Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry summoned Canada’s ambassador on Monday after the government of that country decided to grant permits for the return to Germany of some turbines for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
“The Canadian side was urged to reconsider the decision, which undermines Euro-Atlantic unity in the application of the international sanctions regime against the Russian Federation,” the ministry said in a statement.
The turbine of the German company Siemens was undergoing repairs in Canada and, according to several German media, the return to Russia could mean that the Nord Stream 2 pipeline will be back up and running once the maintenance work started today is completed.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry expressed its “disappointment” with the Canadian decision as it opens the door for Russia to continue using energy as a “hybrid weapon” against Europe.
The call comes a day after the Ukrainian government denounced the Germany-Canada deal as “a manipulation of the sanctions regime to cater to Russian whims”.
“This dangerous precedent goes against the rule of law and will have only one consequence, which is to reinforce Moscow’s sense of impunity,” the Foreign and Energy Ministries said in a joint statement.
In it, they also highlighted that the turbine is not necessary for Russian state-owned Gazprom to continue supplying gas through Nord Stream 1, since the compressor station in question is equipped with several, which were disconnected “for no reason”.
This pipeline that crosses the Baltic Sea to Germany is the main source of Russian gas supply to Berlin at the moment, but the flow was reduced by 60% over the month of June due to technical problems, according to Moscow.
The annual maintenance work started today and is due to finish on the 21st, and the German government fears that it will be used as an excuse by Gazprom, along with the lack of the turbine sent to Canada for repair, to permanently stop the supply.
According to German media, Siemens Energy announced today that, following the Canadian government’s decision to return the turbine, it will be transported to Germany and then transferred “as soon as possible” to the compressor station near St Petersburg.
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