BERLIN
\nThe main natural gas pipeline between Russia and Germany shut down for scheduled maintenance Monday, raising concerns that Moscow could use the repairs as a pretext for a longer shutdown as it wields energy supplies as leverage in the Ukraine war.
\nEuropean ministers warned that it was unclear whether Moscow would turn the taps on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline back on after the 10 days of scheduled work. Germany\u2019s economy minister, Robert Habeck, said Berlin was concerned about a \u201cnightmare scenario\u201d this winter if Russia decides against doing so.
\n\u201cEverything is possible, everything can happen,\u201d he told Deutschlandfunk radio on Sunday. \u201cWe have to prepare for the worst.\u201d
\nSpeaking at a business conference in southern France, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire went further, saying that a total cutoff was \u201cthe most likely scenario.\u201d He said that \u201cit would be totally irresponsible to ignore this scenario.\u201d
\nThe Nord Stream 1 pipeline pumps about 55 billion cubic meters of natural gas under the Baltic Sea to Germany each year. From there, it is also distributed to other countries in Europe. Virtually the entire European Union has said that weaning itself off Russian gas should be a priority, but several member countries remain heavily reliant on Moscow.
\nDespite scrambling to diversify its supply since Moscow\u2019s invasion of Ukraine, Germany is still reliant on Russia for about 35 percent of its supplies, while France gets 17 percent of its gas from Russia.
\nAs it tries to build gas reserves before the winter, when demand is at its highest for heating in homes, the German government has urged consumers to conserve energy by taking cooler showers and using less air conditioning. Some large residential landlords have gone further, limiting overnight heating and hot water for tenants.
\nHabeck, who has said he\u2019s taking shorter showers, has laid out an emergency plan in the event of a further crunch on supplies, which would involve the government intervening in the energy market.
\nAt Berlin\u2019s urging, Canada agreed over the weekend to return a turbine for the Nord Stream 1 to Germany, despite Ukrainian objections. The equipment has been stranded in Montreal, where it underwent repairs, because of Canadian sanctions on Russia.
\nGermany had feared that if the turbine was not returned in time for the scheduled maintenance, Russia could use that as an excuse not to turn the gas back on. Last month, Russia cut flows to 40 percent of the pipeline\u2019s total capacity, citing delays in the return of equipment for service, a move Western nations called \u201cenergy blackmail.\u201d
\nThe Ukrainian government on Sunday criticized Canada\u2019s decision to return the turbine, saying it would embolden Moscow to \u201ccontinue to use energy as a tool of hybrid warfare against Europe.\u201d
\nUkrainian officials have argued that there is no technical basis for Russia\u2019s demand that the turbine be returned because the pipeline can operate without it. Moscow, they say, is choosing to weaponize gas flow in retaliation for sanctions.
\n\u201cThis dangerous precedent violates international solidarity, goes against the principle of the rule of law and will have only one consequence: it will strengthen Moscow\u2019s sense of impunity,\u201d Ukraine\u2019s foreign and energy ministries said in a statement.
\nSince Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion in February, Ottawa has penalized more than 1,000 people and entities, including Russia\u2019s oil and gas sector and its manufacturing industry.
\nBut the tussle over the turbine has Canada, home to the world\u2019s second-largest Ukrainian diaspora, caught between two allies: Germany, a NATO partner, and Ukraine.
\nAlexandra Chyczij, president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, characterized the decision as \u201cbowing to Russian blackmail,\u201d while Canada\u2019s opposition Conservative Party said it would damage the country\u2019s \u201cstanding on the world stage.\u201d
\nThe State Department, however, said it supported Ottawa\u2019s decision.
\n\u201cIn the short term, the turbine will allow Germany and other European countries to replenish their gas reserves, increasing their energy security and resiliency and countering Russia\u2019s efforts to weaponize energy,\u201d spokesman Ned Price said Monday.
\nJonathan Wilkinson, Canada\u2019s natural resources minister, said Saturday that the permit to return the turbine is \u201ctime-limited and revocable.\u201d
\n\u201cAbsent a necessary supply of natural gas, the German economy will suffer very significant hardship,\u201d he said, \u201cand Germans themselves will be at risk of being unable to heat their homes as winter approaches.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BERLIN The main natural gas pipeline between Russia and Germany shut down for scheduled maintenance Monday, raising concerns that Moscow could use the repairs as a pretext for a longer shutdown as it wields energy supplies as leverage in the Ukraine war. European ministers warned that it was unclear whether Moscow would turn the taps […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-270874","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-business"},"yoast_head":"\n