Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed European Union countries on Friday to suggest they lift sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline to ease complaints about high gas prices in the winter.
“In any case, if you are impatient, and if everything is very difficult, decide and lift the sanctions on Nord Stream 2, it is 55 billion cubic meters per year. Just press the button and everything will be resolved,” the Kremlin leader said at a press conference at the conclusion of the summit. Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
Putin noted that it was not Russia that blocked Nord Stream 2, but Germany, and even before the start of the military campaign in Ukraine on February 24.
The Russian president also confirmed that Moscow did not intentionally cut off gas from Europe via Nord Stream 1, but was forced to take this decision because it did not get spare parts for turbines and they stopped working due to sanctions.
The European Union insisted that Russian turbines are not subject to sanctions, but Putin responded that these turbines are subject to British law, as the British subsidiary Siemens repairs and maintains the pipeline engines.
“Are we to blame? Think about who is to blame. Emphasize that they are not accusing us of their own mistakes.
Putin also stressed that the Russian gas giant Gazprom and the Russian government have fulfilled and continue to fulfill all contractual obligations.
He defended: “In this aspect, there have been no failures, and there will not be.”
In Putin’s view, Europe wants to blame Moscow for “protecting itself from the indignation of its citizens” for the energy crisis.
This is another attempt to transfer the problem or headache from the patient to the healthy. The energy crisis in Europe did not start with the start of the special military operation [na Ucrânia]but much earlier,” he explained.
At the same time, Putin in Samarkand confirmed the “next” delivery of natural gas to Turkey, which he called a “reliable partner”, and announced that “a quarter” of these supplies would be paid in rubles.
This statement, which was issued after the bilateral meeting he held with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, confirms the agreement signed between the two leaders during their previous personal contact in early August in Sochi, southern Russia.
Putin also noted that he had received the “signal” allowing Russian products to be exported from Turkish ports, when Russia remains subject to heavy Western sanctions.
He declared that “our companies have received a signal that they will be able to export their products from Turkey,” expressing his intention to “significantly increase” trade with Ankara.
Turkey played a crucial role in concluding an agreement in July, under the auspices of the United Nations, with Kyiv and Moscow allowing the export of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea and the Bosphorus.
“Hardcore alcohol maven. Hipster-friendly analyst. Introvert. Devoted social media advocate.”
