Nord Stream 1, which has been closed since Wednesday for what Gazprom claims is maintenance work, is set to stay shut down indefinitely due to an oil leak in one of the turbines, media reported.
The Russian move was announced shortly after the G7 agreed to introduce a price cap for Russian oil in a bid to reduce Moscow’s ability to finance its war on Ukraine.
EU Council President Charles Michel has tweeted that the announcement was “sadly no surprise”.
“Use of gas as a weapon will not change the resolve of the EU. We will accelerate our path towards energy independence. Our duty is to protect our citizens and support the freedom of Ukraine,” Michel added.
The Kremlin denies using energy as a hybrid weapon in retaliation for sanctions, which the Western countries have imposed on Russia since February 24.
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Source: IAR, BBC
