BERLIN—The Nord Stream pipeline that channels Russian pure fuel to Europe shut down for a scheduled upkeep on Monday, stoking fears throughout the continent that the Kremlin may finish provides in retaliation for sanctions towards its invasion of Ukraine.
The pipeline connecting Russia’s Siberian fuel fields with Germany below the Baltic Sea will stay closed for annual upkeep till July 21, the consortium behind the pipeline, which is majority-owned by Russia’s vitality big PAO Gazprom, stated.
While the shutdown occurs yearly, European politicians together with Germany’s vitality minister
Robert Habeck
and French Finance Minister
Bruno Le Maire
warned on Sunday that Vladimir Putin’s regime may use the upkeep to cease fuel provides, and referred to as on business and households to arrange for fuel shortages.
Gas costs have been surging throughout Europe and notably in Germany, the place some areas have already begun rationing scorching water, proscribing vitality utilization for road lighting and introduced they might decrease heating temperatures for the chilly season.
An finish to Russian fuel provides would set off a fuel scarcity and trigger social tensions that might solely be stored in examine by authorities subsidies and different interventions out there, Mr. Habeck stated in a radio interview Sunday.
Mr. Habeck stated that households would want to chop their vitality consumption by a few fifth for the nation to get by means of the chilly season with out shutting down factories.
Germans are more and more shopping for electrical and oil-powered heating methods, in addition to wood-burning stoves, in accordance with retailers.
Gas flows channeled by means of the dual pipes of Nord Stream have been lowered to 40% of their regular capability in June, which Nord Stream blamed on technical issues brought on by the absence of a turbine that was due for repairs however had been held in Canada on account of export sanctions towards Russia.
Canada’s authorities introduced final week that it had made an exception for the turbine on the behest of the German authorities and would enable the gear to be delivered to Germany, which is able to then switch it to Russia.
“We welcome the decision of our Canadian friends and allies,” Germany’s Chancellor
Olaf Scholz
stated in a press release.
The transfer triggered criticism from Kyiv, which warned that carving out exceptions to the sanctions was a concession to Moscow.
“This dangerous precedent violates international solidarity, goes against the principle of the rule of law and will have only one consequence: it will strengthen Moscow’s sense of impunity,” Ukraine’s overseas ministry stated in a press release.
Russia continues to be exporting fuel to Europe by means of a pipeline traversing Ukraine, which has remained operational, albeit at a lowered capability, regardless of the invasion that began on February 21.
Copyright ©2022 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8
Source: www.wsj.com”