European Energy Crisis Grows After Russia Shuts Off Pipeline to Germany
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Gazprom, a Russian oil company that is majority state-owned, announced that the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which transports natural gas to Germany, would not come back online as scheduled on Saturday due to a reported oil leak. The pipeline was shut down on Wednesday for three days of scheduled maintenance. The shutdown puts additional strain on Western European countries, which have struggled in the past year to balance their dependence on Gazprom energy imports with their support for Ukraine’s resistance against invading Russian forces.
While Gazprom claims the indefinite shutdown is to repair pipeline infrastructure, German officials have been quick to reject the explanation and deem the action a political move. The timing of the announcement supports this accusation, coming only hours after G7 countries finalized an agreement to impose a price cap on Russian oil with the hope of reducing funding available to the Kremlin for the ongoing invasion.
Europe’s energy economy has been placed center-stage since the beginning of the Ukraine War in February. Ethical debates continue to wage regarding the purchasing of natural gas and oil from Russia, which has relied heavily on energy exports to sustain the Russian economy and maintain the war effort in the wake of international sanctions.
Coverage of the shutdown across the spectrum highlighted claims that the move was politically motivated in response to the price cap, often covering the allegedly separate events in a single article.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Right
Nord Stream gas supply pipeline from Russia will be closed INDEFINITELY after 'oil leak was found'Europe's efforts to secure enough power for winter were handed a fresh blow today after Gazprom scrapped its own deadline to resume gas supplies via the Nord Stream pipeline as Vladimir Putin continues to weaponise the flow of energy into the continent.
The Russian energy giant said on Friday that all natural gas supplies via Nord Stream 1 would remain cut off 'indefinitely' after an apparent oil leak within the main turbine at Portovaya compressor station was discovered.
No timeframe was given for the resumption of gas supplies into Europe, despite the...
From the Left
Russia’s Gazprom keeps gas pipeline to Germany switched offEurope’s energy crisis loomed larger Friday after Russian energy giant Gazprom said it couldn’t resume the supply of natural gas through a key pipeline to Germany for now, citing what it said was a need for urgent maintenance work to repair key components, just hours before it was due to restart deliveries.
The Russian state-run energy company had shut down the Nord Stream 1 pipeline on Wednesday for what it said would be three days of maintenance.
It said in a social media post Friday evening that it had identified...
From the Center
Russia blames oil leak for closure of European gas lineThe flow of gas through Nord Stream had already been reduced to a relative trickle. Now, once again, it has been halted completely.
An oil leak, claims Gazprom - which has previously attributed reduced flows through the pipeline to technical issues related to sanctions.
Europe, though, believes President Putin is weaponising gas supplies - deliberately limiting flows through the pipeline to push up prices, in order to test the resolve of Russia’s critics.
The result, as we’ve already seen, is soaring energy costs - with businesses and consumers paying a...
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