If sanctions prohibit continued maintenance of the Nord Stream pipeline, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia would continue to supply Europe with natural gas, but cautioned that deliveries via the Nord Stream 1 network could become curtailed.
According to the Wall Street Journal's story, Putin said that the pipeline's owner, the Moscow-controlled energy corporation Gazprom, will uphold and fulfill its obligations to Europe. Putin's remarks come as sanctions and other supply chain problems triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine have limited the flow of natural gas into Europe.
If the pipeline turbine that was taken to Canada for maintenance isn't returned to Russia soon, the Russian president warned, pipeline flows might fast decrease to 20% of capacity. Another turbine will need to be repaired on July 26, according to Putin.
European countries are worried that Moscow will not restore the biggest Russian gas pipeline to Europe, Nord Stream 1, when the scheduled repairs conclude on Thursday. According to the Wall Street Journal, the European Union is already preparing to limit fuel in the case of a prolonged outage, despite rising fuel prices and record inflation.
The WSJ reports that on Wednesday, the European Union published new plans for future rationing in an effort to compel governments to tighten their energy-conservation programs. As part of its plan, the commission has indicated that it will restrict the use of air conditioners and central heating systems and will disclose which industries will be given priority should gas supplies become scarce.
Last month, Gazprom cut pipeline deliveries to 40% of capacity in preparation for maintenance, citing Canadian sanctions as the reason the turbine could not be returned from being serviced. According to The Independent, European officials dismissed the turbine explanation as a political ploy to artificially inflate energy costs and penalize the EU for the sanctions it placed on Russia during its invasion of Ukraine.
The Russian Embassy ignored a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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