Ukraine’s energy and foreign ministers have condemned the Canadian government’s decision to allow Germany to return controversial turbines serviced in Canada to Russia’s Gazprom.
In a statement posted on the website of Ukraine’s energy ministry on Sunday afternoon, the ministers said they were “deeply disappointed” by Canada’s decision and called on the government to reverse it. In the statement, they added that returning the turbine would amount to tailoring the sanctions imposed on Moscow “to Russia’s whims.”
Gazprom blamed the turbines for its decision to halve gas flows to Germany, which is heavily dependent on Russian natural gas and recently declared a “stage of alarm” over looming gas shortages.
Read more: Germans urged to prepare for possible gas shortages amid Russia war
Turbines from the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline were sent to Montreal for a planned overhaul, but their return was complicated by sanctions imposed on Russia over the war in Ukraine. Germany pressured Canada to allow it to return the turbines to Russia despite sanctions and despite Russia’s ongoing offensive against Ukraine.
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Canada’s Natural Resources Minister, Jonathan Wilkinson, said in a statement late Saturday that “Canada will grant a time-limited and revocable permit to Siemens Canada to allow the return of the repaired Nord Stream 1 turbines to Germany.”
This, Wilkinson said in a statement posted on Twitter, would support “Europe’s ability to access reliable and affordable energy as they continue to move away from Russian oil and gas.”
He said that “in the absence of the necessary supply of natural gas, the German economy will suffer very serious difficulties.”
Siemens says it will aim to return the turbine as soon as possible.
“The policy decision to export is a necessary and important first step for the delivery of the turbine. Our experts are currently working intensively on all additional official approvals and logistics,” Siemens Energy said in a statement.
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“Among other things, this includes legally required export and import control procedures. Our goal is to transport the turbine to its place of operation as quickly as possible,” he added.
Read more: Germany activates gas ‘alert stage’ amid Russian ‘economic attack’
Siemens Energy said after Gazprom began cutting gas flows in mid-June that it had failed to return to customer Gazprom a gas turbine that powers a compressor station on the pipeline that had been overhauled after more than 10 years of operation.
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German politicians rejected Russia’s explanation for the 60 percent cut in gas flows through Nord Stream 1, saying equipment was not supposed to be a major issue until the fall and the Russian decision was a political gambit to sow uncertainty and raise prices.
“We must not be fooled: the reduction in gas supplies is an economic attack on us by (Russian President Vladimir) Putin,” Economy Minister Robert Habeck said in a statement last month, adding that Germans would have to cut consumption.
Gas restrictions are hoped to be avoided but cannot be ruled out, Habek said and warned:
“From now on, gas is a scarce commodity in Germany… We are therefore already obliged to reduce gas consumption, already in the summer.”
Read more: G7 likely to negotiate Russian turbine for German pipeline blocked in Canada: Minister
Canada’s move comes before Nord Stream 1 is shut down for annual maintenance on Monday.
In previous summers, the work led to a shutdown of about 10 days, but German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck said he suspected Russia might cite “some small technical detail” as a reason not to resume gas supplies.
The reduction in gas flows comes as Germany and the rest of Europe try to reduce their dependence on Russian energy imports. Germany, which has Europe’s largest economy, gets about 35 percent of its gas for the power industry and generates electricity from Russia.
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Last month, Habeck activated the second phase of Germany’s three-stage emergency plan for natural gas supplies, warning that Europe’s biggest economy was facing a “crisis” and winter storage targets were at risk.
With files from the Associated Press.
2:12 Germany warns of gas restrictions if Russia shuts off the taps Germany warns of gas restrictions if Russia shuts off the taps – March 30, 2022
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