Gas Supply: What Will Happen if Russia Turns Off Taps to Germany?

Europe’s largest economy declares ‘early warning’ of a possible emergency, a measure aimed at preparing for the risk of natural gas flows from Russia being cut off.

By Al-Jazeera
Global Research, March 31, 2022
Al Jazeera 30 March 2022
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The German government has triggered the first stage of an emergency plan for natural gas supplies and urged consumers to save energy in the face of growing concerns that sanctions-hit Russia could stop deliveries unless it is paid in roubles.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced last week his country would only accept payments in roubles for natural gas deliveries to “unfriendly countries” – those that have imposed sanctions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including all European Union members.

The announcement was seen as an effort to shore up the rouble, which has collapsed against other currencies since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 and Western countries responded with debilitating sanctions against Moscow.

Russia is the world’s largest exporter of gas in terms of volume, accounting for nearly half of the EU’s imports in 2021. For Germany, Europe’s largest economy, that figure stood at 55 percent last year. And although Germany’s gas imports from Russia dropped to 40 percent in the first quarter of 2022, economy minister Robert Habeck has said his country will not achieve full independence from Russian supplies before mid-2024.

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Articles by: Al-Jazeera

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