In the fourth month of the war in Ukraine, Moscow was hitting where it hurt and played the energy weakness of the Europeans, 40% of the gas burning usually came from Russia. These proportions are even higher in the East: 55% for Germany, or 85% in Bulgaria.

Gas is not scarce at the moment for most Europeans, during the summer, as there is no need to heat buildings. But the cuts come as countries must take advantage of the summer to fill their reserves, with a target of at least 80% in November in the European Union.

France and Germany, among others, want to avoid panic and reassure their citizens: the stocks of the two countries are rising and are at 56%. The EU is on average at 52%, according to Gas Infrastructure Europe, which is better than the same time last year, but lower than the past two years.

Lower delivery, higher price

The decrease in deliveries will in any case raise prices, which is costing manufacturers, especially in Germany. The benchmark price for natural gas in Europe, the Dutch TTF, jumped to nearly 130 euros per megawatt hour (MWh) on Friday, against about 100 euros on Wednesday … And about 30 euros in a year ago.

The Russians have long used gas as a weapontold AFP Thierry Bros, professor of Sciences Po Paris. The Kremlin uses the principle of uncertainty, one day is one thing and the next day is another, to look at our unity and to force the commodity market and raise prices..

On Friday, the manager of the French transmission network, GRTgaz, announced that it would no longer accept Russian gas through the pipeline since June 15. This gas passed through a single interconnection point in Germany.

France relies on Russia for approximately 17% of its gas, which can come by pipeline (the majority) or in the liquid form of LNG carriers.

Flows in this pipeline have been significantly reduced, but have now fallen to zero.

” We have a way to meet our gas needs thanks to the gas deliveries we receive from other countries, our LNG terminals and our built-up stocks. “

The delay came as Gazprom, Russia’s gas giant, cut gas deliveries to Germany by 60% this week via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline.

” We should have no illusions, we are in a showdown with Putin. This is how dictators and despot behave. “

The consequences are more serious for France’s neighbors, and not just Germany: Italy is 40% dependent on Russia and it will receive on Friday only 50% of Russia’s gas requested by its national company Eni.

Political use of gas

The head of the Italian government, Mario Draghi, who was in kyiv on Thursday, denounced the a political use of gas.

Officially, Gazprom has claimed technical reasons for the Nord Stream 1 equipment, but European leaders do not believe it.

To fill its underground reserves, Europe is therefore looking everywhere for non-Russian gas sources, through gas pipelines but mainly in liquid form, with liquefied natural gas. (LNG).

France has four terminals used to receive LNG arriving by LNG carriers and plans to install others.

It has significantly increased its purchases in LNG since the war began and its terminals are close to their technical maximum, according to GRTgaz. So France has become the largest consumer of Russian LNG in the world, according to the Center for Research on Jan.