RT reported that on July 16, Gazprom expressed its hope that Siemens will fully fulfill its obligations in maintaining the gas turbines needed to ensure the reliable operation of the Nord Stream gas pipeline and energy shipments to Europe.
What's going on?
European countries, especially Germany - which has the Nord Stream pipeline carrying gas from Russia - are worried about whether gas supplies will be resumed.
Gazprom is maintaining the pipeline for about 10 days and has stopped supplying gas through the gas pipeline running under the Baltic Sea.
Gas flows through the Nord Stream pipeline fell on July 11 as annual maintenance was carried out until July 21.
European governments, markets and companies are concerned that the pipeline closure could be prolonged, and Moscow could use annual maintenance of Nord Stream - which had been scheduled in advance - to cut off gas supplies in response to Western sanctions on Russia's military campaign in Ukraine.
Gas flows through the pipeline have fallen by about 60%, even before Russia maintained Nord Stream since July 11, due to problems with gas turbines that Siemens sent for repair in Canada but could not return on time due to sanctions.
Moscow said that restarting supply depends on Western actions and that depends on preventing the negative impacts of illegal restrictions.
Canada issued a term and recoverable license last week to exempt the turbines from Western sanctions on Russia, but Gazprom said it saw no evidence that the turbines would be transferred.
What does Gazprom say?
Despite the sanctions exemption, Gazprom said it did not know whether the turbine - used at a Nord Stream compression station - would be returned.
"On July 15, Gazprom sent an official request to Siemens to obtain a document allowing the return of the gas turbine engine of the Portovaya plant - an important facility for the Nord Stream gas pipeline" - AFP quoted Gazprom's statement as saying.
"Gazprom depends on Siemens to unconditionally fulfill its obligations regarding the maintenance of gas turbine engines, to ensure the smooth and reliable operation of the Nord Stream pipeline and supply of natural gas to European consumers," Gazprom said on July 16.
What's happening to the turbine?
The turbine is believed to still be in Canada. Siemens spokesperson said the company's experts are "working in depth on all official approval procedures and other logistics".
Ukraine summoned a Canadian ambassador on July 11 and described the decision to return the repaired turbine as " unacceptable". A Ukrainian-American organization has filed a lawsuit, asking a Canadian federal court to reconsider the decision in the hope it would turn the situation around.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded to criticism, saying the sanctions were "targeted to Russia and its supporters, not designed to harm our allies and their people."
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the "difficult decision" to allow the transportation of these parts to Germany was made to avoid a major energy crisis that could occur in Europe and prevent people's opposition to Western support for Ukraine.
