Gazprom is fully prepared to export more natural gas to Europe. This was reported by Russian media with reference to the Kremlin spokesman and President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov. At the same time, he stressed that Russia considers “propaganda with a minus sign” the US demand to Gazprom to increase gas pumping through Ukraine. As for the price, it was market and will remain so.
After gas prices in Europe broke all possible highs and rose by more than 250% this year, the European Union accused the giant Gazprom of deliberately not increasing supplies to the Old Continent and manipulating the market. In Germany, the candidate for chancellor from the Green Party, Anna Bourbok, sharply criticized Russia and, in particular, President Putin, linking the significant rise in gas prices with the Nord Stream-2 project.
In recent weeks, we have increasingly heard from Brussels that Moscow is seeking to increase political pressure to obtain all permits for the disputed pipeline and put it into operation as soon as possible. At the same time, the official position of most EU member states is that there is no reason to accuse Russia of raising gas prices on the Old Continent.
Meanwhile, the US administration has announced its intention, together with its European partners, to closely monitor cases of possible manipulation of gas prices supplied to Europe.
“Rising gas prices raise serious concerns and questions about the security of Europe’s existing supplies and energy security,” said Jennifer Grenholm, the energy minister.
The Kremlin clarifies that the gas company fulfills all its obligations under European contracts and even satisfies all requests for additional supplies. That is, all other statements are propaganda that has nothing to do with reality.