The Canadian government plans, in agreement with Germany, to withdraw the turbine for the Nord Stream gas pipeline from sanctions, the Ukrainian newspaper Evropeiskaya Pravda reports.
According to the EP, the formal reason for lifting sanctions should be the argument that the return of the turbine will give Russia the technical opportunity to restore the volume of gas pumping to Europe. The government of Ukraine already knows about Canada’s intentions and considers this decision “unreasonable and dangerous for the sanctions regime,” a source in the Ukrainian Ministry of Energy told the publication.
According to Reuters, Canada and Germany do not want a shortage of turbines to become a reason for Russia to stop gas supplies via the Nord Stream. The Ministry of Energy of Ukraine, however, insists that the sanctions prohibit the transfer of any gas-related equipment to Russia.
“If, God forbid, this decision is approved, we will undoubtedly appeal to our European colleagues to reconsider their approach. Because if the countries do not comply with the decisions they have agreed on sanctions, what kind of solidarity can we talk about?” a source in the department told the agency.
According to Reuters, the Minister of Energy of Ukraine, German Galushchenko, sent a letter to the Canadian authorities in June urging them not to return the turbine to Gazprom. In his letter, the minister emphasized that Russia has “more than enough capacity on its transit routes to ensure the supply” of gas.
“There are seven turbines, this is only one of them, and those that are currently working are enough for full capacity,” an unnamed source in the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine explained.
According to him, if the decision on the transfer of the turbine is made, it “will become a precedent for the two G7 countries to circumvent the sanctions imposed against Russia.”
Nord Stream – crucial gas source for Europe
Nord Stream is part of the main gas pipeline between Russia and Germany, running along the bottom of the Baltic Sea. It is a marine part of one of the branches of the Yamal – Europe gas pipeline system.
In mid-June, it became known that the Nord Stream turbine could not be delivered to Germany from Canada, where it was undergoing maintenance. Canada qualified the turbine as a dual-use product and refused to return it, according to Kommersant. Gazprom was forced to stop two Nord Stream turbines.
In June, Russia cut gas supplies through the pipeline by almost 60 per cent. Gazprom explained this by repairing equipment. The Financial Times wrote that electricity prices in the EU soared after a reduction in gas imports from Russia. The German authorities are afraid of a complete cessation of Russian gas supplies.
Yesterday, July 7, German Economy Minister, Robert Habeck, called on Canada to resolve the issue with the supply of a turbine for Nord Stream. According to him, it is necessary to make a decision before the start of repair work on July 11. He also offered to transfer the turbine not to Russia, but to Germany.
Ru-Main, 08.07.2022
Source: Kommersant
