The economy minister hopes that Russia will soon be supplying gas again – also thanks to the replacement of a turbine. Ukrainian President Selenskyj criticized this step as a sign of weakness.
Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck is hoping for further gas deliveries from Russia after the end of maintenance work on the Baltic Sea pipeline Nord Stream 1. “I have no secret information, neither in one direction nor in the other,” said the Green politician on Monday evening in the ARD “Tagesthemen”. “It’s possible. There’s also a chance that it won’t happen. We’ll have to wait and see.”
Since Monday, nothing has been delivered via the last most important route for Russian natural gas to Germany. According to the operating company, the work should last until July 21. In these ten days, no gas will be transported through the pipeline to Germany. In Germany there is concern that the pipeline will not be put back into operation after the maintenance work and that gas will run out in winter.
Habeck wants to meet with the Austrian Energy Minister Leonore Gewessler in Vienna on Tuesday. The talks should also be about close coordination between the two countries in the light of the gas crisis. Austria has large storage facilities but needs gas imports as an alternative to Russian natural gas.
Many other measures conceivable
Habeck emphasized that many other measures could be taken before industrial sectors were shut down. As an example, he cited the construction of floating liquefied gas terminals. There are plans for them on the North Sea. You can currently see how the gas volumes are developing. Everything aims to have full storage in winter. “If it is not possible to get more gas quantities on the market, we just have to bring consumption down further,” said Habeck. There are various options for this.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized the planned delivery of a serviced Russian turbine for Nord Stream 1. “If a terrorist state can enforce such an exemption from sanctions, what exemptions does it want tomorrow or the day after? This question is very dangerous,” said Zelenskyj in a video message on Monday. “And dangerous not only for Ukraine, but also for all countries of the democratic world.”
The Russian state-owned company Gazprom significantly reduced the delivery volume through Nord Stream 1 in June and referred to the missing turbine, which was in Canada for repairs. According to the federal government, the delivery of the turbine does not fall under the EU sanctions because they are not directed against gas transit.
Zelenskyy said the sanctions exception was perceived as a weakness in Moscow. “That is their logic. And now there is no doubt that Russia will try not only to limit gas supplies to Europe as much as possible, but to completely stop them at the most acute moment,” said the head of state. (dpa)