Canadian MPs ask government to explain Nord Stream turbine decision

The Foreign Affairs Committee of the Canadian House of Commons has called on two ministers and three ambassadors to discuss the Canadian governmentʼs controversial decision to hand over a refurbished turbine to Germanyʼs Siemens for Russiaʼs Nord Stream gas pipeline.

The committee appealed to Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson. The parliamentarians invited the ministers to come to this meeting on Friday, July 22.

The Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Commons also invited Ambassador of Ukraine Yuliya Kovaliv, Ambassador of Germany Sabine Sparwasser, Ambassador of the EU Melita Gabrych, as well as the Canadian Congress of Ukrainians.

• On July 10, Canadaʼs Minister of Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson announced that his country would make an exception to the sanctions introduced against Russia and return a turbine to Germany, which is needed to service the Nord Stream gas pipeline.
• Serhiy Makogon, general director of the "Operator GTS of Ukraine" LLC, said that Canada has succumbed to pressure, and Russia will continue to blackmail the EU.
• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine called on Canada to cancel the decision regarding the turbine. The Ukrainian side emphasizes that the Russian Federation can continue to supply gas to the EU without interruption, even if for some reason transportation via the Nord Stream is impossible. In particular, Russia can use the transit capacity through Ukraine that it has already paid for. However, the Russians are deliberately cutting supplies in order to blackmail the EU and force certain exemptions from sanctions.
• The EU and the USA supported Canadaʼs decision.
• Since July 11, the Russian gas pipeline "North Stream" has been completely stopped, allegedly for scheduled repairs. Germany stopped receiving gas through it.
• On July 11, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine summoned Canadaʼs Chargé dʼ affaires due to Ottawaʼs decision.
• On July 13, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the decision to transfer a repaired turbine to the German company Siemens for the Russian Nord Stream gas pipeline "very difficult."