Germany persuaded Canada to violate sanctions to help Berlin simplify the gas issue. Ottawa intends to return Siemens gas turbines to Gazprom so that the Russian side has no excuses to reduce gas supply through Nord Stream. The decision of Canada and Germany caused a wave of indignation among the authorities of Ukraine, they intend to seek the abolition of this decision. This is reported by Reuters and European Truth, citing sources.
The Ukrainian side insists that if Canada still returns the turbine to Russia, then this will be the first time that two countries violate their own sanctions at once.
“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 close to the Ukrainian Ministry of Energy told the agency.
Evropeyskaya Pravda notes that the formal reason for lifting sanctions against the turbines will be the German side's argument that the return of the turbines will help stabilize gas supplies to Germany. Reuters, citing a source close to the Canadian side, claims that the decision has already been made. Arguing for the decision, the source noted that neither Canada nor Germany want Russia to be able to use the topic of turbines to blackmail the whole of Europe with gas.
The Ukrainian side insists that Canada and Germany should refuse to transfer the turbine to Gazprom, since Russia has every opportunity to increase the necessary volumes of gas to Europe right now. A source at the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine claims that Gazprom has seven of its own turbines, in addition, the state-owned company has the ability to increase supplies via other routes, but deliberately does not.
“If the decision to transfer the turbine is made by Canadians, regardless of whether it is Gazprom or Germany, so that it transfers it further, this will be a precedent for circumventing sanctions by the two G7 countries,” said a source in the Energy Ministry.
Under the pretext of the absence of turbines, Gazprom previously reduced the volume of gas supplied through Nord Stream to 40%. At the moment, the European gas market is experiencing a shortage again, which leads to a sharp increase in energy prices, gas prices approached $2,000 per thousand cubic meters the day before. Nord Stream remains the main gas pipeline from Russia for Europe, the lack of stable supplies increases the risks for the normal passage of the heating season. At the same time, the rate for the supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) has previously been severely criticized, despite the historical growth in LNG supplies to the European market.
