States on 20th July to prepare “for the worst case scenario” of a halt in gas deliveries by Gazprom and recommended reducing consumption by 15% from August 1 and increase shares to get through the winter.
Russia accounted for around 40% of EU gas imports until last year.
Source: BFM TV
