June 22, 2022
2 mins read

Europe warned of total shut down of Russian gas exports

EU countries are racing to refill storage sites, with Germany hoping to reach 90 per cent of capacity by November. Its stores are only half full…reports Asian Lite News

Europe needs to prepare “immediately” for Russia to turn off all gas exports to the region this winter, according to the head of the International Energy Agency, who has called on governments to work on reducing demand and keeping nuclear power plants open.

Fatih Birol said that the reductions in supplies in recent weeks the Kremlin has attributed to maintenance work could, in fact, be the beginning of wider cuts designed to prevent the filling of storage facilities in preparation for winter, as Russia seeks to gain leverage over the region, The Guardian reported.

“Europe should be ready in case Russian gas is completely cut off,” he said in an interview with the Financial Times. “The nearer we are coming to winter, the more we understand Russia’s intentions.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin (Twitter@KremlinRussia_E)

“I believe the cuts are geared towards avoiding Europe filling storage, and increasing Russia’s leverage in the winter months.”

EU countries are racing to refill storage sites, with Germany hoping to reach 90 per cent of capacity by November. Its stores are only half full, The Guardian reported.

Member states have also been working to reduce their reliance on Russian fossil fuels, by sourcing gas from other countries, including the US, and by speeding up the switch to renewable energy, although officials have conceded that the race to phase out Russian oil and gas would mean burning more coal and keeping nuclear plants going.

Birol said emergency measures taken by European governments to reduce energy demand had probably not gone far enough, and urged countries to work on preserving energy supplies.

“I believe there will be more and deeper demand measures as winter approaches,” Birol said. He added that gas supplies may need to be rationed, if Russia were to further reduce gas exports.

Moscow has reduced or even cut off gas deliveries to several EU countries in recent weeks, in response to their decision to impose sanctions on the Kremlin over its invasion of Ukraine.

Russian gas supplies to Europe received through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline – which runs under the Baltic Sea to Germany – have been falling, The Guardian reported.

ALSO READ: Google Maps hit by another probe in Europe

Previous Story

Sunday lockdown in Pak province to save energy

Next Story

Visa announces launch of global ‘She’s Next’ initiative in Egypt

Latest from -Top News

Zero Tariffs? Trump Claims Big Win Over India

Trump Claims India to Eliminate Tariffs on U.S. Imports..reports Asian Lite News U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that India has either already removed or is in the process of removing

Khaleda Zia Returns to Bangladesh

As Khaleda Zia travelled to her Gulshan residence from the airport, hundreds of party workers lined the streets to welcome her return…reports Asian Lite News BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia Returns to Dhaka

UNSC Grills Pakistan Over Pahalgam Attack

Though Pakistan claimed that the meeting largely served and achieved the objectives of the UNSC’s meeting, reports showed that it flopped miserably…reports Asian Lite News The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) reportedly
Go toTop

Don't Miss

‘Fascism will not make an easy return to Europe’

Left in Europe is trying to redefine itself: Fascism will

European solidarity with Tibetans

The main objective of the town adopting campaign was to