Putin tells Europe: if you want gas then open Nord Stream 2
- Putin has denied that Russia has anything to do with Europe’s energy crisis.
- Insists that Russia will meet its energy obligations.
- European gas prices have more than doubled since the start of the year amid Russian supply cuts.
Samarkand: President Vladimir Putin on Friday denied that Russia had anything to do with it. Energy crisis in EuropeSaying that if the EU wants more gas, it should lift restrictions preventing the opening of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
After talking to journalists. Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Uzbekistan, Putin charged What he called a “green agenda” for the energy crisis, and insisted that Russia would meet its energy obligations.
“The bottom line is, if you want, if it’s too difficult for you, just lift the restrictions on Nord Stream 2, which is 55 billion cubic meters of gas a year, just push the button and everything will be alright.” Putin said.
Nord Stream 2, which lies roughly parallel to Nord Stream 1 on the bed of the Baltic Sea, was built a year ago, but Germany shut it down just days before Russia sent troops into Ukraine on February 24. Decided not to go ahead with it.
European gas prices have more than doubled since the start of the year amid falling Russian supplies.
Price hikes this year have squeezed already struggling consumers and forced some industries to halt production.
Europe has accused Russia of arming energy supplies in response to Western sanctions imposed on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine. Russia says the West has launched an economic war and sanctions have hampered operations on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline.
Russia has cut off gas supplies to several countries, including Bulgaria and Poland, because they refused to pay in rubles instead of the contract currency.
Russian gas giant Gazprom also said earlier this month that the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, Europe’s largest supply route, would remain closed because of an engine oil leak from a turbine at a compressor station, sending wholesale gas prices soaring. I had increased.