The EU sanctions against Russia do not affect the gas supply, but the EU has prepared for different scenarios of further development of the situation, said the official representative of the European Commission (EC) Tim McPhee.
"The situation (on the gas market) is extremely serious, and we need to be prepared," the spokesman said Monday at a briefing in Brussels.
As for the interruption of gas deliveries through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, it is a matter of routine preventive maintenance, provided for 10 days. "It's perfectly normal that the pipeline is being serviced," McPhee explained.
When asked whether EU sanctions allow the return of a Gazprom-owned gas turbine manufactured by Siemens for the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which was under repair in Montreal, from Canada, the EC representative replied, "The European Union sanctions regime does not affect natural gas transportation equipment or technology."
At the same time, he said, there is a very clear political decision at the highest level of the EU: "by all means and as soon as possible to end dependence on Russian fossil fuels.
"Dependence on oil and gas. But as far as gas is concerned, it takes a little more time to adapt the industry of the European Union," the spokesman said.
He pointed out that the EU's RePowerEU plan calls for finding alternative sources of energy supply. But it also raises the question of saving energy consumption.
McPhee recalled that an emergency preparedness plan announced by EC head Ursula von der Leyen for a potential complete disconnection of Russian gas supplies is expected in mid-July. "We are preparing for every possibility," the EC representative added.
