Despite accusations from some politicians in Brussels that Russia of using its gas exports as a weapon, Russia’s permanent representative to the EU, Vladimir Chizhov, stressed on Wednesday that Russian energy company Gazprom is under no obligation to increase supplies of natural gas to the block since it’s already fulfilling its contracts.
Chizhov explained that Gazprom’s European customers don’t want to commit to buying more gas since gas prices are on the rise, pointing out that if there is no demand, Gazprom is not obliged to supply.
He underscored that the Russian energy company is already providing Europe with some extra supplies of ‘blue fuel’ not as much as they would have preferred in the EU.
Amid rising tensions with Ukraine, EU officials blamed Russia for using its energy sources as a political weapon and accused Gazprom of creating a situation of undersupply despite the fact that the company is fulfilling all its long-term obligations.
Adding that she regards Gazprom’s supply policy as strange, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen claimed that Moscow is continuing to use gas supplies as a means of exerting political pressure.
Those claims are strengthened with fears about what might happen if Moscow moves to cut off some or all of the gas supply considering as much as 40% of Europe’s natural gas is supplied by Russia.
Those fears have been increased in light of the ongoing crisis caused by the potential threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.
However, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell confirmed earlier this week that Gazprom continues to follow through on its contractual obligations for gas supplies to Europe.
Despite numerous accusations, Putin, speaking at last years’ Russian Energy Week International Forum, said that Moscow has always, even during the most complicated Cold War periods, complied with its contractual obligations.
He reiterated on multiple occasions that Moscow does not use energy exports as a political weapon.
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