Russian gas company Gazprom said Wednesday that it had cut gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria, signaling that economic tensions between Moscow and the West have increased significantly due to the war in Ukraine.
Gazprom said Wednesday that it has stopped gas supplies to Polish gas company PGNiG and Bulgarian Bulgargaz for failing to meet their payment obligations in Russian currency. Gazprom said the suspension would continue in rubles “until payments are made” from Wednesday.
For both NATO and EU members, it is unclear whether the flow of gas to Poland and Bulgaria has actually stopped. Gazprom noted that some of the gas destined for other countries passes through Bulgaria and Poland. It has been stated that in the event that PGNiG or Bulgargaz extract gas for third countries, the supply to these countries will be “reduced by the amount purchased”. This is the first delivery delay since Russian President Vladimir Putin said “hostile countries” should pay for gas in rubles instead of other currencies. European leaders rejected Putin’s request, accusing Gazprom of violating contracts.
The EU is heavily dependent on Russian gas, which heats homes, cooks and produces electricity in most of the bloc’s 27 member states. Officials and experts have long feared that the EU is overly dependent on Moscow and warned that relations could be armed. Two countries are particularly vulnerable on Tuesday: Poland receives over 45% of its gas from Russia and over 70% from Bulgaria, according to the European Union.
According to PGNiG, Gazprom sent him a letter announcing the company’s “complete suspension of supply” via the Yamal pipeline from Siberia to Europe. After the announcement, the Polish authorities claimed that the country had sufficient gas supplies.
Polish climate minister Anna Moskva will not suffer from gas shortages in Polish homes. said on Twitter.
I told the Bulgarian government An alternative gas supply was being provided and there would be no internal restrictions on consumption.
Ukrainian officials immediately criticized Gazprom’s decision, saying it was in retaliation for strong EU support for Kiev, particularly Poland, which specifically expressed its support for Ukraine and has become a hotbed of weapons and supplies. Andrei Ermak, private secretary of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, said that Russia has begun to “blackmail European gas”.
“We see efforts to move forward and ignore Russia’s specific rules and obligations. This was announced by Yermak in a post for Telegram. “Russia is trying to undermine the unity of our allies. Therefore, the European Union should unite and embargo energy resources, thus depriving the Russians of energy weapons.
Energy imports from Europe have been buzzing for years and are still being assessed after Russia began invading Ukraine. Russia remains in the bloc Leading supplier of solid fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal, and Zelensky calls the EU to pay the “blood price” for energy from Moscow.
The EU unveils plan to cut Russian gas imports by two thirds this year without a boycott
Late last year, in the midst of a worsening energy crisis, some lawmakers accused the Kremlin of limiting gas supplies and increasing pressure on European regulators, while the EU was already looking for ways to break free of dependency. from Russian imports. Approval of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.
But the imports continued despite the war in Ukraine becoming increasingly brutal and European leaders turned to Putin for harsh criticism. The EU executive last month formulated an ambitious plan to block Russian fossil fuels instead of other sources by 2030 and increase renewable energy production. The proposal has been suspended by the US due to an urgent and sweeping ban on Russian oil and gas, but this will cut Russian gas imports by only two-thirds this year in a dramatic move.
“We cannot trust a supplier who openly threatens us,” said Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.
However, even one of the commission’s senior officials admitted that the change would be “too drastic”, leading to higher prices and possible internal political turmoil.
On Tuesday, some analysts said Gazprom’s move could accelerate the breakdown. Fatih Birol, director general of the International Energy Agency, described it as “another sign of Russia’s politicization of existing agreements” and predicted that it would “only accelerate European efforts to overthrow Russia”.
Irinka Hromotska contributed to this report.
Source: Washington Post
John Cameron is a journalist at The Nation View specializing in world news and current events, particularly in international politics and diplomacy. With expertise in international relations, he covers a range of topics including conflicts, politics and economic trends.
