The EU takes new measures, after a further drop in Russian deliveries. European Union member states on Tuesday approved a coordinated reduction plan for their gas consumption to further reduce their dependence on Moscow. The measure was announced by the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU.
“It was not an impossible mission! The ministers (of the Energy of the 27 meeting in Brussels) reached a political agreement on the reduction of the demand for gas in anticipation of next winter”, announced the Twitter account of the Czech presidency.
The Russian gas giant Gazprom announced Monday that it would drastically reduce from Wednesday, to 33 million m3 daily, deliveries of Russian gas to Europe via Nord Stream, or about 20% of the pipeline’s capacity against some 40% currently. The company highlights the need for maintenance of a turbine. An argument that does not hold for Berlin.
“Delivery cuts” in Germany
“There is no technical reason for the delivery cuts. The turbine is ready to be delivered to Russia,” German Economy Minister Robert Habeck got carried away on Monday, quoted by Der Spiegel. In passing, he denounced the “perfidious game” of Vladimir Putin.
“Russia breaks treaties and blames others,” asserted the environmental minister, whose country is particularly dependent on Russian gas brought in by the pipeline via the Baltic Sea. Gazprom will “fully” fulfill its obligations, the Russian president had previously assured.
Westerners accuse Moscow of using the energy weapon in retaliation for the sanctions adopted after the offensive against Ukraine. In kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelensky blows on the embers: “Russia is waging an open gas war against a united Europe. They don’t care what will happen to people, how they will suffer – from hunger due to blocked ports, from winter cold and poverty… or from occupation. These are just different forms of terror, ”said the Ukrainian president.