The European Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, called “Gazprom”ʼs latest decision to cut gas supplies politically motivated. According to her, it has no technical basis.
Simson stated this at a meeting of EU energy ministers in Brussels, reports "European Truth” (“Yevropeiska Pravda”).
"We know that there are no technical reasons for this. This is a politically motivated move, and we should be ready for it. And thatʼs why preemptively reducing our gas demand is a wise strategy," Simson explained.
She added that “Gazprom”ʼs actions force the EU to prepare to stop supplies from Russia at any moment.
- Last week, the European Commission proposed an emergency plan that requires each country to reduce gas consumption by 15% from August to March, in case of further reductions in fuel supplies. On July 26, it became known that the countries of the European Union agreed on an emergency plan. It should be approved at a meeting of energy ministers of the EU countries in Brussels.
- Since June 16, “Gazprom” has reduced supplies of the Nord Stream gas pipeline to 40% of the nominal capacity, explaining this by the fact that Canada, due to sanctions, did not return the turbine needed for the gas pipeline. On July 17, she was handed over to Germany for return to Russia, but she still hasnʼt reached the Russian Federation.
- On July 21, the Russian Federation resumed gas supplies to Germany through the Nord Stream pipeline at low capacities.
- And on July 25, “Gazprom” decided to stop the operation of another turbine of the Nord Stream gas pipeline, reducing the supply of gas to 20% of the pipelineʼs capacity.