The Government of Canada plans, in agreement with Germany, to withdraw from the sanctions the turbine for the Nord Stream gas pipeline, the Ukrainian newspaper Evropeiska Pravda (EP) reports. The fact that Canada decided to return the turbine to Gazprom was also told by Reuters sources.
According to the EP, the formal reason for lifting the sanctions should be the argument that the return of the turbine will give Russia the technical ability to restore the volume of gas pumped to Europe. The government of Ukraine is already aware of Canada's intentions and considers this decision "unreasonable and dangerous for the sanctions regime," a source in the Ukrainian Ministry of Energy said.
According to Reuters, Canada and Germany do not want the lack of turbines to become a reason for Russia to stop gas supplies via Nord Stream. The Ukrainian Energy Ministry, 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 turn to our European colleagues with a request 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, Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko sent a letter to Canadian authorities in June urging them not to return the turbine to Gazprom. In his letter, the minister focused on the fact that Russia "has more than enough capacity on its transit routes to ensure the supply" of gas.
“There are seven turbines, this is just one of them, and those that are currently working are enough for full capacity,” an unnamed source in the Ukrainian Ministry of Energy explained.
According to him, if the decision to transfer the turbine is made, this "will become a precedent for the two countries of the G7 to circumvent the sanctions imposed against Russia."
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, Kommersant learned. Gazprom was forced to shut down two Nord Stream turbines. In June, Russia cut gas supplies via the pipeline by almost 60%. Gazprom explained this by repairing equipment, but Siemens, which manufactures turbines for Nord Stream, does not agree with this version.
The Financial Times wrote that electricity prices in the EU soared after a reduction in gas imports from Russia. The German authorities fear a complete cessation of Russian gas supplies. Yesterday, July 7, German Economy Minister Robert Habeck called on Canada to resolve the issue of supplying 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 offered to transfer the turbine not to Russia, but to Germany.
Now gas is the new lever of influence in this cold war...
