FILE PHOTO – Pipes of the onshore facilities of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline are pictured in Lubmin, Germany, March 8, 2022. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke HANNIBAL HANSCHKE/Reuters
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Ottawa bowed to German pressure and will return Russian gas turbine to Germany, which Moscow considers critical for the flow of natural gas to Europe.
Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson announced the decision in a statement on Saturday. He said the Canadian government is returning the turbine at the insistence of Germany and other European countries, which are trying to replenish gas supplies for the coming winter months.
The grounded turbine, which was under repair at a Siemens plant in Montreal, will be sent to Germany, whose government will then hand it over to Russia. The indirect process would allow Canada to say it has not waived sanctions imposed after the invasion of Ukraine. These restrictions prohibit the export of certain goods and technology to Russia, including the turbine.
The Ukrainian government and the Ukrainian-Canadian Congress opposed the move, saying it would benefit Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime and undermine Canada’s commitment to full-scale sanctions against Russia.
Russia’s state-owned natural gas company Gazprom blamed the missing turbine for its decision to cut capacity on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which runs under the Baltic Sea to Germany, by as much as 60 percent. Germany faces the prospect of energy quotas unless Russia allows more natural gas to flow.
“Canada will grant a time-limited and revocable permit to Siemens Canada to allow the return of the refurbished Nordstream 1 turbines to Germany, supporting Europe’s ability to access reliable and affordable energy as they continue to move away from Russian oil and gas,” said mr. Wilkinson said in a statement. “Without the necessary supply of natural gas, the German economy will suffer very seriously and Germans themselves will be at risk of not being able to heat their homes as winter approaches.”
Russia has an additional turbine it could put into operation, and German officials said Moscow was using the sanctioned turbine as an excuse to put economic pressure on Europe. Returning the turbine would remove that excuse, German Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeck said earlier this week in an appeal to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
In his statement, Mr. Wilkinson explained why Canada is acting to help Germany at the expense of sanctions that are meant to help Ukraine. “On the eve of the winter months, the Russian regime and its propaganda arms seek to use the instability they have created to justify further destabilization of European energy security,” he said. “In doing so, President Putin also hopes to sow division among allies who have shown unprecedented unity in support of Ukraine.” We cannot allow this to happen.”
He added that Canada will continue to impose sanctions on Moscow and is working with European leaders to end dependence on Russian gas imports as quickly as possible and to stabilize energy markets.
Alexandra Chychizh, national president of the Ukrainian-Canadian Congress, issued a strongly worded statement saying the government had bowed to “Russian blackmail.”
“By accepting Germany’s request, Canada would not only violate its policy of isolating Russia, but would also set a dangerous precedent that would lead to a weakening of the sanctions regime imposed on Russia,” she said.
She added that the consequences of Canada’s “capitulation to Russian ultimatums” would be far-reaching.
“A precedent has been set where Russians know that at the first sign of trouble our government will submit to Russian blackmail and energy terrorism.” This will inevitably encourage Russia to further aggression, making Ukraine, the European Union and Canada less secure.
Ms Chyczij added that the Kremlin’s past appeasements led to the Russian occupation of Crimea and Donbass in 2014 and the full-scale attack on Ukraine on February 24 this year.
“This decision will ensure that the coffers of the Russian state budget will continue to be filled with European money, which will be used to finance Russia’s genocide against the Ukrainian people,” she said.
The Ukrainian embassy said Kyiv would make an official statement on Sunday. In a possible sign of displeasure, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky fired his ambassador to Germany on Saturday. He also dismissed envoys to India, the Czech Republic, Norway and Hungary.
The Trudeau government moved quickly on Saturday to blunt criticism by announcing new sanctions against Russia. Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said in a statement that the restrictions would apply to “pipeline transport and the production of metals and of transport, computer, electronic and electrical equipment and machinery”.
Once the measures take effect, she said, Canadian firms will have 60 days to enter into contracts with targeted Russian industries and services.
Sabine Sparwasser, Germany’s ambassador to Canada, expressed her country’s gratitude to Ottawa for releasing the turbine.
“We know it wasn’t easy. But it is critical that we help Canada’s European allies steadily build independence from Russian energy, and that preserves our unity,” she said in a statement.
Germany remains an ally of Ukraine in the war against Russia through military and financial support and through its support for Kyiv’s bid for membership in the European Union, she added.
Mr. Trudeau was under intense pressure from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who raised the turbine issue with him at the G7 summit in late June. Mr Scholz is planning a trade visit to Canada on August 22 and 23 to push for the construction of LNG export facilities on Canada’s east coast, which would allow Europe to replace some Russian supplies with Canadian fuel.
Germany is also interested in investing in green hydrogen projects and in the extraction of critical minerals essential to the country’s automotive, chemical and high-tech industries.
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