Pipelines at the ground facilities of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline in Lubmin, Germany, on March 8. HANNIBAL HANSCHKE/Reuters
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the Kremlin’s bluff by allowing Russian gas pipeline turbines repaired in Canada to be sent back to Moscow’s state-controlled Gazprom, arguing the move removed a pretext for Vladimir Putin to reduce or interrupt natural gas deliveries. in Europe
Ottawa sidestepped its own sanctions against Russia in last month’s decision, prompting harsh criticism from Ukraine for what it described as a penchant for blackmailing Moscow.
Mr. Scholz, however, defended Mr. Trudeau and told The Globe and Mail that he considers criticism of the prime minister and his government on this matter to be “totally unfounded.”
He also said he would welcome supplies of liquefied natural gas from Canada as Germany works to reduce its dependence on Russian energy.
In June, Gazprom cited the delayed return of natural gas turbine equipment, which Siemens Energy had been lending to Montreal, as the reason it decided to reduce the flow of natural gas through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline that service in Germany at 40 percent. cent of capacity. The majority shareholder of Nord Stream 1 is Gazprom and the majority owner of Gazprom is the Russian government.
Putin’s games threaten to force gas rationing. Will European solidarity survive?
The first turbine stranded by sanctions in Canada has already been shipped back to Germany, but has not yet been delivered to Gazprom’s operations in Russia.
Since the Trudeau government’s decision in July, Russia has cut gas supplies through Nord Stream by 1 to 20 percent, again blaming the delayed turbine. On July 29, Gazprom also complained that the maintenance of this turbine was not in accordance with the contract.
German cities have already started to promote energy saving measures. Some are turning off the spotlights on monuments and shutting down fountains. And Hannover is one of the first big cities to cut off the hot water in public buildings.
The House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee is holding hearings on the Russian turbines on Thursday and has called Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly and Ukraine’s Ambassador to Canada Yulia Kovaliv to testify.
Scholz said Berlin’s ambassador to Canada, Sabine Sparwasser, will also testify and explain Germany’s position to urge Canada to return the turbine and service other Gazprom equipment.
Trudeau has explained his actions by saying he did not want punitive rules aimed at the Putin regime to contribute to the energy crisis in Europe and hurt natural gas consumers in countries like Germany.
Mr. Scholz, in response to written questions from The Globe, said the prime minister’s “firm decision” to release the turbine removed an excuse the Russian president could use to justify cutting natural gas supplies to Germany and others European countries. The July deal struck by the federal government includes allowing the import, repair and export of multiple turbines between now and 2024.
“Thanks to Prime Minister Trudeau, we were able to call Putin’s bluff. We never believed that the reduced deliveries had technical reasons,” Mr. Scholz. “With the turbine ready to be delivered, it is up to Russia to resume its contractual obligations.”
The turbines are vital components of the compression stations along the Nord Stream 1 pipeline that maintain pressure in the line as it moves gas from Russia under the Baltic Sea to Germany.
The German leader said Russia is trying to divide allies by blaming a turbine delay for reduced gas shipments.
“Russia is trying to exert pressure and pit one ally against another,” Scholz said, adding that this should not be allowed to succeed.
German company Siemens Energy had been servicing the turbine at its Montreal facility when Ottawa imposed sanctions to punish Russia for its war on Ukraine. At Germany’s urging, Canada approved a sanctions permit that works as a waiver and allows the import, repair and export of up to six Nord Stream 1 turbines to Canada over the next two years.
Ottawa’s July 9 decision on the turbine equipment also had the support of US President Joe Biden’s administration, which called it the right step because it would allow Europe to strengthen its oil reserves. natural gas for the cold winter months ahead.
“If Moscow chooses not to live up to its contractual obligations, let that be clear to the whole world. Thanks to Canada, that will now be the case,” Mr. Scholz. “It’s a known playbook by now: Russia wanted to stop gas deliveries and blame the outcome on our sanctions regime.”
President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Ukrainian government have sharply criticized Ottawa’s decision, saying it sets a dangerous precedent that will encourage Mr. Putin to continue using energy as a weapon.
Critics, including the Ukrainian-Canadian Congress, said Ottawa’s decision to create a loophole in its sanctions undermined sanctions against Russia over its large-scale military assault on Ukraine.
The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC), an advocacy group representing Ukrainians abroad, has announced a legal challenge to the decision in the Federal Court of Canada.
The German chancellor said that Western sanctions against Russia are increasing, not decreasing.
“I consider the criticism against Justin Trudeau and his government to be completely unfounded. The decision to hand over the turbine is not a favor for Gazprom,” Scholz said.
“It is a strong sign of support for Germany and Europe and of maintaining solidarity among close allies to maintain long-term support for Ukraine. How would weakening Germany and Europe help Ukraine?
Mr. Scholz said Western sanctions should not punish Europe, noting that they are mostly working to cripple Russia. “Russia’s productive capabilities are falling rapidly, its economy is in recession and its access to critical goods has been greatly reduced,” he said.
Ukraine has argued that Germany could have obtained natural gas supplies from Gazprom’s pipeline that runs through Ukraine.
“Why would Russia deliver more gas to Ukraine? I don’t think that happened,” Mr. Scholz.
When asked why Germany had continued to depend on Russian natural gas when the United States had warned years ago that Mr. Putin could weaponize energy supplies, Mr. Scholz noted that his country and others in Europe have been buying this fuel from Russia for decades. He recalled that there was a time when countries hoped that Moscow could be a constructive actor on the international stage.
“But still: I don’t want to deny that we have relied too long and too unilaterally on Russia’s energy supply. Today we live in a different reality and we are adjusting quickly,” he said, noting that Germany will stop import Russian oil by the end of the year.
“Gas is the hardest part, but the share of Russian gas in our imports has fallen rapidly, in just a few months, from 55% to 30%,” he said.
“In that context, we would welcome LNG supplies from Canada as well.”
The chancellor will take a trade delegation to Canada in August to explore the possibility of German investment and technological assistance in the construction of two liquefied natural gas facilities on the east coast.
He said Germany is interested in Canadian hydrogen energy and Canada’s abundant deposits of critical minerals and rare earths. Western countries are trying to reduce their dependence on China for critical minerals.
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