“Russia is not using any weapons,” Putin mentioned. “Even during the hardest parts of the Cold War, Russia regularly fulfilled its contractual obligations and supplied gas to Europe,” he added.
Russia final interrupted gasoline exports to the European Union in January 2009 after failing to agree costs and pipeline transit tariffs with Ukraine. It additionally lowered gasoline flows briefly to Ukraine in 2006 and 2008 as the results of pricing disputes.
Putin struck a extra conciliatory tone on Wednesday, saying that Russia was “prepared to discuss any additional steps” with European governments to sort out the worsening energy disaster.
“Russia flawlessly fulfills its contractual obligations to our partners, including our partners in Europe,” he mentioned. “Moreover, we always strive to meet our partners halfway.”
Wholesale electrical energy costs in Europe have elevated by 200% in comparison with the 2019 common, in response to the European Commission. The surge is the results of hovering pure gasoline prices, pushed by excessive demand in Asia and lower-than anticipated deliveries from Russia.
Most EU international locations depend on gas-fired energy stations to satisfy electrical energy demand, and about 40% of that gasoline comes from Russia, in response to Eurostat.
Last month, the International Energy Agency known as on Russia to provide extra pure gasoline to Europe to assist alleviate the disaster, saying that though Russia is assembly contractual obligations to European clients, exports are down from their 2019 degree.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov instructed journalists on Wednesday that Russia has elevated gasoline provides to Europe to the utmost potential degree underneath current contracts and can’t exceed these thresholds.
Russian officers have beforehand mentioned that rushing up the approval of the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline linking Russia with Germany might assist carry down pure gasoline costs. The pipeline was accomplished final month regardless of years of opposition from international locations together with the United States, which warned that it could increase Moscow’s affect in Europe.
The Biden administration introduced in July that it had reached a cope with Berlin that may permit the pipeline to go forward in trade for German help to Ukraine. It is now awaiting clearance from German authorities.
The European Commission on Wednesday unveiled a collection of measures aimed toward tackling the energy disaster, together with rushing up the transition to renewable types of energy.
EU member states have put in place a collection of emergency measures to assist customers and companies address the decade-high electrical energy prices, together with direct monetary help to households, state support for corporations and focused tax reductions.
— Amy Cassidy, Chris Liakos, Walé Azeez and Katharina Krebs contributed reporting.