Moscow reduces gas flows to Europe, on the air the governments’ efforts to fill the warehouses before winter

There was a further reduction in Europe’s gas supply via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, and Moscow said more delays in repairs could lead to a halt in all flows, putting a brake on Europe’s efforts to replenish its natural gas reserves. .

Reduced flows come as the leaders of Germany, Italy and France visit Ukraine, which is pushing for faster arms deliveries to fight Russian forces and wants support for Kiev’s bid to join the EU.

Russia’s state-owned Gazprom has said it is cutting supplies for a second time in as many days as Nord Stream 1, which runs from the Baltic to Germany. The last move reduces supply to 40% of pipeline capacity.

He said the cuts were necessary because of the delayed return of equipment sent to Canada for maintenance, an explanation that German authorities described as technically “unfounded”.

The German government stressed that Russia wanted to drive gas prices higher.

The Kremlin spokesman, Peskov, stressed today that the cuts in supply were not pre-planned, while reiterating that the problems are caused by maintenance issues.

Russia’s ambassador to the European Union told RIA Novosti that pipeline flows could be disrupted due to engine repair problems in Canada.

Nord Stream 1 has the capacity to pump about 55 billion cubic meters a year into the EU, while last year it imported about 140 billion cubic meters of gas from Russia through pipelines.

Germany, like other European countries, is trying to refill its gas storage facilities to 80% by October and 90% by November, before winter arrives. They are now at 56%.

“We could probably spend the summer as the heating season is over. But it is imperative to fill the storage facilities to spend the winter,” the head of the German energy authority told the Rheinische Post.