The Finance Minister ofGermany expressed worries that Russia may permanently shut the country's largest natural gas pipeline within weeks.
In an interview with ZDF, Robert Habeck said:
"I would have to lie if I said I didn't fear that."
Nord Stream 1, the pipeline in question, is the main means of natural gas transport from Russia to Germany. Being the world's top importer, Germany needs about 35% of the supply but this has been under threat since the sanctions posed on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
The pipeline is scheduled to shut down for maintenance purposes for 10 days, starting on the 11th of July. Germany's head of natural gas network, Klaus Mueller, implied that the pipeline might not be operating again following its maintenance stutdown.
He said:
"If we have a very, very cold winter, if we're careless and far too generous with gas then it won't be pretty."
There have already been reductions in the gas flows to Germany by Russia. On the 14th of January, Russian state-controlled energy supplier, Gazprom, cut flows of natural gas to Germany through Nord Stream 1 by 40%.
Germany declared a gas crisis on Thursday and is now in stage two of its contingency plan to cope with the gas supply.
[Based on reporting by: Business Insider]
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