Gazprom says in a press release that it has no documents in its possession that would allow supplier Siemens to have the engine of a gas turbine leave Canada. On the other hand, Ottawa has already said that the turbine can return to Germany. “In these circumstances, it is not possible to draw objective conclusions about the evolution of the situation, in the context of safe operation” of the gas pipeline.
Earlier this week, Ukraine had questioned the Canadian ambassador about the delivery of the gas turbine for Nord Stream. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called it “unacceptable” that Canada wants to supply Germany with a turbine for Russia’s Nord Stream gas pipeline. “An absolutely unacceptable exception” to sanctions against Russia, it said. Ukraine had previously asked Canada not to succumb “under the blackmail of the Kremlin” and not to return the turbines maintained at Siemens in Quebec.
The Russian gas group Gazprom had invoked the work to justify the reduced gas supplies to Germany via the gas pipeline in June. The Russians previously indicated that they would increase the capacity of the pipeline again if the repaired turbine was delivered to Russia. The whole situation is causing concern about gas supplies to the eastern neighbours.
