Canada will return to Germany turbines needed to service Nord Stream 1, the submarine pipeline that carries Russian natural gas to Europe. According to the Canadians, the delivery of the aircraft does not violate any punitive measures imposed against Russia. Ukraine thinks so.
Before the Russian sanctions came into effect, the turbines were transferred to Montreal, Canada, to be repaired there in Siemens workshops. Since the sanctions came into effect, the devices have been held in the North American country.
The devices would first be sent to Germany, which would then deliver them to Gazprom – so that Canada does not violate sanctions, an insider told the news agency Reuters.
“Canada will grant Siemens Canada a limited-term revocable permit to allow the return of the repaired Nord Stream-1 turbines, which will help Europe access reliable and affordable energy,” Canadian minister Jonathan Wilkinson said. of Natural Resources, recording through various media.
Gas stop
The whole affair started last month when Gazprom de gas deliveries through Nord Stream 1 began to curtail† The Russian state-owned company attributed the reduction — gas flows are now at just 40 percent of capacity — to missing turbines, which had not been brought back after maintenance.
The German Siemens Energy stated: “Due to the sanctions imposed by Canada, it is currently impossible for Siemens Energy to supply remanufactured gas turbines to the customer. We have notified the Canadian and German governments and are working on a solution.”
The Germans, the largest buyers of Russian gas, meanwhile, are bracing for a complete cessation of gas supplies. Due to the maintenance work on the pipeline announced by Russia, which will start on July 11, they will have to do without Russian gas for 10 days. But even after that, they don’t see it getting any better. That is why the Germans have already started austerity in order to save gas reserves. In addition, they take all kinds of energy-saving measures.
Division among allies
On Friday, however, the Kremlin said it would ramp up gas supplies to Europe if the fixed devices were returned. Ukraine, the biggest victim of Russian aggression, had previously asked Canada not to succumb “under the Kremlin’s blackmail,” the news agency reported. Belgian.
But Canada is mainly trying to alleviate the energy crisis at an ally with its action, it says. “In the absence of the necessary supply of natural gas, the German economy will face major difficulties and Germans risk being unable to heat their homes as winter approaches,” Wilkinson said. The Canadian minister accused Russian autocrat Vladimir Putin of trying to sow divisions among Western allies.
–
