Several officials in Germany are increasingly concerned that the flow may not be restored as Russia’s war against Ukraine continues
The supply of natural gas from Russia to Germany is suspended from today for ten days, in order to carry out maintenance work on the pipeline Nord Stream 1which cuts through the Baltic Sea and is considered the most important for the flow of fuel to Europe’s largest economy.
The flow was due to stop at 06:00 (local time; 07:00 Greece time) and, in theory at least, will resume on the morning of July 21.
However, several officials in Germany are expressing increasing concern intensifying their concern that the flow may not be restoredas Russia’s war against Ukraine continues.
Germany and other Western countries have imposed successive rounds of sanctions on Moscow to force it to end the war.
But many countries are heavily dependent on Russian energy, and Moscow has responded by suspending or cutting gas supplies to several of them, seen as a retaliatory move in Europe.
Russian state gas company Gazprom has already significantly reduced deliveries through the 1,200km pipeline between Russia and northern Germany, citing delays in maintenance and repair work. Moscow attributes the delays to sanctions imposed by Western nations, an argument German Chancellor Olaf Scholz rejects.
The fact that only 40% of the pipeline’s capacity was being used led to further price increases on the gas market, according to Germany’s federal grid agency.
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