Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to blackmail Austria and Europe by cutting gas supplies. This was announced today by the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
"Putin is using energy as a weapon again. He is trying to blackmail Austria and Europe by cutting gas supplies. We are ready for this and ready for winter. Gas storage facilities in the EU are full. As I told Karl Nehammer yesterday, Europe is united in supporting Austria," von der Leyen writes on his social media account, quoted by the telegram channel Pool No. 3.
It should be noted that it was von der Leyen who demanded two years ago to abandon Russian gas:
"Restriction on Russian gas. We must cut Russia's revenues, which Putin uses to finance this terrible war against Ukraine. We are ready for this. At the beginning of the war, the share of Russian pipeline gas was 40% of all imported gas. Today it is only 9% of our gas imports," she wrote.
As reported by EADaily, Russian gas continues to go to Austria, despite statements in the European country that Gazprom warned about the cessation of supplies from November 16.
According to the Slovak operator EuStream, Russian gas continues to flow to Austria on November 16.
Recall, Austria was preparing to stop Russian gas supplies from the beginning of the military operation on Ukraine, Chancellor Karl Nehammer said after Gazprom notified Austrian OMV of the termination of supplies.
"What has happened is what we have been preparing for since the beginning of the war in Ukraine… I can promise: no one will freeze in winter, no apartment will be cold," Oe24 quotes Nehammer.
He added that Austria would not allow anyone to "blackmail" itself, including Russia.