The European Union will face major fuel shortages if Moscow cuts gas supplies completely. Therefore, member countries are offered a plan Save gas for a safe winter, said European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson.
The European Union will face a shortage of 40-45 billion cubic meters of fuel if Russia completely cuts gas supplies in the winter. This is what European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson said in a press conference in Brussels following the emergency meeting of the EU Council of Ministers on Energy on Tuesday, July 26.
“According to our assessment, in the event of a complete interruption of gas supplies, in July we will have a gas shortfall of 40 billion cubic meters during the mild winter and up to 45 billion cubic meters during the colder winter. We must take into account the need … to replenish our storage facilities,” he stressed.
According to the official, the Council of the EU accepted these proposals, but gave more flexibility for member states to implement them. He also recalled that Gazprom has announced a reduction in gas supplies through Nord Stream 1, and there is information about increasing the pressure of Russian gas being transported through Ukraine.
“These are just two examples of Russia’s arbitrary disruptions of gas supplies, blackmail, and use of energy as a political weapon since the beginning of Russia’s war against Ukraine,” Simson said.
He believes that this behavior of Russia exacerbates uncertainty, increases the possibility of a crisis and weakens the unity of the EU, and is unlikely to change in the near future.
“Today, the European Commission presented to the Ministers the plan to Save Gas for a Safe Winter. The Ministers accepted it and reached a political agreement. There was a consensus at the negotiating table that we must prepare for the worst and must everyone do their part by sending a clear message of unity of the EU market and citizens,” the European Commissioner for Energy stressed.
Recall that EU countries reached a political agreement on a voluntary reduction in natural gas consumption this winter by 15%.
In addition, Russian Gazprom announced that from July 27 it will reduce gas supplies through Nord Stream by 1 to 33 million cubic meters per day. Thus, the gas pipeline will operate at only 20% of the total capacity.
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Source: korrespondent
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.